I had a very bad customer service experience with Sears concerning the purchase of a washing machine and dryer. The nature of this is as follows:
1.) It smelled of "bait and switch". 2.) Sears displays items on their showroom floor that are "not available" but customers may not find out about this until the items have been paid for. 3.) Sears refused to issue a refund when it was obvious to me that they had a very limited stock of washing machines that were available.
Therefore, I am filing this report.
On Jun 13, I bought a GE washer (Sears #02637782000) and matching dryer from the Sears store in Westminster, Maryland. The washer failed (bad transmission diagnosed by Sears Repair Service) within four months of purchase.
Sears ordered a replacement GE washer. The transmission failed on the replacement washer within two weeks of delivery.
I returned to Sears and told them I wanted to return the second defective GE washer and dryer. I picked out a matching Maytag washer and dryer. The dryer was delivered but the washer was not. I went to Sears and asked about the status of the Maytag washer. The sales associate could not retrieve any information and made a call to a woman named Ann who told me "That Maytag model is no longer available."
I told Ann "OK, I’m in the showroom looking at another Maytag washer that costs $40 more. But this washer doesn't match the dryer you delivered two weeks ago. If you have this model and a matching dryer I’ll take them but you will have to pick up the dryer that you delivered two weeks ago because this Maytag washer and dryer have silver consoles and the first Maytags I ordered are white."
Ann told me "That Maytag washer is no longer available either and if we pick up the dryer that was delivered two weeks ago, we have to charge a $60 restocking fee..."
I told Ann that when I bought the Maytag washer and dryer, I was not informed that the washer was not available. She told that if I didn’t want to pay the 15% restocking fee, I could pick out a washer “similar to the dryer that was delivered”. I told Ann that I wanted Sears to pick up all merchandise and issue a full refund. She said that Sears could not do that.
I spoke to Ann’s supervisor and the supervisor waived the restocking fee. There weren’t many choices left. I picked out a Kenmore 600 washer and dryer that were on display. The supervisor informed me that the washer was “not available". Note - "not available" did not mean "not in stock".
The supervisor then informed me that the Kenmore 600 washer had been replaced with a newer version and gave me the model number of the newer version. It was not on display or on the website.
I agreed to the delivery of the newer washer IF it matched the Kenmore 600 dryer on the salsales floor. I asked the supervisor if they matched. She assured me that they did.
On October 26, the washer and dryer were delivered. They did not match. According to the driver, this is because the Kenmore 600 dryer was a 2008 model and the Kenmore 600 washer was a 2009 model. He said the 2009 Kenmore 600 dryer was “not available yet”.
I called the Westminster Sears and asked for the manager’s name. The woman who answered the phone refused to give me his name but said that I could speak to him. I agreed, told her the nature of my call, and was put on hold. The woman returned to the phone and told me that the manager was in a meeting. I left my name and phone number and insisted he call me. He never did.
I contacted Sears corporate and they eventually sent a matching dryer.
I do not hold Sears accountable for failed GE washers. However, to have a showroom with several washers on display that are “not available”, with dryers that “are available”, and merchandise that “is available” but not on display materially or virtually binds the customer to deceptive marketing situations.
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