Sears Garden - Maintenance Agreements

My husband purchased a new tractor from Sears a couple of months ago. The tractor is not working. My husband purchased a service agreement at the time of purchase. He scheduled a repair call 3 weeks ago and we were confirmed for an appointment between 8 and noon on 1/21/2012. When the noon hour passed, my husband called the service number. After holding for a lengthy period, he was transferred around a couple of times.

Finally, a live representative confirmed that our technician should be calling us, and that he was running late. A few minutes later, the technician called saying he'd arrive at our home at 1:00. We waited. By 3 pm we decided it was time to call again. My husband made repeated attempts to speak with a manager and was told none were available. He called back later and was told by a representative that we had cancelled our own appointment. This was untrue. My husband was put on hold by a representative and then disconnected.

I called back. After about 10 minutes, I spoke with George. I asked George to look at my account and tell me if he has me scheduled for an appointment. He read the details to me, confirming that I did have an appointment and that it was not cancelled. He went on to say that I should reschedule, but he would have to transfer me to a senior technical representative. I begged him not to drop me, and that if he does, to call me back. He assured me he wouldn't, and said he would hang on the line until I was connected. I'm typing this email to you as I continue waiting (30 minutes have lapsed). I have call waiting on my landline so when I heard another call trying to get through, I switched over to that line. Guess who it was, Sears, with an important automated message about my service appointment, with instructions to call Sears!

My husband and I dedicated a day to waiting for service, for a brand new item that has never been used. We lost out on income by staying in all day, and Sears' assumption that we should give up more time to get a brand new item serviced (with no guarantee that anyone will show up) is galling to say the least. There were so many things wrong with the way we've been handled I don't even know where to start. The final explanation given to me was that there was an IT glitch that resulted in our call never reaching the dispatcher who gives the technicians their calls for the day. That's an interesting story, but it was the field tech who called us and said he'd be at our home at 1:00. In a tough economy, it's sad that Sears can't manage to even make a modest attempt at demonstrating integrity and customer loyalty.

I have a 1600 dollar BBQ that carries a 3 yr parts warranty on all stainless steel parts. I called the warranty department on 8/11/2011. The rep said they would send me all parts needed. I called today and there is no order, but they show I called in on the 11th. They will not send me the parts that I need now, even though covered under warranty. They won't help me at all. Not to mention, they have terrible customer service and they are unprofessional.

One year ago I purchased a lawn tractor from Sears. I usually do not buy extra warranties on any purchases I make. I made an exception in this case because the salesperson claimed that if I buy the warranty, it comes with a significant discount on the annual at-home maintenance (tuneup, oil change, blade sharpening etc). The annual maintenance fee would be $30. I felt that this was compelling enough reason to purchase the warranty. (although admittedly nothing in writing exists on the salesperson's representation).

One year later, when I made an appointment for my first maintenance call, the Sears service representative denied any knowledge of such a service discount provision in their warranty plan. She pointed out that such a service costs $150, not $30. After a very brief argument, she gave in immediately and honored the warranty. I was somewhat confused and surprised at how quickly she changed her mind.

I immediately went to the Brockton, MA Sears store to talk to a salesperson about my experience. He was very friendly and supportive. And in fact pointed out to me that it was his recollection as well that the $30 plan was in fact one of the sales pitches for the warranty a year ago. He stated that he used that sales tactic himself. I asked if Sears would be willing to put the $30 plan in writing. He referred me to his manager, who point blank denied that there was ever such a plan.

She stated that the $30 plan was for push mowers, not tractors. I pointed out to her that despite her statement, her sales force was using the $30 sales tactic with its customers to coerce them into buying the warranty on tractors. I also pointed out that the salesperson just indicated to me five minutes earlier that such a tactic was indeed true. But she once again denied that the existence of the policy. She respectfully informed me that if I were dissatisfied I could get a prorated refund on the warranty.

She did point out that, despite the fact that Sears gave in and honored the $30 warranty this year, it is quite unlikely that Sears will honor it for the next two years. Suffice it to say I am quite angry at the Sears organization, for allowing deceptive selling practices with their warranties. And then one year later once they find out how unprofitable their service plan is, convenientyly changing their minds.

While I appreciate that such a deal is probably not profitable for them and they likely realized that after the fact, that should not be my concern. It was their representations that convinced me to buy the warranty in the first place. And I believe that they should be put in a position of honoring the commitments made by their salespeople, who are agents of the company, whether orally represented or not.

My only wish is for Sears to honor this warranty, both written and oral. I am aware that the $30 plan was not in writing. However, given the salesperson's representation to me one year later that the deceptive sales practice did in fact exist, I am convinced that this was a well known, common and supported sales practice on the part of Sears at the time.

On May 5 2000 I purchased a Sears lawn tractor plus a three year in-home repair agreement. On the first occasion that I needed repair the technical person I spoke with told me that the engine would not start because of a defective battery and I needed to purchase a new battery and since there wasn't an alternator on the mower I needed to buy a starting charger; otherwise the battery would drain down and would need replacing again. I was told that batteries, belts, tires, etc were not covered under this agreement.

After purchasing these items and upon experiencing another problem months later with the drive belt I reviewed my repair agreement and found out that not only was the battery covered but the belts and tires were also. I called the 800 number to log another service call and was told to bring my mower into the shop; that they didn't cover my area (about 45 min drive from the nearest Sears store). I called back and asked for customer service and spoke with Brook Meridith (National Customer Service). She tried to log the service call for me and was told the same thing. Nowhere on my agreement does it say "we don't cover that area".

Brook routed me over to Rod P. (wouldn't give last name) at National Customer Retail and I explained my problem to him. He was of no help and told me that he was in retail and not service. Brook Meredith called me back and told me that a service person would be out to fix my mower between the hours of 12 noon and 5pm on Thursday April 17th.

At 6pm on the service day I spoke with Loretta Anderson and she told me that nobody was going to show up and would I like to schedule a service call at a later date. It is tentitively set for Wednesday April 23rd but I told her that I had no faith in Sears service because of previous problems. She connected me with Morisine Mutshi with the National Customer Relations dept who took down a formal complaint. She told me to call Devin Glover with the Protection Agreement department and ask for a refund on my $250 since I had never gotten service in previous cases concerning the mower. Devin told me that he wasn't authorized to give me a refund.

I'm in a loop, I'm out $250 and my mower is still not fixed. My agreement says that if they can't fix it then they will replace it; that might be an alternative to the poor service from Sears. I shouldn't have to talk with this many people to get a simple repair (drive belts) fixed. I shouldn't have to rent a trailer to take my mower into the shop, I shouldn't have to pay for an agreement where Sears has continually failed to honor. I won't buy anything from Sears again!!!

Don't ever buy a warranty from Sears! I live in East Texas...maybe 40 minutes from Dallas. Put down $300 plus for a 3-year warranty on a tractor...hell, a riding lawn mower. The service reps snicker and chuckle when you have the nerve to call for service and they really love telling you it will be 2 to 3 weeks until we can come out. They love it. They say, "You live in the wrong area". And spring-time is not the time to call for service. Maybe the dead of winter. Sure ain't the Sears and Roebuck I grew up with.

The grass is up to my knees. Lots of snakes, my dawg "Hunter" got bit on the nose by a copperhead. Sears is a complete and utter fraud. $297 vet bill. $117.00 to fix it myself. You dirty retailers. Never again.