- Report: #79086
Complaint Review: Sears Roebuck & Co - Mason City Iowa
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Sears Roebuck & Co
1720 S Federal Ave Mason City, 50401 Iowa, U.S.A.
Phone:
641-421-4700
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Sears - Sears Roebuck & Company Refurbished sold as new Mason City Iowa
I can state as a former employee and consumer, that many of the items (read: TOOLS) are not new. I have found many single packaged items to be refurbished (meaning reconditioned)in tools.
I had a 3/8" ratchet break (strip the ratchet mechanism). I took in the ratchet to be replaced. The sales person brought out a "ratchet repair kit". I explained that I wanted a "new" replacement tool and that the kit wouldn't work since the ratchet handle was stripped.
The sales person then brings me a new ratchet. I noticed that inside the plastic package, there were dings and dents on the ratchet handle. I opened the package to discover that the "NEW" ratchet was actually a used tool that was reconditioned.
Well, later I was employed in the automotive department of the same Sears store and noticed this with several returned tools that were exchanged by customers. It seemed that many different hand tools were reconditioned and packaged on the shelves as "New" tools.
This is not uncommon, all the years I have been a mechanic, I have traveled to many Sears stores thru out several states. So...buyer beware and carefully examine before you buy. That new tool may not be so new! I now shop for my expensive tools somewhere else...after looking them over carefully.
CJ
Mason City, Iowa
U.S.A.
I had a 3/8" ratchet break (strip the ratchet mechanism). I took in the ratchet to be replaced. The sales person brought out a "ratchet repair kit". I explained that I wanted a "new" replacement tool and that the kit wouldn't work since the ratchet handle was stripped.
The sales person then brings me a new ratchet. I noticed that inside the plastic package, there were dings and dents on the ratchet handle. I opened the package to discover that the "NEW" ratchet was actually a used tool that was reconditioned.
Well, later I was employed in the automotive department of the same Sears store and noticed this with several returned tools that were exchanged by customers. It seemed that many different hand tools were reconditioned and packaged on the shelves as "New" tools.
This is not uncommon, all the years I have been a mechanic, I have traveled to many Sears stores thru out several states. So...buyer beware and carefully examine before you buy. That new tool may not be so new! I now shop for my expensive tools somewhere else...after looking them over carefully.
CJ
Mason City, Iowa
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Chris
Columbus,Georgia,
U.S.A.
It doesn't happen
#2UPDATE Employee
Tue, May 04, 2004
I have worked for Sears for more than 4 years, and I am now a store Manager. I have been a Hardware manager in the past. We do replace used tool with refurbished tools, and we make no secrete about it. I have replaced used with new in the past, in the case that we did not have a refurbished tool to match theirs or in the cases that the person is a professional and they needed the new tool. New still last longer than refurbished. Every tool on the shelves is either brand new, or marked as used or refurbished. I do not believe that this person is telling the truth, I just wanted to make sure that people recieved both sides of the story.
Peter
Fayetteville,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
If you worked there you should know better...
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, April 07, 2004
I highly doubt you worked at Sears because if you did youd know better than to post something like this. If you read the terms and conditions of the crafstman warranty, USED HAND TOOLS ARE TO BE REPLACED BY REFURBISHED HAND TOOLS. You have never been able to get brand new hand tools, I understand that Sears let people get away with it but it costs to much money to keep giving away freebies. Also, if you worked there youd know that if the store has used tools in plastic then thats a STORE issue, because when the whse ships tools they are direct from the company...
