Why I Am No Longer a Sears Customer

Sears.com Fails to Deliver on Promises

December 5, 2013

Sears has failed this shopper for the last time! I fondly remember shopping at Sears as a child alongside my mother. And the website Sears.com has come through for me on many occasions. But that’s all history now. Read the sad, sad story of hours wasted, responses not received, and powerless customer service agents following self-serving customer service practices that led to this former loyal customer abandoning the merchant without a qualm.

NETTING IT OUT

A Sears.com order that wasn’t fulfilled led to a travesty in customer support. After over four hours on the telephone with Sears customer support, speaking to six people during four calls on three different days, the issue still wasn’t resolved!

The lessons to be learned from Sears’ huge mistakes include:

Make sure that customer order information is accurate and up-to-date
Fulfill your promises
Respond in a timely manner
Make sure communications/emails are accurate and understandable
Empower customer service
Take the onus off customers

Sears did none of these things. And, because of that, they have lost a former loyal customer.

A SAD HOLIDAY SHOPPING STORY

My Holiday Shopping Scenario

Hanukkah came early this year, so I started shopping early. By the end of October, I had done all my online ordering so that I had the right gifts to give on November 28^th (when my family was gathering for the holiday). My Customer Scenario was, “I want to give appreciated gifts on time and at the lowest cost to me.” Because Sears.com had offered me, a loyal customer, a number of coupons for money off, free shipping, and a wide range of products—not to mention that I still had $28 and some change on a Sears gift card, I ordered five gifts from the site and was pleased with my order. I was sure the recipients would love them. But only two of them were delivered to me. Here is the sad story of how Sears failed to meet my needs over and over again!

A Summary of Lousy Service by Sears Support

Last Monday, November 25, 2013, I sent the following six-page email to shc@custtomerservice.sears.com (the corporate customer service group) at 12:30 PM Eastern Time. I have never before sent a six-page email, but I wanted to be sure I had documented all that had happened. And, believe me, I left out a lot of frustrating, but not necessary, details... (more)