Deliverance

Yesterday morning we got on the road early, in our quest for a refrigerator. Our first stop was Sears. Although there are other places we could get appliances at, our experience has been that their prices are the same as other stores (okay, L*wes and HD may be cheaper, but I've never been able to compare the same brands/models and they have crap for selection unless you want to special order).

The roads were surprisingly light on traffic. The parking lots of eateries and malls were jammed though. After trying to find someplace for breakfast, we gave up and decided shopping for a fridge on an empty stomach was not as bad as shopping for groceries on an empty stomach.

So, we went in and found the appliance department, which was devoid of people. I had been telling WS the reason no one is holding sales on fridges is because no one buys a fridge for Christmas. He didn't believe me until he saw the dearth of people at the fridge/freezer section compared to everywhere else.

We looked at fridges for a while without anyone bothering us. Then, it was like we started a fad - 3 sets of people decided fridges were what they wanted to look at (not seriously, but somehow when we shop for anything, we managed to draw others after us like moths to a flame. It's like they think we know where the good stuff is - seriously, we can jam an aisle full of people and leave the rest of the store empty - strange but true).

After about 5 minutes the 3 sets of people went away, and the salesman finally decided we might be serious buyers and asked if we needed help. After asking about additional sizes for two basic models (no ice makers, no nothing besides shelves and a light), I asked if either one would be available that day, explaining that we had been without a fridge since Wednesday. No, they were in the warehouse. Okay, could either be delivered tomorrow (which would be Saturday)? I would buy one as long as it could be delivered then. After checking, he informed us that either one could be delivered in that time frame. 

Beauteous! I picked one and told him I wanted it delivered on Saturday and the old fridge picked up. No problem. After the transaction was complete, he told us to wait by the phone between 6 and 9 PM for a call to schedule delivery.

We waited, and waited and waited. You know that even things that seem to go smoothly somehow get messed up for us right?

So, at 9:05 PM, I called the Sears fridge department and told my story to a sales associate. He gave me the number to Deliveries. After interacting with an automated system, I found that we were scheduled for a Sunday delivery. This is not good.

I called the Sales Associate back and informed him that the only reason I bought the fridge is because I was assured that it could be delivered on Saturday. After some checking, he found that the original Salesman had input Sunday as the delivery date.

"We are living out of coolers, and have been since Wednesday. I need someone to find a way to undo his mistake and get me that fridge tomorrow.

After some hemming and hawing, he decided I needed to talk to a manager. Upon the transfer, I spoke to a woman and told her the story from the beginning. She broke in and said, "I need to transfer you to a Associate in Appliances."

"No - don't send me there, he just sent me to you!"

She finally figured out that she needed to get me to a manager. After a couple of minutes, another lady got on the phone. I started telling her the story and she interrupted with, "I need to transfer you to a Associate in Appliances."

"No, I've already spoken to the Appliance Associate, and I was supposed to talk to a manager, are you a manager?"

Turns out she was a manager - only for clothing. She listened to the rest of my story though, and finally got me in contact with "Don".

I told him the story (I was getting quite good at it by this time). He took down my name and number and promised to call right back.

Wonder of wonders, about 5 minutes later he did call back. Unfortunately, it wasn't with the news that I wanted. They can't deliver on Saturday because it is in the warehouse and they don't deliver on Saturdays - but apparently they deliver on Sundays (I'm not sure I buy that, but can't prove otherwise). After reiterating that the only reason I bought the fridge at Sears was that I was promised that it could be delivered on Saturday, Don told me he would have the original Salesman call me in the morning and offer me a rebate.

Unfortunately they have me in a tight spot. I could cancel the refrigerator, but I'm sure I couldn't get it from anywhere else any faster, so I guess I will have to live with it. We'll see if the Associate calls with a rebate - if not, Don is getting another phone call.

Guess we'll be sitting by the phone between 6 and 9 tonight for scheduling delivery tomorrow.

Comments

[bod]

yep, that would tick me off too.