Sears pet peave..

[Hellrazor]

A fews years ago I gave up buying any electric tools because of quality issues.A long time ago I quit buying their 14-18v cordless tools due to poor battery quality. An even longer time ago I quit buying their gas equipment due to number of problems.

Today -

They sell driveway sealer that is labeled as "No Stir" on the front of the bucket. But when you read the instructions it tells you that you need to stir it. Needless to say you have to stir like a SOB because it has 3" of hard sand on the bottom of the bucket.

They sells brushes for applying the sealer too. The new handles at about 5" shorter than the ones I used a few years back. I am 6' tall and the old brush handles were too short back then too. **** back hurts likes a $#%&$^&%

What really annoys me is I could have picked up "no stir gel" from Gardner/Blackjack/Latexite for $2-4 more a bucket and had NO hassles.

[Ed62]

How long is your driveway? Mine is just about 100', and I did mine last year. You're right.....it's a pain in the back.

Ed

[sweensdv]

Yet you continue to shop there. For some of the reasons you listed and others as well, I no longer will buy anything from them. Even if they have a cheaper price, Sears just doesn't deserve to see any of my money.

[Uncle Cracker]

It's just another sign that packaging is more in the realm of marketing than in reality. If the packaging makes you want to buy, that's all they care about. Always read the fine print, because that's where the lawyers go to tell you the cold, hard facts. And I have my own problems with Sears, but I can tell you that this problem is not theirs alone. Advertising and truth are not necessarily congruous, no matter where you look.

[Charlie]

Deleted by me.

[Hellrazor]

I still buy hand tools there. Hopefully they can't screwup the lifetime warranty. That was the only reason I was in the store and saw the product in the first place.

It just really annoys me how they falsely represent/label items. Maybe I should chew on Sears Corp and see if that annoys me as much as stirring an "no stir" product did.

Ed - It wasn't my driveway, it was my grandmothers. I don't remember the exact size but it usually takes 2.5 5gal buckets to coat it. My driveway was new the last time I sealed it... it was 8 or 9 5gal buckets of **** I hope it is down to 4 or 5 now. I am going to buy the 6' handles for a push broom instead of the 4' midget handles the brushes have.

[crokett]

Why not just buy a push broom? I was watching the guys seal the condo parking lot where we stayed last June and they were using push brooms.

[Uncle Cracker]

I am going to buy the 6' handles for a push broom instead of the 4' midget handles the brushes have.

Careful... That should read "little people handles"...

[luteman]

I see Snow White and the gang comin up your driveway as I type this!

[alpha]

By all means, if you don't like Sears advertising, products or service don't shop there. Here is one reason why some of us continue to shop there:

"I assume you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...

Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution."

[Jcrawf]

I get good service from their parts department (Sears Parts Direct), and the prices are reasonable. For example, they sell replacement belts for the BT3X for $9.20 each. They're at least double that everywhere else. I agree that their power tools and gas-powered outdoor equipment aren't the best.
Jack

[Uncle Cracker]

By all means, if you don't like Sears advertising, products or service don't shop there. Here is one reason why some of us continue to shop there:

"I assume you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...

Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution."

I support the troops. Kudos to Sears for also supporting them. That said, this is not about how Sears treats the troops, or its employees in general. It's about how they treat the consumer... It's about how they treat me. They have to keep me happy if they are going to have revenue to do the philanthropic things you speak of. That should be reason enough for them to keep up their standards, I would think.

[woodturner]

What they pay their sales people should be a crime.

Not sure what you mean - Sears actually pays pretty well ($10/hour to start in this area, higher in more urban areas)

[cgallery]

I sorta like to shop at Sears but went there this weekend to get a 1/2" HS nutdriver. They only had them as part of the set. The tag on the individual 1/2" nutdrivers said "see associate." The associate said they have to order them now.

I realize they probably never sold a lot of 1/2" individual nutdrivers. But they charge like $9, and probably pay $1-$2 each. It sure would be nice if they could stock them for when I need one.

The local Ace hardware store had them.

Sears should have, as well.

I understand that their mainframe told them it wasn't profitable to stock them. Or wasn't "as profitable" as stocking other items. Problem is, the mainframe doesn't take intangibles into consideration.

And the intangible here is the fact that I may start going to Ace hardware store before I try Sears. And if enough people give up on Sears as the first stop, well, the result should be obvious.

[Uncle Cracker]

And if enough people give up on Sears as the first stop, well, the result should be obvious.

Exactly...