My wife and I have been loyal Sears customers for over 30 years. We currently have a Sears credit card with a $8k credit limit with $6k available.
Last October, my wife entered a Sears store in the Spokane, WA. Area to make a small purchase of kitchen accessories. The sales associate suggested that she open a Sears CitiCard Mastercard account. The teaser to get her to fill out the credit application was an instant discount on the current purchase of $15.00.
She was instantly approved, completed the purchase and the $80.00 sale was applied to the new account. Soon after, the holiday season set in and life became a little busy. As usual, several bills were received and paid during November and December and, January, February.
In early February we started getting annoying automated telephone calls from SearsCard CitiBank. I called and spoke to a representative and we quickly discovered that they somehow messed up our billing address. I was assured that the problem was now corrected and our bill would be arriving shortly along with the new credit card.
The annoying calls continue, this time my wife calls them back and is told that her account is past due and we're being subjected to additional interest and penalties. The agent further stated that the new card wouldn't arrive until the payment had been received.
Weeks later, we still have not received our bill and the annoying calls continue on a daily basis.
Just this morning, I called Sears at the number provided on the back of my original Sears credit card to have the unpaid balance moved from the new CitiBank Mastercard to our original credit card account. The agent stated that she couldn't authorize the transfer because the new account is in my wife's name only.
My wife and I are livid. Neither Sears or CitiBank deserve our or your business. After working three straight 12 hour night shifts in the NICU at a local hospital, she now has to call Sears to handle a billing problem that they created in the first place.
As a consumer of goods and services, I dream of a day where both the merchant and consumer are held accountable for their actions and choices. Will I ever step foot into another Sears store? I guess that depends on whether or not they choose to treat my wife and I with the respect we deserve.
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