Ten Reasons You Should Not Buy a Sears Appliance

Several years ago I bought a new refrigerator. I ended up with a Sears Kenmore with the freezer on the bottom. While I like the layout of the refrigerator, I have been less than happy with Sears and their way of doing business. Here is my list of top 10 reasons not to buy an appliance
 from Sears.

#10) They charge a $50 delivery fee. I think it is over the top to charge a delivery fee on a high-ticket item such as this. Amazon waives their shipping fee on any purchase over $25, why should Sears charge $50 when I live right around the corner from them?

#9) Limited service/delivery days. Once you make your purchase, you want to have it immediately. But Sears only delivers or makes service calls on certain days of the week, depending upon where you live. Forgive me, but if I live right around the corner from your store, I shouldn't have to wait more than a couple of hours to have my product delivered. And if you live in a rural area, you can easily wait a week or more.

#8) Nine-hour service window. For either delivery or a service call, all Sears will give you is an nine-hour service window - as in the product will be delivered between 8AM and 5 PM. Who gives a nine-hour window anymore? Even the cable company no longer does this. I've got better things to do with my time than sit around with my thumb inserted rectally waiting for the time period in which Sears will grace me with its presence.

#7) Unprofessional delivery drivers. When they finally decided to deliver my refrigerator, they sent a damaged model. Now, I know these things happen. I don't expect perfection. But, I think it's criminal (notice a trend here?) that the Sears delivery people tried to talk me into keeping my damaged refrigerator, claiming that since the dent was in the back of the unit, no one would see it! Meanwhile, the dent was right where the processor was, meaning chances were good I would run into problems later on.

#6) Poorly trained representatives. When I finally did get a refrigerator that wasn't damaged, I was unable to get the ice machine hooked up because the setup man did not know how to connect my model. This is really unforgivable.

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Sears today is nothing like Sears of years ago, service is poor, prices aren't the best anymore, now they are mixed in with Kmart which is the worst of the retail chain stores. I Sears dwindling into bankruptcy with 10 years

Posted on 11/29/2008 at 11:11:53 PM

Lee, I think you'll find the customers who yell at you are likely not the ones who right articles like this...

Posted on 09/19/2008 at 3:09:11 PM

I worked for Sears for 27 years as an appliance repair tech. Thank god I don't have to put up with customers like you anymore. You all think you are the only customer Sears has. You dont stop to think that the poor tech you are yelling at has usuallly 8 to 10 calls to do each day. It is impossible to carry every part onthe truck!!! It would take a double semi trailer to even come close. You think Sears service is bad? Try an independent then...Most of the time you will be charged MUCH more than Sears and have to wait longer. I just had to wait over a month to get my central air cond repaired during a bad heat wave and with my wife with a medical condition that necesitates A/C. The "repairman" had to make 5 trips and order 3 parts before he finally guessed right. I have a home warranty plan so I couldn't call Sears for service. I wish I could have so at least if the tech got stumped he could have got advise from someone more experienced. Of course Sears has some bad

Posted on 09/19/2008 at 2:09:42 PM

You have a few good points for some of your comments are simply not the standard in which Sears normally does business. They have sales for Free Delivery all of the time although a $50 delivery fee is the standard in the appliance industry. I am not sure what area you live in but most of the time Sears service is within a day or two and if it is an emergency (down refrigerator) they usually get out there the next day or same day. There is no 9 hour service window anymore, most areas they provide you with morning or afternoon delivery. This is the standard in the appliance industry. Delivery drivers will normally offer you a gift card of some sort (ranging from $50-$200) if your appliance is scracted or damaged on delivery. This does not mean you have to accept it.

Posted on 08/22/2008 at 12:08:53 PM

Jerry, I agree 100 percent. Becky and Joy - I feel your pain.

Posted on 03/27/2008 at 10:03:08 AM

When we bought our first home, we outfitted the kitchen with Sears appliances. We sold that house with the appliances. When we bought our second home, it had newly installed Sears appliances. In that second home, we changed to a Zub Zero side by side and within two weeks returned it because the compressor failed and could not be repaired but had to be replaced - it's a $3000 fridge!!! We went back to the Sears side by side and sold the house with the Sears appliances. In our third home, we needed to replace the 20 year old Sears appliances. We chose Sears for everything: fridge, range, washer and dryer. We bought them all from the local Sears Outlet Store, which is where the returns go - whether scratched/dented, wrong color/model/type delivered or simply refused at delivery. Because we bought them at the outlet, we took the warranty on each item - even though these were new and unused items that had only minor damage in a non-visible area. We received a $2000 range, a $900 fridge,

Posted on 01/07/2008 at 12:01:50 PM

Actually, We never go to Sears anymore. The last few times over the years.. We come out with nothing.. Was a time though. We did all of our shopping at Sears. Seems, they don't have what we want,anymore.. They, have only what they want us to buy..not what, we want or need... It's sad.. but have to face it. Sears, just ain't Sears anymore.......

Posted on 12/29/2007 at 8:12:50 AM

I bought a GE washer from Sears in Oct. 2006. It has broken down 3 times in the past year and now again just a week ago, (after they were out a week prior and paid 900 to fix the machine I only paid 400 for) the refuse to give me a new washer saying 'until the repair man deems it non repairable' they will not give me a new one. Sure I have a warranty that expires in Oct. of 2009 but I don't want to have to keep calling them every few months when the machine won't work. It gets really loud, sounds like it is going to take off, spins wildly and then eventually stops spinning. Last time it wore a hole in the tub and water leaked onto the motor and shorted it out. It is all b/c of a bolt that comes loose and causes the barrel to go out of control and then stop working. The told me once it was repaired and had parts replaced 4 times I could get a new one but they keep changing their story. I hate these people!

Posted on 12/26/2007 at 8:12:19 PM

Totally disastrous, utter and complete LACK OF SERVICE. Sears Service (1-800-4-MY-HOME) has been out to our home now four (4!!!) times to repair the very same problem that keeps happening with a Sears-Kenmore Washing Machine. I'm the mom of 3 kids. Imagine all the time to the laundromat. And the 1st time they came I paid $350 for a replacement part. Washer works about 30 days and same problem happens again. Service is "warrantied" for 90 days. So I guess they keep coming in perpetuity? NEVER AGAIN an appliance from Sears. NEVER.

Posted on 12/18/2007 at 8:12:56 PM

I appreciate all of the feedback left on this story. I read it all and commiserate with all of you!

Posted on 11/27/2007 at 3:11:00 PM

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