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Another water heater fiasco
Posted by
Here is the entire story in a letter I sent to Sears:
I would like to detail a series of errors on Sears's part which resulted in my going without hot water for seven days over the Christmas holidays and missing three days of work more than I should have missed. I have provided you with a summary, then a longer version of this incident with more detailed information, and some questions at the end.
1. The morning of Wednesday, Dec. 22nd, I called Sears and spoke to the water heater department. I explained that my water heater was broken and that I needed a new one. I was asked by the Sears sales representative only what type of fuel it used and how many gallons capacity it had, received some suggestions as to replacement models, placed my order and was told it would be installed the same day. When the plumber arrived to install it, it turned out to be too wide to fit in the available space. Apparently, it is not all that unusual for townhomes such as mine to have limited space for a water heater, but I was not aware that they came in different widths. I feel that the Sears water heater sales representative should have asked me about space requirements, but she did not; therefore I feel that this failure to deliver a suitable water heater on the day promised was the fault of Sears.
2. I canceled that order and that evening of Wednesday, Dec. 22nd I called to order a second water heater which I had looked up and made sure it would fit the space. I was told it would be delivered the following day. The following day, Thursday, Dec 23rd, I never received a call from the plumber to install the water heater, so I called Sears and was told that both my orders had been canceled. I asked why my second order had been canceled when I only canceled the first order, and was told that there was no record of any request from me to cancel the second order and that Sears had canceled it by mistake. I was also told that it was too late in the day to deliver a water heater that day, but if I re-ordered I could get one the following day, which was Friday, Dec. 24th—Christmas Eve. I asked if he was sure that Christmas Eve delivery was available and he assured me that it was. This is the second day that Sears failed to deliver as promised.
3. On the morning of Friday, December 24th, I called to ask why I had not heard from the plumber to schedule a delivery time, and was told that Christmas Eve delivery was not available in my state. I was assured that my order would be delivered Monday, December 27th. This was the third day that Sears failed to deliver as promised.
4. On the morning of Monday, December 27th, I called to find out why no one had contacted me to schedule delivery and installation, and was told that the plumber who was supposed to deliver and install the water heater did not have that model in stock and that they would not be able to deliver it until Tuesday, December 28th. This was the fourth day Sears failed to deliver as promised. I had used up three and a half vacation days and was without hot water from December 22 to December 28 when I should have only had to use one-half of a vacation day and been without hot water only for part of the day of December 22.
Since it is Sears's policy to provide their customers with a $50 gift card when a water heater is not delivered as promised, and this happened to me four times, I believe that the least I am entitled to is four $50 gift cards. I could ask for compensation for the three extra vacation days I had to take; and the fact that we were without hot water for seven days over the Christmas holidays. However, I am not asking to be compensated for those things, only four the four incidents on which Sears failed to deliver as promised. I feel that I am being more than reasonable in asking this.
The more detailed version:
On the morning of Wednesday, December 22, I called Sears and asked about buying a water heater. I was transferred to the water heater department. I explained that my water heater had broken and I needed a replacement. I was asked by the sales representative how many gallons and what fuel source my current water heater used. I was not asked what size the water heater was, and I didn't think to supply that information because I did not know that water heaters come in various widths. I placed an order for a water heater with the same capacity and fuel type.
Around 4:00 PM that same day, water heater arrived, but it was the wrong size and would not fit into the space where my old one was. The delivery person called Sears and spoke to someone, then offered to deliver another one next day, said it was exactly the same, but mentioned that it had a 6-year warranty instead of the 12-year I wanted, so I canceled.
At around 6:00 or 7:00 PM, I called back, asked to order another water heater as I found a model that fit my needs and was the right size. I was transferred to the water heater department where I ordered the new one and was told "someone will call tonight to schedule delivery tomorrow." I waited at home and kept my phone free, but no one called. I was never given an order number for the second order.
