Honestly, we have traditionally had good experiences with Sears and our appliances. How disappointed we are in our current run around with Sears! Xcel energy kept turning off and on our power on 7/24/09. Unfortunately, that blew out the compressor on our Kenmore. When I called for repair, they explained that I could pay $225 immediately and that would put in place a protection agreement--up to $500 of repairs covered, or $500 credit if we chose to replace the appliance. Okay, I was hoping it was just a fuse, but they told me if it was the compressor $483, so I decided to take them up on the offer.

Repairman said compressor would be $780! So regretfully, we decided to replace the fridge. :( Repairman put in report while we listened and apologized that it would take 48 hours to get the $500 credit authorization. We went shopping at Sears and they told us they would talk to us in 48 hours. We called to ask if the number was ready--no, wait 48 hours. It is after 48 hours. We have spent 1.5 on phone, and after 15 transfers and 2 disconnects, we were told it would be 72 hours!!!

I know this doesn't seem like much compared with the other stories, but honestly, two weeks without a fridge, plus the time to order a new one--why would Sears create such a ridiculous system of 48 hours and then disappoint a customer waiting to replace a refrigerator!! It's not like they have to make the fridge--they just have to issue a number.

Beware of Sears--they don't seem to be able to handle their systems or live up to their promises. I've learned to ask for employee numbers, record phone calls, take notes. It's too bad. I have always felt very good about Sears and wished they success as an American company. It doesn't look like my wishes are going to come true. Too bad.

After being told on July 30, 2009 that I'd be receiving my $50 rebate in 7-10 days, I am still waiting. Sears' rebate customer service is rude and not helpful.

Here is my July 30, 2009 email. I thank you for any help you may be able to provide.

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "help SEARS" <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 11:28:00 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: RE: Customer question
Dear Customer,

Thank you for participating in the Sears Rebate Center Online. You are receiving this email in response to your inquiry via the Contact Us section of the Rebate Center website.

Your rebate is in the final stages of processing. You can expect to receive your payment within 7-10 business days.

Thank you again for shopping at Sears.

Sincerely,
Your Sears Rebate Customer Care Team

Note- Please do not reply to this message. Additional communication is facilitated by using the Contact Us page at www.mySearsrebate.com

Think twice about buying “any” product from SEARS. SEARS sales people will tell you how wonderful the MASTER Repair AGREEMENT is and once you purchase the agreement you are at SEARS’s mercy. SEARS is the only one benefiting from their WONDERFUL MASTER Repair AGREEMENT because you have prepaid for services they render at their convenience not yours. 1st you schedule service a week from the day you call for service. Then if you miss the technician’s call on the day of service you are just out of luck. Since SEARS seems to be cutting back on employees, once you have scheduled an appointment you only have a 50% guarantee a technician will make it to your home. If the technician is over booked or calls in sick, your service is pushed back to the next available day, as if you never made the original appointment. If a technician do make it to your home then they have to order a part that takes a “few” days to be delivered (and you must trust that the technician has ordered the right part if not you start all over), then you wait another week for the technician to come back. So it can take up to 4 weeks for your product to be serviced and if you just payout of pocket for another company to service the product you then have voided your service agreement with SEARS. Basically SEARS is trying to run down your service agreement contact. Then a few months before it time to renew the agreement you will start getting calls from some perky sales person telling you how wonderful the MASTER Repair AGREEMENT is to have on your products. But make sure you ADD up how much it can cost you to take your laundry to a laundry mat for 4 weeks or being without central air in AUGUST or heating in JANUARY for 4 weeks or without a working refrigerator for 4 weeks, before you give them your credit card number.

Back in June of 09 I order parts to fix up an old lawn mower give me from a moving neighbor. In July all the parts were still not shipped so I called, called and called again. Wrote several emails also.
One Customer Service woman said all the parts were shipped weeks ago. Ok, where are they, who did they go to?
At that time she was re-ordering some of the parts. Mid August comes around, the grass is still growing and no parts from Sears showing up. I call my CC and put the charge on hold. Here at the end of August still no parts and Sears credits me for one part. I never heard from them. Never got a message on line or in the mail.
I'm Done With Sears. If I ever spend 5cents at Sears again somebody throw me under the bus because I will deserve to be thrown under it.
Save your time and agervation: shop in some little home town store were you will find some good customer service. You may have to pay a little more but I feel it's well worth it.

Nothing new here from the other complaints I've read. I have a Kenmore refridgerator still under warranty. I was told I would have to bring the fridge into the store for repairs when I spoke with a representative I called through the Sears website (take the fridge back to the store????). I then called the store where I purchased the appliance and was able to make an on-site appointment with a repairman. As you might expect, I took a day off from work and no repairman showed up, no phone call, nothing. I called today and was told the repairman was overbooked and had no intention of coming to my home that day. I was then told the soonest new appointment I could make was 2 weeks from today.

I understand being overbooked, but not giving me the courtesy of a phone call to say that the appointment was cancelled is inexcusable. No more business with Sears for me.