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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1435
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 9:38 am: |     |
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful, youthful, glamourous couple (hey, it's my story  ) living in Mapleberry. They resided in a quaint little cottage, and kept their bulk nourishment purchases crammed inside a useless side-by-side freezer.
One day, after having frozen chicken breast fall on her delicate little toes for the umpteenth time  , one of the fair young maidens (FYM)decided that it was indeed time to buy a freezer to keep in the food cellar.
That very day, she looked on the website of the evil land of Sears. Villagers from far and away were held captive by their decent prices and reliable hardware merchandise, sold begrudgingly by their useless and vile "customer noservice employees" (CNE).
[The evil land of Sears is rivaled only by the even more sinister Home Despot. But, hey. That's another story.]
Our FYM narrowed down the freezer choices to two,and even tho the pictures were pretty good, decided she would stop in at Sears on the way home from work and see them up close.
That evening, she walked into Sears, straight up to the appliance desk and said "I have come to purchase a freezer. I want to see the Kenmore 20.3 cubic upright, regular and elite models."
The CNE replied "I do not have the Elite model, but I can show you the other."
On viewing the Other, our FYM said "I noticed on the website picture that the shelves look different. This model has wire shelves. I prefer glass shelves. Does the Elite have glass shelves?"
CNE "No. They are the same."
FYM "Why is the Elite $50 more? Surely it cannot be the extra wire basket on the door shelf."
CNE "Huh. Good question. Let's see..."
(both reread the product information pamphlet together)
FYM "Look- the Elite has tempered glass shelves."
CNE "Oh"
FYM "What does the 'quick freeze' button do?"
CNE "Well, uh, it was explained to me that it instantly freezes things. But not right away. It makes it colder if you put something in the freezer."
FYM "You mean it turns the compressor on immediately?"
CNE "Yeah. That's it."
FYM (thinking to self) "That's a pretty stupid feature. Won't be using that button." Aloud to CNE "OK- I want the Elite."
To the register -
CNE "OK, now which service plan do you want? Because it's the Elite, the compressor hose is more delicate and it's going to break down more often because the motor works harder, you should get the 5 year."
FYM to self "Now he's an expert in this product? Why should I buy something more likely to break down? Who fed him that line? With a bit more practice, he'd do well selling cars."
FYM aloud "No thank you. I don't want the extended warranty."
CNE "Well, if it breaks down, blah blah, protect investment, blah, blah....."
FYM, cutting him off when he paused to breathe "Look, I know it's your job to push this thing, but it's not going to happen. Let's move on."
CNE "Ok, but...."
FYM "No 'but'. Next."
CNE "I can have it delivered Wednesday. They'll call you Tuesday night with a 2-hour window."
FYM "I need to have it delivered in the morning. No hurry, I can wait until they can schedule a morning."
CNE "I can't do that. It's automated and I don't have any control."
FYM "When I bought my dryer, they called the manager at the warehouse and arranged a morning delivery. I work. I can't just let my boss know on a whim that I may or may not be around at a certain time during the day."
CNE "Here - I'll dial the phone and you can hear that it's a recording."
FYM "You know, I came in to see the freezer instead of buying it from the website. You don't have it here and you can't help me set up a delivery time that is convenient. I may as well go home and buy it off of the website."
CNE tears up paper work "OK" and walks away.
FYM goes home and orders it from the website, where she finds out that she can have it delivered on Sunday.
A shorter story: When FYM and the Fair Young Spouse (FYS) went to Sears to buy a snoblower a couple weeks ago, the manager could not show them the model they wanted to buy. Why? Because he had the only key and needed to stay up front 'in case something happened'. The one we wanted was in a box and he didn't have time to go in the back and cut it out 'in case something happened'.
FYM to manager "Let me understand this. We want to buy a snow blower. Yet, you cannot help the customers who want to spend money on the chance that 'something may happen'. Am I missing something here? Surely you don't expect us to buy something we've never seen?"
FYS "Are you the only one who is allowed to open boxes or can you get someone else to open the box while you stand up here waiting for 'something to happen'?"
We got the snowblower. After seeing it. He even loaded it into the back of the truck with a minimum amount of complaining.
The End |
#9Dream
Citizen
Username: 9dream
Post Number: 39
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 10:24 am: | |
Reminds me of the time I tried to buy a ping-pong table from them. Twice they scheduled a delivery, and twice the driver never showed up. When I went in there to cancel the order, the "customer service rep" (chuckle) explained that the warehouse was out of stock (now could he have checked that before scheduling the delivery??? Naaaaa) but he could substitute another table for the same price. Nice gesture except the table he was offering me was a lower-end table. "So, you're willing to sell me a cheaper table at the same price? That's your solution to this problem?" I canceled the order. |
davec
Citizen
Username: Davec
Post Number: 73
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 10:32 am: | |
Ahhh!!! The land of Sears. I know it well. I believe that their new marketing must give off some mild sedative vapors. Prolonged exposure seems to reduce functioning brain cells.
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DBrown
Citizen
Username: Dbrown
Post Number: 79
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 1:43 pm: | |
We bought our washer and dryer from Home Depot. After prolonged pestering (by spouse) the salesperson threw up her hands and declared that we should buy one of the cheaper models (second cheapest maybe) because the more expensive models (sometimes twice as expensive) were no better (except for those who will actually use a billion different options at one time or another). |
nakaille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 1342
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 4:06 pm: | |
My grandfather is probably turning in his grave. In his middle years he did a lengthy stint sellling appliances at Sears. But I'm going to tell my story anyway. It's also a freezer story.