At around 8:30 on the morning of Thursday, December 23, I still had not been called by the deliverer, so I called Sears again to check my second order, and was transferred to the water heater department where I was told that both orders had been canceled. I explained that I only canceled the first order, not the second one. The sales representative transferred me to a "water heater hotline" and the representative I spoke to in that department looked into it and said that the second order was canceled by mistake and she would have someone reinstate the order and call me back to confirm it. I asked how long it would take to hear back from them and she said one to two hours. I asked if this could be expedited because I was hoping to get this done early today as I have some things at work I need to take care of. She said she would do what she could.
Three hours later at 11:30 AM on Thursday, December 23, I called back into the queue to find out why no one had called me to confirm my order, and spoke to Tony in the water heater department. He said he would check into what had happened, and put me on hold. Then he came back on the phone, verified my phone number and said he'd call me back within 15 minutes. By this time it was 11:45.
Tony called me back right about noon as promised, but I wasn't able to talk to him about it right then. He called again about a half hour later, at which time I confirmed with him everything about my order. He said that he would try to get the heater delivered today, but that since it was after the noon cutoff time, it may not be here until the next day, Friday December 24th. I asked whether or not delivery & installation was actually available on Christmas Eve, and he said, "Yes. The technicians are working tomorrow, so I know the installers will be working tomorrow." I was once again very disappointed that the water heater I was promised that day would not be arriving. Tony said that I would get a call later that day (Thursday, Dec 23rd) from the plumber to schedule delivery for the following day.
At about 4:15 PM, I still had not received a call from the installation company to schedule a delivery time for the following day. I decided to call and check. I reached Cathy in the Water Heater department and explained the previous difficulties. Cathy was shocked that this error had happened and said that she told me that she would take care of me herself to ensure that it was handled correctly. I felt that Cathy was extremely focused on providing me with the best possible experience and getting everything straightened out. I feel lucky that I reached her, and I think that Sears is lucky to have someone like her working with customers.
Cathy did some checking and found out that the third order was "not attached to a heater at the store."
She also did some additional checking and found out that installation and delivery is not available in my area again until Monday, December 27th and told me that I could not wait that long for hot water, and that I should purchase the water heater from a local store and have someone local come and install it tomorrow.
I said that I would like to proceed with the order for installation and delivery on Monday, and that IF I could find a local plumber who was willing to install a water heater on Christmas Eve, I would cancel the Sears order; but otherwise I would like it to remain open so that I would be sure to get a water heater on Monday.
Cathy then put me through to a local store to make sure they had one in stock. I checked, they had several of the model I want in stock, but they required me to come in to the store to place the order. Frankly, with no hot water for two days, I don't really feel like going out in public. Besides, I didn't really feel like going through the hassle of calling a bunch of local plumbers to find one who could pick up and install the water heater on Christmas Eve.
I wanted to make sure that my order was still in effect for Monday, so I called back and got Joya. She was also helpful, she made sure the order was placed and let me know that I should get a call to schedule for delivery by Monday morning.
Well, 9:00 Monday morning December 27th came and I had not received a call, so I called Sears to check on it. I called 800-326-8738 ext. 56916 and spoke to Sheena. Sheena was very helpful and called the plumber who was supposed to install my water heater. They informed her that they did not have that model in stock so would not be able to install it that day, but that they could get it and would come out to install it the following day, Tuesday Dec. 28th between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
I expressed frustration to Sheena and explained that this was the fourth time in a row I had been promised delivery and Sears had failed to make good on that promise. She said that she would send me a $50 gift card "because that's what we do when we promise delivery on a certain date and don't meet that promise."
Well, that's an admirable customer service policy, but I wonder why I never heard about it until the fourth time Sears failed to meet their promise.
1. The original sales representative should have asked me for the make and model of my current water heater and then asked if a wider one would be OK. I would have checked and realized that there was barely enough space for the existing one and said that I would need one no wider than it. I was later told by a plumber that it's not uncommon for townhouses like mine to have cramped spaces for water heaters. Why wouldn't a Sears water heater sales representative ask about this as a matter of routine?
2. My second order should NEVER have been canceled by Sears. This was in my opinion the worst error in terms of how it affected me.
