Short version:Sears can't figure out how to get their IT-Systems to allow my order to be delivered.
Long version:On 1/18/2015 I placed an order on SearsOutlet for a floor model stackable-Washer/Dryer, I got a great deal, ~50% off even after their steep deliver cost. My card was charged immediately, I was expecting my item on 01/27/2015.
Turns out I used my delivery address as my billing address, but my CC actually had another address on file. Someone from Sears called and asked me a few questions and told me the issue was resolved, Right?....
Wrong!!!There was a big snowstorm in the NY area on the 25th/26th/27th (?), so when I called and asked, they told me my delivery would be postponed a few days. Meanwhile, the SearsOutlet store with my item shipped it on the 1/27/15, and it arrived in a Sears warehouse in Syosset NY (less than 20 minutes from my house) on the 1/29/15.
Since then there has been an audit/pend-code on my order (I suspect this is because of the "fraud" issue above, which was never removed in their delivery system).
I've spent countless hours on the phone, Sears CSRs, supervisors, and computer systems are all incompetent, here are the reasons they have given me for the audit:
- The item is discontinued so they can't sell it anymore
- I never paid for the item
- There was a snowstorm, and the item wasn't ready for delivery on the scheduled date
- An audit was initiated by a department that ensures orders get fulfilled on a timely basis (WTF does that mean and how does that explain my delay)
I've spoken to supervisors in all of the following offices, and all they can do is write an email/message requesting the audit been removed, everyone blames a different one of the following offices/departments:
- The Sears Outlet store - They say they shipped my order and it's out of their hands
- Sears Outlet customer service - They say it's Delivery's fault
- Sears Delivery - They blame all the others on this list and try (unsuccessfully) to call the other departments to resolve the issue
- "Sears Solutions" - the CSR actually conferences all the above departments and they couldn't resolve the issue....
- Sears Fraud Department - They don't know why the other departments see the audit, they removed it
- Unreachable:
- Sears Offline - The department that's supposed to remove the audit
- Sears CrossDock (or is it CrossStock) in Syosset, where my item is physically located.
- Their (non-existent?) social-media team never responded to my inquiries. SearsCares, yeah right...
I've been constantly and consistently lied to and misinformed, as follows:
- My order confirmation links to this page which promises a call three days before my scheduled delivery date, and another call the night before. I've had several delivery dates and never received any of these calls.
- My Sears.com order status page says my order is in transit, there's nothing there about it being pending or on hold
- They've already requested my audit be removed 8-10 times, the first request was on 01/29/15, it was supposed to take 24-48 hours
- Several times I was promised a $100 giftcard in compensation, it never made it to my email (I checked spam as well)
- They gave me the wrong tracking number for the freight company that carried my order to Syosset
- My credit card wasn't charged for the order, it's just pending (It's clearly on my Amex statement which already closed)
- I was promised multiple callbacks from supervisors, they never bothered calling me back
- I was given multiple dates as the latest possible date I can expect my item to be delivered, these dates have come and gone
- The CSR tells me: "Here's a number you can call:" and reads me back my own phone number...
- I ask a question, the CSR puts me on hold, after 10 minutes on hold the CSR comes back with more information about my order that doesn't answer my question at all
All they can offer is to keep sending requests to remove the audit, the new timeframe is 3-5 days, and if it isn't removed then (they aren't embarrassed to tell me this) I can wait another 5 days.
The internet is full of such stories, unfortunately I'm far from the only one.
In summation, it doesn't matter how much real-estate Sears owns, their mismanagement and fragmented departments/IT-systems is going to take them down.
Inspired by Why I hate the USPS