The Day KansDem Became Enraged and Cut Up His Sears Card: His Rant

[KansDem]

I cut up my Sears credit card recently

A couple of weeks ago, I went into my local Sears to buy some pants. I’ve been buying a line of clothing called “David Taylor.” I’ve bought pleated trousers and sport coats in this line; they seemed to wear well and are inexpensive.

Anyway, the only pleated slacks I’ve been able to find come in kaki and black. While these colors are fine with me, I’m always on the lookout for other colors to complement my wardrobe. Well, I went into Sears make a Discover card payment and took my usual stroll by the David Taylor rack of trousers and, low and behold, I saw a nice silver-blue pair of slacks in among the black and kaki colors. AND they were my size! (always buy size first, then style, then color). So I grab them and went directly over to the cashier where I had just made my Discover payment. However, when I was laying the pants out on the counter I saw what look like a little stain—mud, perhaps—on one of the legs so I asked the clerk if I got these pants home and washed them and the stain didn’t come out, could I bring them back for a full refund? She said “yes,” so I went ahead with the sale.

Well, I take them home elated that I had found another color besides black and kaki and I got them ready to wash when I notice the button on the front was missing. I thought well, washing them’s one thing, but I wasn’t going to replace the missing button—it wouldn’t have been cost effective, so the following week I took them back with the sales receipt, believing that I would get my money back.

Not so fast...

I took them to the counter and explained that I wanted to return this garment. The clerk said they didn’t carry that line of attire. I said that I had just purchased them there the week before and didn’t understand what she was saying about Sears not carrying David Taylor clothing, since David Taylor was all over the place. She pointed out that the label may have said David Taylor but the pants were another brand. She pointed to the inside waist band where another name appeared. I never noticed the different name, but would have assumed it was a line of clothing within the David Taylor brand. I told her I didn’t understand how I could have bought them at Sears only to have Sears tell me they didn’t carry them. She was adamant about not refunding my money. We went back and forth a few times until she decided to call the store manager. After about 10-15 minutes with me fuming, the store manager showed up. The clerk explained the situation and the store manager looked at me and said, “You didn’t buy these here.” I said “Yes, I did!” She said, “No, you didn’t!” I said I simply wanted my money back, and she said that I would be getting no money from them. We went back and forth a few more times with me insisting I bought the pants there and she saying I didn’t. She pointed out that the label on the waist band had been stapled on. I didn’t catch that but wouldn’t have thought anything of it since garments are often returned after the customer has removed the labels; the labels are simply reattached to the items using stapler or pins and put back out on display.. I even explained that they could contact the clerk who sold me the pants (the date and time was on the sales receipt) and she would verify our conversation about the stain. At this point, I really didn’t know what to do. The manager then looked to the clerk and said, “I know, we can look at the security camera tapes!” It sounded like she was saying that in a way that I was supposed to think, “Uh-oh, there on to me!” and say something like “Well, maybe you’re right…maybe I really didn’t buy them here!” and scurry away to work my scam on someone else less enlightened. But I insisted she review the security film.

She went away for about 15-20 minutes and came back to claim she did see me on the film buying these pants and discussing with the clerk my question about the stain. But her “apology” was something else. She said something to the effect, “We’re sorry this happened.” I wanted to hear “I’m so sorry I treated you like a con artist and didn’t believe your story.” But I opted to keep my mouth shut and take the refund.

What I believe happened is someone else worked a scam on them. Apparently, someone went into the store, bought the real pants, went outside and took the David Taylor label off and affixed it to some cheap pair of pants and “returned them” for a full refund. OK, so Sears got scammed—but I didn’t do it and I don’t need to be treated like a crook.

I thought I would write a letter of complaint to the CEO, if I didn’t think it would be delivered to some flunkie who would send me a form letter “apology” and a coupon for $5 off the next purchase of a $3,000 plasma T.V.

Moral of the story: check each item you buy to make sure the store actually carries it. You could avoid embarrassing moments like the one I had.

[Nikki Stone1]

1. Sears has really gone down hill

Sorry for your experience

[Buzz Clik]

2. Bummer that Sears was not that diligent when the pants appeared the first time.

[KansDem]

4. Tell me about it!

I know that these kinds of scams do get worked on major corporations, but my main complaint is with the manager and how she handled this. In my opinion, she should have said something like, "Hmmm, this is preplexing. Let's see if we can corroborate your sale." Then she could have checked the security tapes. She could have come to me and said, "Ah, we found out what happened. Someone ran a scam on us and you were unfortunate to have gotten caught up in it! Very sorry for your inconvenience!"

That way:
*She made me a stakeholder in resolving this: ...this is preplexing. Let's see if we can...
*She looked for more evidence of my sale: Let's see if we can corroborate your sale... In doing this, she's not doubting me, just looking for more evidence that what I'm saying is right. In essence, she wants me to be right...
*Resolve the issue...together: we found out what happened...
*Include me in on the discovery: Someone ran a scam on us...
*Real apology!

She didn't even have to tell me about the security tapes. She could have just left for a few minutes and returned with the explanation.

If I wasn't on the tapes, then she could have assumed I wasn't being honest with her. She could take it from there and "pull out the big guns." After all, I wouldn't be able to argue as to why what I described happening didn't happen...

I think she needs some "people skills" and wonder how she ever became manager of the whole store!


edited for html coding...

[Buzz Clik]

6. "I think she needs some 'people skills' ". Yep. That was the problem.

[Kolesar]

3. The air conditioner techs Sears sent to a neighbor's house stole hand tools from his basement

Get this...the guy was in a wheelchair upstairs so they knew he would not be "on" to them. Didn't know the tools were gone for a week.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Good advice on the checking labels. Surprised she didn't accuse you

of being the one who did the staple and exchange scam. Companies have really lost their way on the value of customer service.