3. When I called in at 8:30 on December 23, I was told that my order would be reinstated and I would be called back within one to two hours. Why did no one call me back? When I finally reached another water heater representative over three hours later, why was my order still on "canceled" status? I had asked this to be expedited on account of Sears's mistake in canceling the second order, but nothing was being done about it. Why?
4. Why would someone ensure me on December 23rd that installation & delivery was available on the following day (Christmas Eve) when it wasn't?
5. Why did no one call me first thing Monday morning and tell me that the water heater I was expecting that day was not in stock and would not be delivered until the following day? I could still have gotten to work at a reasonable time on Monday, and there is a shower at work so I would have been able to get in nearly a full day of work. Instead, I had to call Sears to ask why no one had called me.
6. Why was I not informed about the $50 gift card policy until the fourth time Sears failed to deliver as promised, and why was I only offered one gift card when this happened four different times?
7. (This is also stated above): Since it is Sears's policy to provide their customers with a $50 gift card when a water heater is not delivered as promised, and this happened to me four times, I believe that the least I am entitled to is four $50 gift cards. I could ask for compensation for the three extra vacation days I had to take; and the fact that we were without hot water for seven days over the Christmas holidays. However, I am not asking to be compensated for those things, only four the four incidents on which Sears failed to deliver as promised. I feel that I am being reasonable in asking this.
Sears sent me one $50 gift card and promised to send two more, which I have not received yet. I do not consider $150 adequate compensation, but it's better than nothing.
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Alain on 01/19/2011:
At least you got some compensation.
momsey on 01/19/2011:
Is there any reason you kept giving Sears more and more chances? After the second screw up, I would have bit the bullet and called someone else (a plumber.)
SearsCare on 01/19/2011:
Dear Paul_H,
My name is Marcus and I am part of the Sears Social Media Support Team, and I am very concerned about what I have read here on My3cents, pertaining to your customer experience with Sears delivery and installation team concerning your water heater. I want to apologize for the hassle and the frustration that this situation has put you through. I would like the opportunity to reach out and speak with you about this issue so that we can address it and make sure you as a Sears customer has been taken care of. Mr. Paul_H, please allow us to make sure you as customer is taken care of. Please know Sears does value you as a customer and we want your experiences with Sears to be pleasant. We would like the opportunity to help and keep you a satisfied customer. Sears Social Media Support Team is the single point of contact for all escalated concerns which means we step into the situation and handle it from start to finish with one Case Manager. At your convenience, please contact my office at email@example.com so you don't have to continue to be impacted by this. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and we will call you directly. Also, in your email please provide the screen name (Paul_H) for reference to your issue and we do look forward to talking to you soon.
Thank you,
Marcus C.
Sears Social Media Support Team
aGrandma on 01/21/2011:
I just posted a story almost exactly like yours! I am completely stressed-out and frustrated. I think they owe me compensation too. I missed one day of work and have gone so far without hot water for 9 days SO FAR. Still don't have hot water. Read my story dated 1/21/2011. aGrandma
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Don't buy Sears service contract on home appliances
Posted by
On October 24, 2011 I purchased, using Sears's 1-800 number posted on its webpage, a water heater and installation. I foolishly purchased, in addition, an extended service contract, for 3 years.
Afterwards, I had several conversations with Sears about getting a copy of this service contract. I was told it would be coming as a matter of course. Later, I was transferred; I had my my line go dead; I was told to rely on what I was told over the phone; I was told that I had to give my credit card number. I was told that "it" "had to be entered." I was then placed on indefinite hold until I hung up. I called yet again later and found someone who had no trouble locating the contract. I told this person that I was fed up and wanted to cancel it. She agreed. On about November 18, I received a check which agreed with the amount I had been quoted over the phone for the contract, although nothing came with the check indicating this was what it was for, or who to contact for information other than ""A/P Audit Department", without address or telephone number.
On December 6, more than a month after my initial inquiries, and almost three weeks after I received my refund, I received a document in the mail labeled "Master Protection Agreement".
