Status Update: My Sears online shopping experience

So on Tuesday, I filled you in with some tips I learned over the past three months dealing with an unfortunate experience with Sears. And wanted to give an update on my status as well as some additional tips:

Sears has yet to credit my debit card account yet. On Wednesday I learned that the supervisor who was issuing my credit didn't fill out the paperwork properly, so the credit had to be reissued. I was told the process would be complete within 1-2 business days, that a new supervisor and off-line department would see to this resolution as quickly as possible, and that everything would be taken care of.

I phoned Sears again this evening, because I had yet to see the credit - only to discover that the credit had yet to be issued, as it was caught up in the off-line department still. And to make matters worse, after multiple employees were told of my situation and worked on the solution - all knowing very plainly that I had cancelled the order and expected my full refund immediately - I STILL continued to receive an email from Sears today, updating me that my parts were "back ordered and would arrive on 26 June 2010" ... you can imagine how thrilling this was.

So yet another supervisor/associate/account manager/employee of Sears is "working" on the "solution" to refund my money. Long, drawn out, dramatic story short: it's been more than 90 days since I ordered my replacement parts. It's been more than 90 days since Sears received my payment. I have canceled my order. I continue to receive emails proclaiming a "26 June 2010" delivery for said back ordered items. And I still don't have my money.

When you place an online order and follow up or make any communication with the retailer - keep a detailed log of all communication. Document employee names AND identification numbers, the time and date of the communication, the issue, action, and result, and any specific instructions or notes they may tell you.

Ask for the representative to read back to you their notes, before you end the call, so that you're comfortable and aware of exactly what they have notated on your account.

And when in doubt, know that your credit card company and the Better Business Bureau are on your side.

Online Shopping Tips

I've recently had an online shopping experience I want to tell you about.

Back in May, I ordered 2 replacement tires for my lawnmower from Sears Parts Direct. I've been very happy with my lawnmower, and living in hot, sunny Florida, it gets more than it's share of work. I needed new tires, and since I bought the lawnmower from Sears, I wanted to get the parts as well.

Within the span of a month, I received more than a dozen emails from Sears, saying that the tires were on backorder, and would be shipped on a new date.

More than a month after I ordered the tires, they had yet to arrive, and I only received an email with yet another promised shipping date.

I went on vacation. I focused on projects for work. I visited family and friends. I forgot that I had even ordered the tires.

About two weeks ago, my father was tired of seeing a lawnmower strung apart in our garage. So he went to our local Sears Parts Store, where he walked in, told the cashier our dilemma, where in just a few short minutes, my Dad was able to buy the tires IN THE STORE without waiting. Tires that were supposedly backordered. For nearly three months. And to make matter worse, the associate checked the "national inventory" and found that 398 tires were available.

As you can imagine, I wasn't thrilled. I called Sears Parts Direct to ask about my tires. They said the tires were still on backorder. I told them I wasn't happy that for nearly 3 months, Sears had debited my checking account nearly US$60 for a product it had yet to ship, and hadn't contact me in nearly 2 months to give me an update. I requested a full refunded.

The next day, I had yet to receive the refund. So I asked to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor was at lunch. So I left my number with the agent, and was told I'd hear back when they returned from lunch. No one ever called. So now I'm feeling like, not only have I paid for a product three months ago that's yet to be delivered, now no one can even talk to me about the situation and a remedy.

So I call back the following day. When I explain the situation to the agent, the agent asks "why didn't you ask for a backorder charge-back"? I'm sorry - as a luxury retail consultant, with more than a decade of retail experience, I've never heard of a "backorder charge-back"...and in more than a dozen emails from Sears updating me on my situation, I was never given the option of a "backorder charge-back".

I'm still waiting for Sears to credt my account. And they've had my money for nearly 90 days now.

I'm not telling you this story out of vengeance or spite. I want you to know what I didn't.

If you order products online:

-- familiarize yourself with the policies of the individual vendor. In my case, Sears pushed the blame to the manufacturer and has a policy that "orders cannot be canceled".

-- monitor the process of your shipment. If you haven't received your product within a reasonable amount of time, follow up with the retailer. Track shipments and progress. If you need to dispute a charge, remember that your Credit Card is on your side. They can help you block payment or recover money in the event of undelivered merchandise.

-- if a product is on backorder, ask for a "backorder charge-back" - which apparently is a temporary refund until the product is actually in stock, and then is recharged by the company upon actually shipping the product.

Be smart. Be educated. Be ware.