Sears.com sends fliers once a week, and this week they advertised a 37" Toshiba LCD TV. This was a one day sale to run all day Saturday, January 27. The price was set at $799 which would have made this TV a great deal at about $500 less than any other store. I wanted to buy this TV for my daughter who had just moved to the New York area after living through Katrina.
First I went to a Sears store in my area and I was told that this sale was on the internet only and that other people were in that morning looking for that particular television. This salesman tried to sell me a different television for $300 more. No.
I went home and got on the computer. I went through the Sears.com order process but ran into trouble it showed that the order was not going through because my credit card was refused. I knew that my credit was fine so I called and checked with the credit card company to see what the problem was. They told me that Sears.com had indeed made an inquiry on my account and that they told sears that my credit was good and that they should re-submit the bill. Sears did not submit another bill. I started the order over. I tried at least three times more, each time my credit card was rejected so I called sears.com.
I was told by both the csr and the supervisor that they were having systems problems, that no TVs were being sold and that they were going to run the sale the next morning between 9 am and noon. Sunday I wake up early only to go through the same process and the same credit rejections. I called sears.com again and I was told that they were still having systems problems but that it was definitely being straightened out. They said the sale was off for the day and rescheduled for the next day Monday from 9 am-12noon (this time central time).
Monday I tried to place my order, guess what, my credit card was rejected again. I called Sears.com and another csr tried to place the order and as she was doing it the TV disappeared off the site. I asked for her supervisor. She referred me to Sears.com's national office. I spoke to a supervisor there, explained my problem and she referred me to another supervisor named Kelly. Kelly told me that the price was an error. She said "Sears would not be in business long if they sold goods at such a loss", and "If 'I' read in the small print Sears.com is not responsible for any errors in the ads".
I know there were a lot of people trying to buy this television, this was a great buy. I have gotten great buys in the past. Sales are put on for many reasons, promotion, holidays, to bring in customers etc. I've never experienced something put up for sale and that sale not being honored by the store.
My question is does Sears.com or Sears have any responsibility to make good on this sale?
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