The name on the agreement is "Van Van Jan". This name does not have the faintest resemblance to my own or to the name on the credit card I used. It has a possible, very conjectural relationship to the name of a former owner of the house where the heater was installed, who died fifteen years ago.
I know this is the agreement I purchased because the expiration date matches.
The agreement consists of 31 numbered paragraphs over fourteen inches of dense text in type that is two millimeters in height, for letters like "k" or "f", and one millimeter for letters like "a" or "o". Although the language is heavy in nifty legal terms like "hereinafter" it is not at all clear to what extent this contract guarantees anything beyond whatever warranty otherwise comes with the water heater. If I purchase a "Kenmore 9" water heater, my impression from conversation with Sears is that this heater is supposed to last 9 years. If the installation is defective then that should be remediable without recourse to additional service contract purchases. Likewise if there is a defect in the heater, including a cosmetic defect, it should not be required to purchase additional coverage to have it replaced or fixed. What you may get is the opportunity to make your case without as much argument, but that's speculative.
It is unclear to me whether Sears ever intended to provide a copy of the agreement I purchased so that I could see its terms. Sears wouldn't be the only business to sell such a contract in a way that makes it is easy to forget what you are entitled to when the time comes. The larger point is that these contracts are a deal for the company that sells them, and it is very easy to get talked into that extra but unclear bit of security at the time of purchase, when you are already committed to spending a good chunk of money and the idea of avoidable problems is planted in your mind according to the market-tested script of the person you're talking to. Consumer Reports recommends against purchasing such contracts in most cases. Even disregarding the trouble with Sears's bureaucracy, I agree.
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postsolipsist84 on 12/15/2011:
Obviously, this isn't a Compliment. Must have hit the wrong option and don't see any way to edit it.
SearsCare on 12/15/2011:
Dear postsolipsist84,
I am very sorry that you have not received the level of customer service that you deserve. This is definitely not the type of experience our customers should encounter with us. We would like to talk to you about this situation and see what we can due to make it right.
At your convenience, please contact our office via email at firstname.lastname@example.com so you donât have to continue to be frustrated by this. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and we will call you directly. Also, in your email, please provide the screen name (postsolipsist84) you used to post on this site, for reference to your issue, and we do look forward to talking to you soon.
Thank you,
Robert B.
Social Media Moderator
clutzycook on 12/15/2011:
Robert, you're right, they shouldn't encounter this type of service, but as the reviews on this site show, it seems to happen time after time.
At Your Service on 12/15/2011:
I wouldn't disagree at all that a nine year warrantied product shouldn't require much in the way of additional coverage. It's also wise of you to require a copy of said agreement. I've always believed in studying this document before purchasing the actual merchandise, assuming that it's been determined that additional warranty coverage is behoovent. There are several reports now which will suggest the consideration of additional coverage on certain purchases. For example, CBS news did a very good report of warranty coverage, in general, within the market and when it can be very beneficial to consider this extra purchase.
"For years, consumer advocates such as Consumer Reports have cautioned against buying extended warranties. But that advice may be in need of updating.
In a recent development, many appliance makers are consolidating the terms of warranty coverage on their products to include one period covering all parts and service. The period is one year — after that, if a part wears out or breaks, you'll pay.
Before this, appliance makers would have warranties with different coverage periods for various parts, ranging from five to 20 years. Now they say a simpler and clearer warranty — one that covers all parts and services for the same one-year period — will benefit consumers. The reality is that in most cases, manufacturers' warranties for many appliances will be shorter and if you want to extend the warranty coverage for periods longer than a year, you'll have to open your wallet.
Shorter and "simpler" warranties for appliance brands such as Whirlpool, Roper, Estate, General Electric, Hotpoint, Maytag, Amana, Frigidaire and many other brands went into effect late last year and earlier this year. Some premium appliance brands still offer warranties that apply for longer than a year.
Some consumer electronics makers have also cut their warranties. For example, according to PC World magazine, Dell used to offer a three-year warranty on numerous products — but has cut warranties on some products to just one year, and just three months on others. Once the manufacturer's warranty runs out, all costs for repairs are borne by the consumer, unless you pay for an extended warranty.
