Jj

JJ

30/10/2008 10:51 AM

Frustration with Sears online-only item (allegedly 20% off) out of stock

Has anyone else experienced this issue? I have been looking for a new
bench planer (3 blade) for a while. After reading the glowing FWW
review of the Craftsman Professional 3-blade, it jumped to the top of
the list with the Dewalt (DW735).

So this week Sears is running an online special where you receive a
20% discount on items over $350. Beautiful I think, I'll order the
planer (normally $529 - a savings of $106!) and pick it up at my local
store. Problem is, the item is currently out of stock. No problem I
think to myself. I'll just order it and get the lower price and pick
it up whenever it comes in. I'm a patient guy after all.

But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
stock! I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
situation and can only repeat to me over and over, "I'm sorry sir for
your frustration, blah, blah, blah..." And my favorite, "sir, when
we get it back in stock you can order it then for the higher price."
Kind of defeats the point of the sale, doesn't it?

Anybody else experience this? Any good solutions? I could order the
DW735 (it is my #1 choice after all), but it's an extra $130 I didn't
want to spend.

Thanks,
Jeff


This topic has 17 replies

Du

Dave

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 12:02 AM

JJ wrote:
> On Oct 30, 1:09 pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
>> JJ wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>>> But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
>>> stock! I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
>>> item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
>>> situation ...
>> Call the local store and get a raincheck or have them place the order
>> instead...
>>
>> --
>
> Solid suggestions from everyone and I may give it a whirl. But I
> suspect I will get a shrug as this is an item carried ONLY online and
> not available in stores. But you are correct....can't hurt to try.
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff


I went to that website, found the $529 planer, it showed out of stock
online and at the 3 closest stores, but - i was able to put it in the
cart and check out. They'll ship when it does come back in stock. Thanks
for the tip on the planer - sorry I jumped in front of you though when
they do start filling back orders.

Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 1:23 PM



"Robatoy" wrote
> On Oct 31, 10:21 am, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> How time flies ... going on 7 years ago.
>>
>
> Time flies like an arrow
> Fruit flies like a banana

<GROAN>

Who the hell do you think you are .. joh4n??

:)

... going back to digging now!

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)



SS

Stuart

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 11:21 PM

In article
<7a02ad3c-6840-47c0-a794-21119ebbcf53@b31g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> C) WTF is 'cribbed'?

Copied, borrowed, usually in an underhand fashioned.

In an examination a candidate trying to see the answers on another's paper
would be guilty of cribbing. Same for copying someone else's homework with
or without their permission.

Crib sheet - a piece of paper with some brief notes on. You might try to
conceal and take one of these into an exam with you, perhaps with some
formula written on it you have trouble remembering, or the term can be
extended to a reference sheet you use in your workshop. You might refer to
a table of tapping drills or cutting speeds as a "crib sheet".

--
Stuart Winsor

For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk

RC

Robatoy

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 3:45 PM

On Oct 31, 3:36=A0pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
> Swingman wrote:
> > "Robatoy" wrote
> >> On Oct 31, 10:21 am, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >>> How time flies ... going on 7 years ago.
>
> >> Time flies like an arrow
> >> Fruit flies like a banana
>
> > <GROAN>
>
> > Who the hell do you think you are .. joh4n??
>
> > :)
>
> No, he cribbed off Groucho w/o attribution...
>
> --

A) I will never be another jo4hn, but thanks for the compliment.

B) Was that a Groucho, dbp? I didn't know. My sincerest apologies if I
offended you and Groucho.

C) WTF is 'cribbed'?

s

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

02/11/2008 11:13 AM

On Oct 31, 12:44 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On Oct 30, 1:19 pm, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > You might try going into their store with a printout of the web special,
> > cash in hand and see if they will accommodate you. A "no" from a salesman
> > might get an approval from a manager. Can't hurt to try.
>
> Excellent advice. About 8-10 years ago I went to Home Depot to get a
> PC biscuit machine. I was unaware that they had different pricing on
> the web than they did in the store on certain items. I was sure they
> were trying to put one over me when it was about $35 higher in the
> store than it was online.
>
> I asked the young man at the tool stall about price matching, and he
> said (very patiently) that they did indeed price match, and that they
> gave an additional 10% of the difference of the price as incentive to
> buy from them.
>
> Then he rolled his eyes a bit and told me that of course, it had to be
> a real store, with real telephones, someone they could contact. Some
> one of repute that they could verify that it was the exact model, not
> a sales item, and not a promo deal.
>
> I verified: "So it has to be a legit retailer that has the same
> product?"
>
> "Exactly", he said smugly.
>
> I pulled out the freshly printed product page with the HD logo and the
> date on it, and smoothed out the folds in front of him.
>
> "I don't know how much you can trust these guys, or how legit they
> are, but they do brag about those things quite a bit".
>
> He was pissed. He went to the assistant manager who was clueless as
> to what to do. They literally had to get the store manager for an OK
> to sell their product at the advertised HD price (not a sale or
> promotion).
>
> They left nimrod there after all the yakking, in charge of
> implementing the store price matching. Someway junior came up with
> the lower price, AND he gave me 10% of the full store price of the
> machine (another $15 or so) instead of 10% of the difference.
>
> It wound up cheaper than the online price.
>
> But... I also reminded him that the online tool came with some of the
> PC biscuits in the new clear bottle packaging. They simply handed me
> a couple of bottles of #20s to me since they couldn't figure how to
> put them in the computer.
>
> So, in agreement with Upscale, it is always worth a try.
>
> Robert


