On October 18th I purchased brand new major appliances for my newly rehabbed kitchen from Lowe’s: refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave. Out of those four appliances, three have broken. A couple of months ago I had someone out to fix the dishwasher. The stove's gas shut-off valve does not work (figured this out after coming home with my newborn to a house full of gas; still have not gotten fixed as I just cannot find the time).
On Thursday, April 28th I called Lowe’s because my refrigerator had stopped working. Besides losing at least $100 worth of food, I was panicked: I have a four-month-old and work full time; his milk was in the refrigerator. I was told by the Lowe’s customer service rep that the earliest appointment she could get me was Friday (the next day). I explained why it was so urgent - she was very nice, sympathized, but still could not help me. It is worth mentioning that I live in a major city (Philadelphia), and it is confusing that as a large company in a major city, Lowe’s could not secure someone sooner, especially considering the circumstance. She then explained that I could call the company myself and ask for service that day. Upon calling that company, I was told by them that Lowe's had the wrong information, and they could not perform the work until Monday.
I then called Lowe's again, crying, that I could not feed my baby without having refrigeration. Someone different was able to secure service that same day. When the service repairman came to the house, he announced that it would take 7-10 business days to get the part, but that upon shutting off the refrigerator for 24 hours, should magically work. In a major city, and in this day of same-day shipping, I am confused why it would take so long to receive the part.
It is worth mentioning that I am still paying off the appliances (almost all broken). It is also worth mentioning that my husband and I, as new parents, also have demanding jobs, which make sitting at home waiting for repair professionals difficult.
I lost the following because of the situation: at least $100 worth of food; my baby's breast milk (priceless) and a day of work. I am confused why no one offered to deliver a mini refrigerator to use, especially considering my unique situation with the baby. For anyone that has had a baby, nurses that baby and has to work full-time, they understand how panicky and terrifying it is to lose refrigeration. My house is exactly 2.6 miles away from a Lowe’s store; it would have been possible.