Extended Warranties
An extended warranty typically covers the costs of repairing or replacing an item during the same period when the manufacturer's warranty runs — and extends for an additional period of time, typically two to five years from the date of purchase. Extended warranties may also cover items that are never covered by the manufacturer, such as normal wear, damage caused by a power surge, and additional services such as annual cleaning and preventative maintenance."
I've personally paid for additional coverage and seen it save thousands of dollars over the years.
Venice09 on 12/15/2011:
Postsolipsist84, this is one of the best reviews I've read here. Very insightful and helpful. Also very true.
I never gave Sears warranties a second thought because they always took care of me when I needed service. However, that was the old Sears. I wouldn't give them one cent for a contract anymore. They tell you everything you want to hear to get you to buy a warranty, but when the time comes to cash in, they use every tactic in the book to renege on their end of the deal. This strategy is finally catching up with them. People now realize that these contracts are not worth the paper they're written on. If you can even see one in writing, that is.
HonestForSure on 01/04/2012:
The reason Sears is hesitant to provide you copies is that water heater extended warranties are a joke. Your 9-year warranty water heater covers the labor for year 1 only and parts only for years 2-9. Your "3-year" plan, if it begins at the date of purchase, is for labor (plumber) coverage for years 2 and 3. What a joke! That is entirely irrelevant to the life of the product. Of course the written agreement and verbiage is made to deceive - why else would all this mouse print nonsense be there? Even if the contract started in year 2, it would only be for years 2,3,4.
Get a refund.
Never buy an extended service contract, you will always come out ahead.
postsolipsist84 on 10/22/2012:
Sears just called to ask if I wanted to buy a warranty on the *three* water heaters I purchased! I told them I only purchased one and that I would never buy a warranty from Sears for this product or any other for any reason.
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Water Heater Installation Mistakes
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We bought a foreclosed home with a broken water heater - no hot water in the house at all. We shopped around before deciding to buy at Sears because their price was lowest. The Sears call center is not in my state (CA) - they are in the mid west and apparently don't know California or Sacramento regulations. They only asked what type of water heater (gas or electric) and how many gallons (40). They ordered a tall water heater and charged my Sears credit card. A couple of days later the local installer called asked for the model number off of the current broken water heater. He said the one Sears ordered would not fit and that we needed to order a "medium" water heater. I called Sears back and they said they'd cancel the first order and place a 2nd order for the "medium". They said the water heater we need is not in stock and we'd have to wait several days for it to arrive in Sacramento, then the installer could probably get it the NEXT day and install it. The installer called me again and set up a date for installation. I took the day off of work and waited. No one came to install. The installation people told me the order had been cancelled. They thought maybe I had cancelled it. I called Sears, and was told BOTH orders were cancelled - the first AND the 2nd. They said they'd research the issue and someone would be calling me. Instead of calling me, a supervisor from the call center called my daughter, who was at a 2nd phone number we'd left them. He told her it was the call center's fault, they had accidentally cancelled both orders when they cancelled the first one. All he could say was that he's "sorry" and they could re-order it, in which case it would take another WEEK to arrive in Sacramento. We'd originally ordered the 1st one 7 days before! That would have made it 14+ days without hot water. And I had stayed home from work yesterday for this delivery.
The supervisor told my daughter that if we wanted to re-order that I could call him back (since I am the one paying for it) at the main number, leaving his name. I called back and asked for him specifically. I was put on hold twice while the other call center person tried to get him, and he "couldn't" speak to me because he was "doing invoices". I told her I really wanted to speak to HIM (because I wanted this order not to get screwed up again.) She took my phone number and said he'd call me back. He never did.
Obviously their call center has some big problems. Their staff cancelled my order for no reason! How can that happen? This is a serious issue when families are living with no hot water, and when working people take a day vacation from work for nothing! In addition, if the call center had asked me for the right information in the first place (like the model number and/or size of the current water heater) and matched it up they would have gotten the right water heater.