I had the same thing happen recently at HD. I looked at some windows
online, and then got to the store to find it 10$ higher. The kid I
spoke to had all kinds of BS reasons why, but the manager ok'd the
lower price.

Didn't try for the price protection!

shelly

Jj

JJ

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 11:37 AM

On Oct 30, 1:09=A0pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
> JJ wrote:
>
> ...
>
> > But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
> > stock! =A0I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
> > item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
> > situation ...
>
> Call the local store and get a raincheck or have them place the order
> instead...
>
> --

Solid suggestions from everyone and I may give it a whirl. But I
suspect I will get a shrug as this is an item carried ONLY online and
not available in stores. But you are correct....can't hurt to try.

Thanks,
Jeff

Uu

"Upscale"

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 2:19 PM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
> >But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
> >stock! I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
> >item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this

> Ask for a raincheck. After that call your state consumer protection
> agency, or Attorney General.

You might try going into their store with a printout of the web special,
cash in hand and see if they will accommodate you. A "no" from a salesman
might get an approval from a manager. Can't hurt to try.

RC

Robatoy

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 10:18 AM

On Oct 31, 10:21=A0am, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> How time flies ... going on 7 years ago.
>

Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana

nn

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 10:44 PM

On Oct 30, 1:19=A0pm, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:

> You might try going into their store with a printout of the web special,
> cash in hand and see if they will accommodate you. A "no" from a salesman
> might get an approval from a manager. Can't hurt to try.

Excellent advice. About 8-10 years ago I went to Home Depot to get a
PC biscuit machine. I was unaware that they had different pricing on
the web than they did in the store on certain items. I was sure they
were trying to put one over me when it was about $35 higher in the
store than it was online.

I asked the young man at the tool stall about price matching, and he
said (very patiently) that they did indeed price match, and that they
gave an additional 10% of the difference of the price as incentive to
buy from them.

Then he rolled his eyes a bit and told me that of course, it had to be
a real store, with real telephones, someone they could contact. Some
one of repute that they could verify that it was the exact model, not
a sales item, and not a promo deal.

I verified: "So it has to be a legit retailer that has the same
product?"

"Exactly", he said smugly.

I pulled out the freshly printed product page with the HD logo and the
date on it, and smoothed out the folds in front of him.

"I don't know how much you can trust these guys, or how legit they
are, but they do brag about those things quite a bit".

He was pissed. He went to the assistant manager who was clueless as
to what to do. They literally had to get the store manager for an OK
to sell their product at the advertised HD price (not a sale or
promotion).

They left nimrod there after all the yakking, in charge of
implementing the store price matching. Someway junior came up with
the lower price, AND he gave me 10% of the full store price of the
machine (another $15 or so) instead of 10% of the difference.

It wound up cheaper than the online price.

But... I also reminded him that the online tool came with some of the
PC biscuits in the new clear bottle packaging. They simply handed me
a couple of bottles of #20s to me since they couldn't figure how to
put them in the computer.

So, in agreement with Upscale, it is always worth a try.

Robert

s

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 2:46 PM

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:37:23 -0700 (PDT), JJ <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Oct 30, 1:09 pm, dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
>> JJ wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>> > But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
>> > stock!  I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
>> > item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
>> > situation ...
>>
>> Call the local store and get a raincheck or have them place the order
>> instead...
>>
>> --
>
>Solid suggestions from everyone and I may give it a whirl. But I
>suspect I will get a shrug as this is an item carried ONLY online and
>not available in stores. But you are correct....can't hurt to try.
>
>Thanks,
>Jeff

If they have a store or even a warehouse in your state, they may have
to comply with state consumer protection law, whether they like it or
not. They do in my state.


PT

Planes True

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 4:32 PM

I have found similar results in dealing with Sears/Craftsman/K-Mart
(Whomever)....

You are correct that the website shows the planer as Out-of-Stock.

It is interesting though, that a combination package ( planer, plastic
eyeglasses, dubiously worthy golves and a set of replacement knives )
is in stock. Of course at a significant higher price.

