Comments on: Searching for Service and Satisfaction at Sears http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/ Part Mop. Part Puppet. All Crazy. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:10:37 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Joe Tintype http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-578914 Joe Tintype Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:38:32 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-578914 Ha ha. Hey, this sounds a lot like a Seinfeld episode. I like the line: "I want to return this item and then purchase it again" I'm sure you thought of Jerry's line "for spite". But yes, that policy sounds a little strange. Try Kohls. A friend of mine, Bob Sacamano (j/k) used to work there. She says that they have a very liberal return policy. Someone once returned a broken Christmas ornament, which was completely different from the one on the box, and they still gave the lady a complete refund! I know you're not looking to game any system, but it sounds to me like you won't be having this problem there. Ha ha. Hey, this sounds a lot like a Seinfeld episode. I like the line: “I want to return this item and then purchase it again” I’m sure you thought of Jerry’s line “for spite”.

But yes, that policy sounds a little strange. Try Kohls. A friend of mine, Bob Sacamano (j/k) used to work there. She says that they have a very liberal return policy. Someone once returned a broken Christmas ornament, which was completely different from the one on the box, and they still gave the lady a complete refund! I know you’re not looking to game any system, but it sounds to me like you won’t be having this problem there.

]]> By: A.T. http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-578878 A.T. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:41:25 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-578878 I completely understand your problem. I work at Sears and I know the return policy sucks. The funny thing is that they could have overrode (overridden?) the form of tender for your refund. It's actually quite simple. We've have had many customers complain about that same Sears....being not to far down the road from that store I hear many complaints. I'm sorry for your inconvience and hope you don't throw Sears out completely (not just saying that because I work there) because there are nice associates that will go out of their way to get you the results you are looking for. I completely understand your problem. I work at Sears and I know the return policy sucks. The funny thing is that they could have overrode (overridden?) the form of tender for your refund. It’s actually quite simple. We’ve have had many customers complain about that same Sears….being not to far down the road from that store I hear many complaints. I’m sorry for your inconvience and hope you don’t throw Sears out completely (not just saying that because I work there) because there are nice associates that will go out of their way to get you the results you are looking for.

]]> By: Seth http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-578238 Seth Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:32:58 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-578238 Lori, I'm not saying I'd be an asshole to someone's face who offers me a gift, but I think it's well within my rights to tell folks, "Hey, I don't want giftcards. Please give me cash instead if you're thinking about getting me a giftcard." I don't think it's an overreaction either. It's an epiphany born out of experience and frustration and personal growth. That's a good thing. And robo-answerbot, whomever you may be, while I don't think retailers should be my "friend", in an age of Web 2.0 and vocal customers on the internet, I think they can continue to piss me off at their own peril. Those companies that treat their customers better will thrive and survive, those that don't will pay the price. Lori, I’m not saying I’d be an asshole to someone’s face who offers me a gift, but I think it’s well within my rights to tell folks, “Hey, I don’t want giftcards. Please give me cash instead if you’re thinking about getting me a giftcard.”

I don’t think it’s an overreaction either. It’s an epiphany born out of experience and frustration and personal growth. That’s a good thing.

And robo-answerbot, whomever you may be, while I don’t think retailers should be my “friend”, in an age of Web 2.0 and vocal customers on the internet, I think they can continue to piss me off at their own peril. Those companies that treat their customers better will thrive and survive, those that don’t will pay the price.