I ended up going to a local warehouse-type store and buying a water heater from them and arranging installation. They had the right water heater in stock. I paid over $200 MORE for the purchase but I trust them.
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idontthinkso on 01/21/2011:
Sears is in business in name only. The original staff and management built a name and a reputation that is tarnished every day by their replacements. Do yourself a favor and cancel that Sears Card.
tnchuck100 on 01/21/2011:
Brand names mean nothing today.
SearsCare on 01/24/2011:
Dear aGrandma,
My name is Marcus and I am part of the Sears Social Media Support Team, and I am very concerned about what I have read here pertaining to your customer experience with our Delivery and Installation Services. I want to apologize to you about the customer service that was rendered to you by our call center. The manager that spoke to you should have called you back to make sure that your order was processed and for that I am sorry. I do understand your frustration in concerns to not having hot water in your home. I would like the opportunity to reach out and speak with you about what has been done concerning your water heater being ordered and also installed. Please allow us to make sure you as customer is taken care of. Please know Sears does value you as a customer and we want your experiences with Sears to be pleasant. We would like the opportunity to help and keep you a satisfied customer. Sears Social Media Support Team is the single point of contact for all escalated concerns which means we step into the situation and handle it from start to finish with one Case Manager. At your convenience, please contact my office at firstname.lastname@example.com so you don't have to continue to be impacted by this. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and we will call you directly. Also, in your email please provide the screen name (aGrandma) for reference to your issue and we do look forward to talking to you soon.
Thank you,
Marcus C.
Sears Social Media Support Team
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Horrible. Sears Really Is A Big Company...
Posted by
TROY, MICHIGAN -- My water heater broke down and I made the mistake of calling the Sears water heater hotline. They promised me "same day installation". Which was what I was hoping for. Oh yeah, I was naive and actually believed them.
Short version? I called on Tuesday morning, and got my water heater installed, finally, on Friday afternoon. And that's after numerous calls, after being insulted and humiliated twice by their service department. No I'll never buy anything "hard" from Sears again, this is indeed a very "hard" lesson.
Now the details...If you are going to use those guys don't make the same mistake that I made, be sure to ask ALL the questions, and don't cooperate with them when they ask you to wait for a call from them.
When I first placed the order, everything was rosy and smooth. Yes we got 4 units that suit you, you can expect a call from the installation guys in 3 hours. 5 hours, No call.
I called back, and I was told that my order was routed to the wrong store, 30 miles from my house, so they have to transfer the unit to my local store, so the installation guy could then pick it up. I just had to bear with another day of no hot water.
I bit my tongue and accepted the fate. Next morning, of course, again, nobody called me, and I had to call back. No, the voice on the other side of the line told me, it was not there yet, they needed to check what's going on, I should wait for them to call back me in the afternoon. Yes, you guessed it, nobody called.
I had to call back. Got another person, who told me that actually, the unit didn't need to be transferred, they got the unit I asked for at my local store all this time, all they need to do was to change my order to the local store. I asked why the long wait? Why didn't they do it yesterday, when they realized something was wrong?
Because they need my authorization to do it, and they didn't get it from me, I was told.
I was mad as hell when that guy actually had the nerve to suggest that it was MY fault, that the 2 day delay was caused by me not answering their request for rewritting the order. I called them 3 times! They never called me! And now they were telling me it was MY fault?
OK now it was Thursday, I had gone 3 days without hot water. The installation guy finally came to my house, asked for $330 extra to "bring everything up to code". I wrote them a check. It didn't go through the Sears system. I called my bank, and it was not a bounced check. I had $10,000 in my account, but the bank never saw my check coming to them.
The installation guy just rudely went out of my door after that. No we'll come back tomorrow when you can pay me. Allow you 5 minutes to go to the bank to grab the cash? No I cannot give you 5 minutes. We have a tight schedule.
I called Sears later, trying to figure out what went wrong with my check. The guy was impatient. He said I have a long "record". I got an idea that he considered it a sin. For being a difficult customer. I don't know if anyone could be smiling when he goes 3 days without a show, waiting for a water heater that was paid in full. Certainly not me.
