Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Years ago on the old retail-worker message board there were regular posts by the owner of a Sears Hometown Store. He said things started going bad about the time Eddie Lampert appeared, no big surprise. They have delivery problems, warranty issues, increased costs as SHC raises prices, falling sales. Their problems multiply as things get worse at SHC.

This owner was desperately trying to sell out, along with many others. There are a lot of people stuck, because they plunked down a huge chunk of money to buy into these stores. They can't just walk away without taking a huge loss. Many of them suffer in silence, because it doesn't help their chances of selling if word gets around how bad it is.

You got it. The delivery system of Sears is a disaster. It isn't even Sears' delivery company, they are third party contractors. Just look at the horror stories about Sears delivery, repair or any warrenty issue.

I bought a mattress and an oven from them about a year ago and wanted them to install and take away the old mattress and oven. After cancelling the delivery three times due to out of stock issues and the delivery not showing up they finally showed. I live in an apartment so they brought the mattress and put it in my bedroom but would not take it out of the package, set up the new bed or take the old one away. They said they were not Sears just the delivery company and it was not on the paperwork to take the old mattress away and they did not do that anyway. With the oven they delivered, took the old one away but they did not install, that was another contractor who was suppose to install. They did not show for three months. When he did show he did not have the parts to install so he had to order the parts. Fast forward two more months and the oven was finally installed but during the install they damaged my cabinet and scratched my floor. Called Sears service to complain and file a claim-- after being hung up on, passed from person to person, told to call various departments or companies I finally got someone who said they could help. The solution for around $500 worth of damage to the cabinate and floor was to offer me $200 in SYW points and a coupon for 20% off my next appliance purchase. Needless to say I have retained a lawyer. Oh, and they doubled charged my credit card and it took three months to get the charges reversed

I guess I mess that up at the end. They won't blame Sears for the bad delivery. They will blame Mom and Pop store. Because that is who they are used to dealing with.