]]> By: robo-answerbot http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577834 robo-answerbot Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:15:43 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577834 I've worked in several retail stores and most places just suck. But you need to consider retail like it's a chess game. If you pay for something, are you going to be returning it? If the answer is yes or maybe, then do what you can to pay with strictly cash. If the item is a few hundred dollars, then just put everything on one card. Most stores won't even let you pay on your credit card with a gift card because too many people have used gift cards to avoid monthly interest charges when they didn't have the cash. Let me give you some advice about retailers. They aren't your friend no matter how kind they may be. Ultimately, businesses are in business to make money. Don't be surprised when you feel like you've gotten the shaft by a retailer, espeicially when it comes to returns. Shopping tips: 1) Always pay cash for gifts and give the original receipt so the giftee will get cash back. For the the gifts in a seperate transaction if you need to. 2) Don't make transactions complicated by using various tenders 3) Keep your composure. Associates take a lot of guff from customers and often for reasons that make no sense. Attitude is a quick way of seeing their dark side (no pun intended) 4) Don't procrastinate with returns. Often, the associate may remember the item being purchased and it might just work to you advantage if there were complications to begin with I’ve worked in several retail stores and most places just suck. But you need to consider retail like it’s a chess game. If you pay for something, are you going to be returning it? If the answer is yes or maybe, then do what you can to pay with strictly cash. If the item is a few hundred dollars, then just put everything on one card.

Most stores won’t even let you pay on your credit card with a gift card because too many people have used gift cards to avoid monthly interest charges when they didn’t have the cash.

Let me give you some advice about retailers. They aren’t your friend no matter how kind they may be. Ultimately, businesses are in business to make money. Don’t be surprised when you feel like you’ve gotten the shaft by a retailer, espeicially when it comes to returns.

Shopping tips:
1) Always pay cash for gifts and give the original receipt so the giftee will get cash back. For the the gifts in a seperate transaction if you need to.
2) Don’t make transactions complicated by using various tenders
3) Keep your composure. Associates take a lot of guff from customers and often for reasons that make no sense. Attitude is a quick way of seeing their dark side (no pun intended)
4) Don’t procrastinate with returns. Often, the associate may remember the item being purchased and it might just work to you advantage if there were complications to begin with

]]> By: mingaling http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577801 mingaling Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:11:48 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577801 Never accepting gift cards ever again? A little much, no? A lot of stores provide the opposite experience you encountered. We got a ton of gift cards for stores (Crate and Barrel, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.), and those stores bent over backwards accepting returns and finding what we needed. Sears looks like it sucks, Target's return policy blows, but I don't think I'm going to say no to gifts when offered. Never accepting gift cards ever again? A little much, no?

A lot of stores provide the opposite experience you encountered. We got a ton of gift cards for stores (Crate and Barrel, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.), and those stores bent over backwards accepting returns and finding what we needed.

Sears looks like it sucks, Target’s return policy blows, but I don’t think I’m going to say no to gifts when offered.

]]> By: Robert http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577734 Robert Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:58:21 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577734 Sears (and many other) retailers do it this way because they don't have a crystal ball to see what you paid for with the gift card and not. Some stores will 50/50 the transactions, you get 50% of the value back on gift cards and 50% of the value back on your credit card. It's hard to blame Sears, because gift card scams and "money changing" scams are ripe in retail and the associates are doing what they were trained to do. Sears (and many other) retailers do it this way because they don’t have a crystal ball to see what you paid for with the gift card and not. Some stores will 50/50 the transactions, you get 50% of the value back on gift cards and 50% of the value back on your credit card.

It’s hard to blame Sears, because gift card scams and “money changing” scams are ripe in retail and the associates are doing what they were trained to do.

]]> By: dpb http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577733 dpb Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:59:49 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577733 I've found many sites now make finding actual customer service numbers very difficult to find. Most want you to email them now but that doesn't work when you need immediate assistance. I’ve found many sites now make finding actual customer service numbers very difficult to find. Most want you to email them now but that doesn’t work when you need immediate assistance.

]]> By: Seth http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577684 Seth Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:00:14 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577684 Over $30. I found them for around $6 instead of $40. Over $30. I found them for around $6 instead of $40.

]]> By: Colin Matthew http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2008/12/28/searching-for-service-and-satisfaction-at-sears/comment-page-1/#comment-577681 Colin Matthew Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:31:10 +0000 http://www.mostlymuppet.com/?p=2417#comment-577681 That's insane. In the end how much did you end up saving on those cables? That’s insane. In the end how much did you end up saving on those cables?

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