Last Monday, I was buying a birthday present and went to the SEARS website to purchase the gas grill he mentioned he really wanted. It was on sale with an additional 10% off if I purchased the grill online and picked it up in the store. "Great! You've got a deal!", I thought. So, I purchased the item and planned to pick up the grill the next day. The next day I called the store I selected online to make pickup arrangements and was told that they did not have my order. I called the customer service number and was told that the item I purchased—and, so I thought—paid for, was not in stock and my order had been canceled. I asked if there were any that could be shipped to me and was told that SEARS doesn't ship this item. I asked if there were any within 75 miles that I could pick up, and was told no. I was told to check back on Friday as most stores received stock then. I checked back on Friday, but the item was still not in stock. I checked back again today—and still—nothing in stock. I called back and asked if I could just order the item and when it was in stock I could just come get it. I was told that SEARS doesn't do this either. I was told to pick another item, so I asked the customer service rep to check on 4 additional grills in the 0-$250 range and NONE of those were in stock either.
I think it's a sleazy buiness practice to advertise items on sale—much less offer additional discounts on—that they obviously do not have nor have any idea when they might receive. Why not remove it from the website? Why not offer a raincheck? I am suspicious that they refused to let me pay for the backordered item... I think that SEARS has no intention of honoring those sales prices!!! I am very saddened that SEARS has stooped to such low, slimeball business practices like the cheaper retailers. I feel very "baited and switched" since the rep today had plenty of $500 grills that he tried to sell me...
BUYER BEWARE! Sears is no longer the fullfilling the customer service and business practices that we used to expect. They are just as manipulatve and sneaky as your local discount store.
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