A Sears circular appeared at our house, unbeckoned, unrequested, but there anyway. I had begun to think I needed a freezer as an accessory for my new Costco card. (Does this sound familiar?) Lo and behold it was January, when large appliances, treadmills, and linens seem to go on sale everywhere. And there, in the back of the circular was a large, frostfree upright freezer (I would go to the basement to see if my memory is correct that it is the alleged Elite model but, alas, I am not home.) Great price. Either free delivery or 0% financing for blah, blah, blah. Can't remember. Limited sale dates this, of course, was the last one. (Okay, oaky, so the circular got lost in some kitchen clutter for a few days!) Negotiated with spouse who honestly didn't think our little family needed a gargantuan freezer. But it's a really great price! Spouse doesn't feel a need to go to the mall to complete the transaction. She'll stay home and play with the then toddler. Great.
It's now after supper on Saturday night. I head out for Livingston, having, precipitously, forgotten the circular. No problem I tell myself upon arriving at the parking lot and discovering the lack. Being a super shopper I look around at all the other freezers and compare their features before approaching a salesperson. (I guess for once they got the message I usually try to send out - "I'll let you know when I'm ready to be harassed about service plans, etc. Stay away til then!") Curiously, however, there are no sale signs on the model I'd seen in the circular. So I explain to the salesperson that I'd seen it in the circular on sale (for significantly less than the posted price.) He appears skeptical. I appear dogged. He agrees to check the computer. Nada.
Damn! Did I misread the thing? I call spouse who retrieves circular and reads the fine print about sale dates. No misreading. This is the last day of this 3 day sale. Hmmm. Now we're heading toward closing time. I argue but I understand the salesperson is feeling helpless and somewhat cynical. What to do? Can I make it home and back to Sears before the store closes? Maybe. It's worth a shot. So I get into my trusty old Corolla and hightail it back to MW. Spouse decides she and kid are coming along for the adventure this time. We get back with the circular with minutes to spare. The salesman shakes his head, takes my Sears card from me, does the obligatory pitch for service contract and the rest is history. Of course the delivery guys would tell a slightly different version wherein they encounter my makeshift platform of pavers covered by plywood (so the freezer can avoid the period flooding) only to find out I've lost the spare clearance for the ceiling height. Delivery guys were very skeptical but I was very determined. However, I think we'll sell the freezer with the house if we ever move. It's really "installed" in our basement!
But really, it does go great with a Costco card!
Bacata |
Soda
Citizen
Username: Soda
Post Number: 889
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:39 am: | |
"I Miss Montgomery-Ward"
--The Oracle of MOL |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1436
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:38 am: | |
Bacata-
We are getting the freezer to go with our Cosco card and the 2-for-$5 Weight Watcher frozen meal specials. We are also getting a separate circuit in the basement for the freezer - the electrician comes over this weekend!
Look how much money we'll save buying bulk at Cosco!  |
DBrown
Citizen
Username: Dbrown
Post Number: 82
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:55 am: | |
Do people really save by buying bulk from Costco? We joined only recently and the savings did not seem to be as great as we had heard. But that was only one shopping trip. What are people buying a lot of? |
mtierney
Citizen
Username: Mtierney
Post Number: 319
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:26 pm: | |
Everything.
In particular, video tapes, film, books, printer supplies, occasionally a real clothing find; seasonal specials; enough black olives to last a lifetime, etc. etc. Costco fruit is a real bargain. Bagels are wonderful, as is the meat, albeit in quantities a bit overwhelming.
I think I do need a basement freezer!
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1437
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:49 pm: | |
Toliet paper, paper towels & cleaning supplies. The Spouse, I mean, FYS, drives me nuts buying the 3 dozen eggs.
"But it's the same price as one dozen", cries she.
"But we don't eat that many eggs" say I. |
deborahg
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 456
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 3:05 pm: | |
...And therein lies the problem. If you don't eat that many eggs, they end up going to waste. Many's the time I have thrown out two-thirds or more of a costco-sized bag of fruit or veggies.
On the other hand, I just got a fabulous toaster oven there for $39.99, after seeing the exact same one at Best Buy for $79.99. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 2468
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 3:50 pm: | |
My wife swears that we save a lot on paper goods, water, Gatorade. soda, etc. during our monthly jaunts to Costco.
The problem is that we always seem to leave with a big ticket item such as an airconditioner or a TV/VCR combination. Yeah, these are bargains also, but are mostly wants, not needs.
At least at this point my wife hasn't brought up the idea of a freezer in the basement. I guess I should be thankful.....
Oh, and does anyone know how long it will take for a family of three to use up a five pound bag or raisons? |
thegoodsgt
Citizen
Username: Thegoodsgt
Post Number: 180
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 12:14 pm: | |
Another sob story on the Essex Green Sears. I stopped by there yesterday to buy a sander. It's in stock (cool!) but no one is in the tool corral. I ask an employee for assistance, a tool specialist is paged over the intercom, but after a 10 minute wait without assistance, I leave.
What ever happened to quality customer service? |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1440
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 11:40 pm: | |
Good Sarge-
Did you not read my story carefully? Learn from my experience: when in the Sears Hardware store (I do admit that I failed to specify it was the same one you were in), you must run around the front of the store, waving your arms, yelling 'Something has happened'! The manager waits all day for customers like you!
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thegoodsgt
Citizen
Username: Thegoodsgt
Post Number: 181
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 8:11 am: | |
Greentree,
I had a similar idea. There was a step ladder in the tool area. I considered folding it up and dropping it on the floor. Maybe doing so three or four times would get someone's attention. |
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