Friday, a heavy snow day, it was cold, and the kids were begging for a shower. I finally gave in. OK, my kids are more important than my pride. I got the cash, just in case the Sears system messed up again. The installation guy called me, and telling me they can do it in the afternoon.
I settled down, but not Sears. I got a call from Sears, this time, but not to help me settle any matters, instead he told me that I was required to GO TO THE LOCAL STORE IN PERSON TO PAY BY CASH, before they can allow the water heater to be installed. I was totally confused. I asked them why? The installation guy didn't object taking cash from me in my house, why should I go out in this stormy weather to my local store to pay up front? No because your check bounced you have to go to store to pay upfront to get your water heater. The guy told me again. I tried to explain to him that there must be a misunderstanding, and the guy repeated to me that I have to go to store. They he hanged up on me.
I called the installation subcontractor, trying to to figure out what was that all about. They were just as baffled as I was. I called Sears back again, asking where was my "local store" anyway? Remember I called the Sears water heater hotline, it's a national network, I never went to any store! They told me where the store was, I called my local store to see if they required me to pay before releasing my water heater. No the manager told me, if I actually went to the store, they wouldn't even know what to do with me, because my installation contract was not with them, they couldn't take money from me for the job, I don't own them anything and they sure as hell never required me to do that.
By this time, the installation guys were already at my doorï¼I paid them in cash and they started doing the job, at the same time I was still being bounced around in the Sears system, listening to some guy using a stern voice, telling me that I do need to go to the store to pay before they can give me my water heater, while the water heater they were talking about was already in my basement being installed.
Yes, Iãhanged up on them. Sears really is a BIG, HUGE company, their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing, and they tend to blame you, the customer, for it.
Last remark, I love my local Sears store, it's the "national" part of Sears that I would avoid at all cost from now on.
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Sears does not care !
Posted by
ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI -- Purchased Water Heater and Master Protection Plan 5/26/06. It has been leaking from the hot & cold connections to the house copper lines. Not sure how long this has been happening but there is significant corrosion. On Dec 8, 2010 a tech came out and said it is not their responsibility and to call a plumber. I called the many 800 phone numbers and even spoke to a super but was told the same. Well a plumber came and said the lines needed to be connected with a dielectric union pipe fitting to this corrosion does not happen and that it is code for my city. I spent 2.5 hrs on the phone with them the other day to get nowhere. Sears did not do a proper installation in 2006 and now they are not calling back, answering the faxes they requested of the plumbers $278.00 quote to fix, and even Sears Cares has not responded. Why would anyone ever want to get any service/product from Sears these days? and with their credit card rate at 21%? I do not know what to do next?????
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imp3400 on 04/07/2013:
I have found out about Sears, I have had a similar experience with Sears. They installed furnace and fouled up the install but it wasn't noticeable to my elderly parents UNTIL recently. The remodeling I did to house started to show damage to paneling and ceiling. I called professional furnace guy and he said it was moisture and other stuff seeping through chimney because Sears install of the furnace failed to vent the furnace and water heater into the new chimney liner. Sears contractors know nothing and are sloppy. Install it and if it doesn't seem to show any problems for a couple years, GOOD> Sears installed are hot water heater and the one gas line looks like they used COPPER line. Which I can be sure but think it is illegal and dangerous. Forget about Sears care people they are a joke.
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Customer Service is lacking
Posted by
Our 5 year old water heater started to leak and the ordeal began. We had purchased it from Sears and it was under warranty. I called on a Sunday and got an appointment for Monday. So far, so good. The "repair" person came and said I needed a new tank and that someone would call me. He left, I got no call. I called Sears multiple times during the day and was finally contacted at 9 PM. The plumber was irritated that he had to drive to a distant store to get my unit and wanted to delay the replacement for 48 hours. I had no hot water! Finally, he agreed to come the next day.
