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From: dov@imagen.UUCP (Dov Isaacs)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Sears, The Other Side....
Message-ID: <278@imagen.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Feb-86 17:32:31 EST
Article-I.D.: imagen.278
Posted: Fri Feb 21 17:32:31 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 08:34:47 EST
References: <1000@whuxl.UUCP> <160@chronon.UUCP>
Organization: Imagen Corp., Santa Clara, CA
Lines: 58

> >> After reading all of these negative comments about Sears, I thought I
> >
> >     I have had the same experiences with Sears as Sam. In
> >my case it has been 35 years - all over the country and in
> >Hawaii. Absolutely no problems. I recommend their large
> >appliances very highly. Our 20+ yr.old refrig and freezer
> >are still going strong. And Allstate has been our insurance
> >co. for at least that long with nothing but GREAT
> >responses.
> 
> Until the past few months I would have said the same thing.  I'm particularly
> fond of Craftsman tools: I had my toolbox stolen several years ago, and on
> ...
> I am currently pursuing my rights under the Fair Credit Act, and adding
> my reply to the credit record.
> 
> I, too, first received my Sears credit card as a graduating college senior
> nine years ago.  In that time I have spent over $6000 at Sears.  They
> sent me letters of the form "we notice you have $n in unused credit limit;
> why don't you come in to Sear and buy something", even when Nixon was
> trying to crack down on consumer credit.
> 
> I will never buy anything at Sears again.


My experience with Sears, Roebuck, & Co. is great with Craftsmen tool type
warranties, but lousy in terms of other forms of customer service and their
credit card management.

SR&Co. seems to be very inconsistent in terms of service and salesperson 
attitudes.  Columbus, OH was fine; Burlington, MA was only fair; Cupertino, CA
is absolutely lousy.  I have noted a cutback in knowledgeable sales help,
especially in areas of former SR&Co. expertise, such as tools, paints,
housewares, hardware, etc.

Heaven help you if you move.  Advice to those moving and wanting to keep
credit with SR&Co. without major trauma:

(1)	Pay off account a month before moving.
(2)	Close old account.
(3)	Open new account in new locale.

They have major DP problems associated with "transferring" accounts from
one service center to another.  They don't all use the same programs and
have incompatible file formats / data bases.  Most likely such a transfer
will treat "currently due" as either "past due" or "subject to interest".
After one move, I felt that SR&Co. owed me consulting fees for debugging
their systems.

Sometimes they have been known to put a hold on an account with no apparent
reason, forcing a needless trip to the credit department every time you
need to use their card.  I have found that a firm but friendly demeanor as
well requiring them to produce their Credit Manager usually produces better
results than complaining to their lower level "peons" who are underpaid,
underappreciated, and have no power to help you.

Bottom line though is that Sears, Roebuck, & Co. is sowing the seeds of
its own destruction; previous reputation is wearing very thin ...