November 1, 2008
To: Sears Canada Ltd.
SUBJECT: Your sale September 13, 2008
And Subsequent Purchase of
32” LCD Daytek Television
We saw your advertisement in the Sears Flyer on September 12, 2008 and were excited about the television featured. I immediately visited the Garden City location and inquired about the television and forthcoming sale. I was informed that there were only two televisions available, and that I would not be able to put down any money, nor purchase the television that day at the sale price. I said that I would buy the television at the full price and come back with the receipt the next day and get the sale price. She told me that I wasn’t allowed to do that. I was told that I must come back the following day to get the sale price.
We got up the next day and were at the store location prior to the store opening and stood outside the doors waiting for them to be unlocked. We were the very first customers in the store. We went directly to the television department and told the sales clerk that we wanted to purchase the television presenting the flyer to them. She went and checked inventory and we were told that there were no televisions like that available for sale.
I told the sales clerk that there were two televisions available the day before and they refused to sell one to me. The salesclerk said I could purchase the television at the sale price and that I would have to wait one and a half months for it to come in. That means that delivery date would be October 23, as posted on the receipt. My wife and I saw several advertisements for televisions that we could have purchased and made use of. We waited until October 23 and heard nothing about our television. On October 23 we went back to the store to pick up our tv, and the salesclerk told us that the television had not arrived. They said to come or call back the next day. We did so, and then were told to try on Monday because the truck had still not come.
We tried on Monday and were told that the Manager was looking into it and that he would get back to us. He never called. There were no appearances of a telephone number and no messages left. The person at shipping and receiving told us that several other people were coming to pick up their television and that everyone was very upset about it.
Today, November 1 we called the store again and were told that we should call back on Monday and that the truck should be in by then. At this point we are very frustrated and annoyed so we decided to call the Manager and see what he had to say. The Manager told us that we should have received a telephone call saying that the televisions were not going to be available and that we would be getting a full refund within seven days and a $25.00 gift card for our inconvenience.
Following are our thoughts on this subject:
1. We put the purchase on our American Express Credit Card. Interest fees were being charged for every day of that purchase.
2. We did NOT receive a phone call telling us that we would not be getting the television.
3. If we had not inquired and called the store manager, we may still not know and still be waiting.
4. We agreed to wait for the 6 weeks before we believed we were getting a good deal, but now have lost out on other great deals, and the use of a television during that time.
5. A $25.00 gift card is hardly worthwhile at this time because it does not help or satisfy the frustration that we have experienced, nor the money we’ve accrued in interest on the purchase and the deals that probably have been lost.
6. We also have NO intention of buying anything further from your store. We purchased a washer and dryer last year (May 19, 2007) and experienced great frustration over that as well. Why would we ever again buy anything from Sears? The $25.00 gift card is nothing more than an insult.
7. Your receipt indicates providing our loyal customers 10 out of 10 service every visit. Not only do you have false advertising, but you don’t live up to your slogan.
8. As well, when we contacted customer service to complain, the woman was very unhelpful and was not prepared to listen to our problem brushing us off saying, “oh yeah, you’re getting a $25.00 gift card”. When we said this was not satisfactory and that that was what management had decided. When we asked to speak to management, she refused saying that this was as high as you go. End of story.
What should have happened:
1. Someone should have called us in the first place to say that no television was going to be available.
2. We should have been given another “good deal” on a model that was comparable with a comparable sale benefit. This was NOT done.
3. We were not ever given any form of understanding or empathetic communication. We were treated as though it was our problem and tough, too bad so sad. We did not feel like anyone cared whether we came back or not, and in fact, that it would be fine with them if we didn’t.
4. If there wasn’t any new deal to be made then a gift card valued at $25.00 is NOT enough compensation for a two-month wait and the run around we went through. To find out that the product we bought was not available two weeks after the due date is not acceptable to us.
I am a business owner myself and this is not how you treat paying customers. I am hoping to hear back from someone within the next week to resolve this situation amicably.
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