Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site osu-eddie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!osu-eddie!mdf From: mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP (Mark D. Freeman) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: Sears Message-ID: <1273@osu-eddie.UUCP> Date: Wed, 5-Feb-86 00:46:37 EST Article-I.D.: osu-eddi.1273 Posted: Wed Feb 5 00:46:37 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 6-Feb-86 04:40:54 EST References: <895@decwrl.DEC.COM> Reply-To: mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP (Mark D. Freeman) Organization: StrongPoint Systems, Inc. (guest of Ohio State U.) Lines: 41 Summary: More gripes This story takes place in 1977. My father at that time had been the proud owner of a well worn Sears credit card for about 15 years. He had rebuilt major portions of two homes on that credit card and bought more tools and appliances than most people would consider reasonable. We estimate that he put over $30,000 on this card over the 15 years. And, as president of a labor union local in NYC, never had much trouble meeting the bills (we weren't any higher than middle-middle class, but we paid our bills). One Saturday, our water heater decides to become a sprinkler system. We shut off the water and run down to our local Sears store. We pick out a water heater, and the old man throws his trusty plastic on the counter. The POS machine rejects it. They call the credit department. It seems that the payment on the most recent bill is almost a week overdue. [NOTE: Completely clean record up to this point.] My father shows them his checkbook register which shows the ~$150.00 bill as having been paid in full several days before. The credit department says that until they see the check, he can't charge anything. To make a too long story somewhat shorter... After calling the on-duty head of credit at the Chicago home office, they still wouldn't let my father buy the $300.00 water heater. After spending over $30,000 there without missing a payment. He has not been in a Sears store since. He now runs a home repair business and probably buys $30,000 per year in stuff that they sell, but he buys it elsewhere. They showed him! -- <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mark D. Freeman Guest account at The Ohio State University StrongPoint Systems, Inc. mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP 209 Olentangy Street Mdf@Ohio-State.CSNET Columbus, OH 43202-2340 Mdf%Ohio-State@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA !cbosgd!osu-eddie!mdf I disclaim even my very existance. Acceptance without proof is the fundamental characteristic of Western religion, Rejection without proof is the fundamental characteristic of Western science. -- Gary Zukav from "The Dancing Wu Li Masters" <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>