YMMV

Planes True


On Oct 30, 12:51=A0pm, JJ <[email protected]> wrote:
> Has anyone else experienced this issue? =A0I have been looking for a new
> bench planer (3 blade) for a while. =A0After reading the glowing FWW
> review of the Craftsman Professional 3-blade, it jumped to the top of
> the list with the Dewalt (DW735).
>
> So this week Sears is running an online special where you receive a
> 20% discount on items over $350. =A0Beautiful I think, I'll order the
> planer (normally $529 - a savings of $106!) and pick it up at my local
> store. =A0Problem is, the item is currently out of stock. =A0No problem I
> think to myself. =A0I'll just order it and get the lower price and pick
> it up whenever it comes in. =A0I'm a patient guy after all.
>
> But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
> stock! =A0I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
> item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
> situation and can only repeat to me over and over, "I'm sorry sir for
> your frustration, blah, blah, blah..." =A0 And my favorite, "sir, when
> we get it back in stock you can order it then for the higher price."
> Kind of defeats the point of the sale, doesn't it?
>
> Anybody else experience this? =A0Any good solutions? =A0I could order the
> DW735 (it is my #1 choice after all), but it's an extra $130 I didn't
> want to spend.
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff

dn

dpb

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 1:09 PM

JJ wrote:
...
> But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
> stock! I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
> item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
> situation ...

Call the local store and get a raincheck or have them place the order
instead...

--

dn

dpb

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 2:07 PM

JJ wrote:
...
> suspect I will get a shrug as this is an item carried ONLY online and
> not available in stores. But you are correct....can't hurt to try.
...
Not sure on web-only offerings; can't say as I've ever used Sears' web
presence at all; certainly for nothing other than perhaps an appliance
repair part.

I'd guess if the offer is still being made and didn't have the
limitations of "while stock on hand lasts" or somesuch legal mumble
there _might_ be something about consumer protection law but I'd suspect
getting something accomplished that way would take quite a lot of effort
if even so...

There's reason why bricks 'n mortar have advantages despite costs and
why cheapest isn't always as cheap as it might seem...

--

dn

dpb

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 2:36 PM

Swingman wrote:
> "Robatoy" wrote
>> On Oct 31, 10:21 am, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> How time flies ... going on 7 years ago.
>>>
>> Time flies like an arrow
>> Fruit flies like a banana
>
> <GROAN>
>
> Who the hell do you think you are .. joh4n??
>
> :)

No, he cribbed off Groucho w/o attribution...

--

Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 9:21 AM



<[email protected]> wrote

> Excellent advice. About 8-10 years ago I went to Home Depot to get a
> PC biscuit machine. I was unaware that they had different pricing on
> the web than they did in the store on certain items. I was sure they
> were trying to put one over me when it was about $35 higher in the
> store than it was online.

<snip>

> He was pissed. He went to the assistant manager who was clueless as
> to what to do. They literally had to get the store manager for an OK
> to sell their product at the advertised HD price (not a sale or
> promotion).
>
> They left nimrod there after all the yakking, in charge of
> implementing the store price matching. Someway junior came up with
> the lower price, AND he gave me 10% of the full store price of the
> machine (another $15 or so) instead of 10% of the difference.
>


LOL. A similar situation when I bought my Ridgid planer from Home Depot.
It's been a few years, but I thought it was fair dinkum neener at time when
I posted this:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.woodworking/msg/90273c581a377083

How time flies ... going on 7 years ago.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)




s

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

30/10/2008 2:05 PM

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:51:36 -0700 (PDT), JJ <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Has anyone else experienced this issue? I have been looking for a new
>bench planer (3 blade) for a while. After reading the glowing FWW
>review of the Craftsman Professional 3-blade, it jumped to the top of
>the list with the Dewalt (DW735).
>
>So this week Sears is running an online special where you receive a
>20% discount on items over $350. Beautiful I think, I'll order the
>planer (normally $529 - a savings of $106!) and pick it up at my local
>store. Problem is, the item is currently out of stock. No problem I
>think to myself. I'll just order it and get the lower price and pick
>it up whenever it comes in. I'm a patient guy after all.
>
>But the web site doesn't allow me to place the order since it's out of
>stock! I call customer service and voice my desire to order this
>item, but they clearly are not set up to help someone in this
>situation and can only repeat to me over and over, "I'm sorry sir for
>your frustration, blah, blah, blah..." And my favorite, "sir, when
>we get it back in stock you can order it then for the higher price."
>Kind of defeats the point of the sale, doesn't it?
>
>Anybody else experience this? Any good solutions? I could order the
>DW735 (it is my #1 choice after all), but it's an extra $130 I didn't
>want to spend.
>
>Thanks,
>Jeff

Ask for a raincheck. After that call your state consumer protection
agency, or Attorney General.

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to JJ on 30/10/2008 10:51 AM

31/10/2008 6:23 AM

RE: Subject

This happened more than 30 years ago.

Needed an 80T, carbide tipped, 10" saw blade.

Store was selling them for about $50.

Catalog had a special on saw blades.

Buy one blade at regular price and get a 2nd blade for $0.01 more.

Bought several blades thru the catalog.

Returned a bunch of blades to the store.

My Sears credit card had a negative balance for a long time that year.

Lew



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