Several years ago, I was working for a hotel chain that had 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! and corporate would check to make sure we had some. There were a couple of times we got scammed, but by and large people were honest. Most were suprised that we gave them the free night and took the 100% satisfaction seriously. It kept our customer base extemely loyal and made us work hard to ensure they were happy.

Looks like Sears thinks it can lose customers without consequences to their bottom line.

[KansDem]

7. Actually, I think she was accusing me of the scam...

I mean, she would not consider at all that she may have to refund my money. The very first sentence out of her mouth after being told of the situation by the clerk was "you didn't buy those here." The second sentence out of her mouth was "you're not getting any money from us."

This led me to believe that she did indeed suspect me of running the scam. And being suspected put an end to arriving at any constructive approach to solving this, and created a kind of pissing contest between her and me; hardly the approach two mature adults would take to solving this.

The prospect of security cameras everywhere tends to annoy me, but I was glad I was "caught on tape" this time. Never thought "Big Brother" can be used to work against "Big Brother!"

[Norquist Nemesis]

11. You know, after that second sentence I would have gotten out my Sears card

and laid it on the counter and said, "If you refuse to resolve this and honor the return, you will not be getting any money from me, ever again!" Then, when she refused I'd have asked for a pair of scissors, promptly cut it up in front on her and with added flair for the security cameras cut it up while letting everyone in line know what happened with each and every clip.

Might not get the refund, but it would be worth it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Which Sears?

[KansDem]

12. Metcalf South

I've been going there for 18-20 years. I buy Craftsman tools there. My wife and I go there for Back-to-School clothes. I bought my Mac and microwave oven there. We've bought a lot of things there.

This whole experience has left a foul taste in my mouth.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Sears is not the same since they took over the KMart stores

[KansDem]

16. That explains Craftsman tools in K-Mart stores!

Right after this experience, I was extremely upset and drove down Metcalf to my favorite Mexican restaurant to seek solace in a late-afternoon meal with fresh condiments. I walked in and the proprietor asked me how the day was going. Well, for the first time since I can remember, I actually told someone who asked me that question how my day was really going. She sympathized with me and told me she'd never shop at WalMart because of an incident she witnessed where the store employees were particularly rude to an elderly shopper in a wheelchair. She told me she will add Sears to her list! I asked for a pair of scissors and proceeded to cut up my Sears card in a kind of celebration.

But she did tell me that she thought Craftsman tools were being sold at K-Marts. Probably for the reason you stated. Now I can still get quality USA tools without going into a store that treats me like a criminal.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Sears and KMart merged

Actually one bought out the other but I can't remember which. Anyhow, most of the KMarts are now Sears.

[SheilaT]

9. How in the world is a customer

supposed to know each and every brand a store carries? I mean, this incident could still have happened. You might have checked the inside label, seen it was something different, and simply figured that brand had been inadvertently put on the David Taylor rack, and still bought them and still had everything else happen exactly the same way.

I agree that you should not have been treated like a criminal. But it also says something about how common these kinds of scams must be. However, the store should be training its staff in how to avoid being scammed in the first instance.

Who was the Bush staffer who had to resign a year or so ago because he was doing some kind of store scam? I think he was returning items he hadn't bought, or some such thing.

[KansDem]

14. Claude A Allen, Former White House adviser

Allen was arrested after Montgomery police accused him of stealing more than $5,000 in merchandise from Target and Hecht's stores through a refund scheme. Police said this is how the scheme worked: Allen would walk into a store, pick up items and pay for them. He would later return to the store, pick up identical items and seek a refund using the receipt from the purchase.

Police said he did this at least 25 times from October to January, buying items including a Bose home theater system, clothes and merchandise worth as little as $2.50. Several of the transactions were recorded by store surveillance cameras.

WP: Ex-Bush Aide Makes Plea Deal in Thefts

[bumblebee1]

10. I could tell you about a scam at our local hardware store.

A guy came into the store. He proceeded to take $200 worth of items from the shelf. He took them to the cashier and asked for a refund. He got it. This same man came into the store and tried it again. This time the cashier told him she would need permission from the store owner. For some reason, the man fled the store.

[AllegroRondo]

13. Some similar incidents at Best Buy around Christmas

where people would buy expensive electronic items, then get home and open the box to find it stuffed with junk, rocks, or whatever. Scammers were re-sealing the boxes and returning them for a refund. Customer service counters at Christmas were too overwhelmed to check everything fully.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

17. I've always thought Sears was mediocre and dull.

Except for the Craftsman tools. They have nothing I would ever take home. My grandmother bought lots of tacky stuff there in the 60s and 70s. Same thing for Penney's. Yuck.

I wear cheap clothes and buy my good shoes at Neiman-Marcus. They have to last for years, and Italian shoes do.

You know how quality is the same in some things, whether they are cheap or expensive? And in other things, the more you pay, the better the product? That's the way leather shoes are. You get what you pay for. I won't wear anything with a stiff sole, or anything with rough spots to chafe my feet. And I have really narrow feet so I can't wear your average clodhoppers.

[KansDem]

19. Shoes, tools, and gin...

Three things you definitely get what you pay for! ;)

[annabanana]

20. If the Clerk's name, and the date & time was on the receipt that

you received FROM SEARS With the store's NAME on the receipt there shouldn't have been a moment's hesitation in the refund.

Did they think the receipt was a forgery? Is there some other establishment in town giving out Sears receipts with their customer's purchases?

I find the whole thing pretty bizarre.