He arrived near 11 AM, claming the store didn't even open until 10 AM to get the replacement water heater. Six days later, the elbow joint between the hot water heater and water line is leaking. And the new expansion tank is also leaking.
I called again. (Sunday) and was told someone would come Monday between 8 and 12. Sound familiar? Service person CALLED at 10 AM and said the installer had to come do the repair. And I was told they would call. Again, I have been on the phone with Sears and no one can help. They all send me to another department, promising my issue has been escalated to the special cases unit, the Special Handling Team, and even told me that I'd get my own case manager. The case manager is going to call and take my complaint sometime in the next 24-48 BUSINESS hours.
Meanwhile, I've taken 2.5 days from work so far and while I have hot water, I also have two leaks that are getting worse. All I want is for a plumber to come re-sweat the connection in the elbow joint and figure out why the 6 day old expansion tank is leaking. I'd also like to be kept informed of when/if the repair person will be coming.
I will NEVER buy an appliance from Sears again.
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SearsCare on 04/20/2010:
To Kawherp,
I'm very sorry you've had this issue with your water heater and our service and installation teams. This has been a terrible ordeal for you and it needs to be resolved quickly. My name is Brian and I'm part of the Sears Cares Escalations team and it sounds like you may already have a case open with us and your own dedicated Case Manager with this team. If you're already being helped by us, I assure you that you are in good hands but we would still like to verify that so we can step in if you are not already being helped here. At your convenience, please contact my office via email at firstname.lastname@example.com so you don't continue to be frustrated by this. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and the phone number the water heater was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. Also, in your email, please provide the screen name (Kawherp), for reference to your issue, and we do look forward to talking to you soon.
Thank you,
Brian J.
Senior Case Manager
Sears Cares
Winehcl on 04/15/2011:
ALMOST the exact same story I now I have with Sears--except that I don't have a leak, I just have a water heater not functioning! I have been trying to warm water up all week for my baby-- but he's getting sick-- If I have a Master agreement, why can't Sears respect that and honor their word?? The times of honest and good service are gone-- Also, the technicians that have come, 1) have no parts, and 2) seem to have no clude of what they are doing.. Incredible
Winehcl on 04/16/2011:
Sears-- Terrible service even with Master Agreement--
7 days without hot water-- every day is a different story--being passed from department to department, and nobody seem to care-- Service passes to Special care, special care passes to installation, Installation passes to contractors, contractors then don't know anything about it--
To whoever is considering Sears--BLUE CREW-- Do NOT--DO NOT make the mistake of buying anytyihng from Sears and even less, purchasing Master Agreement!!
Charoltte P on 11/28/2013:
I have the Sears home warranty repair plan My hot water tank stopped working so I called the said it will be one week before they can have someone out to take a look I'm 73 yrs and have a 52 yro son that lives with me that has a skin deseas he 5 different meds has to wash 3 times a day with warm water or he will get put back in the hospitalwhy can't I pay a place to repair it and either be reimburset I wouldn't recommend you to anyone thanks for Ãsssssssss
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Things that I have learned
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BERGAN COUNTY NJ -- You can read down through the trial of this, but to summarize.
The installer lied about what additional connections needed to be done. After the inspection by the town, the valve that was already there was satisfactory. From my experience do not trust Sears installers. Get recommendations from people you know who can give you a reference.
Below is the two month process of getting a water heater installed and local permits.
On 11/2/09 I purchased a replacement water heater at a NJ Sears store. I was charged and accepted install fee of 295.00. I know this was high but I wanted a one stop shop. I was also told that I would need a permit which was $40.00. The install was scheduled for 11/4 between 8 and 12. I received a call from the installer at 12:15 saying he would be late. He got to my house at 2:15.
He informed me that in this town they now need to have the water heater be separately grounded, not just to the pipes, and the gas valve would have to be changed. It would be an additional 125.00 for this. I told him no thanks I will take care of it. The install went without a single problem and he was gone by 3:15. One hour install.
On 11/12/09, I called my town to schedule an inspection. They told me that they didn't have any record of a permit. They told me that the installer that does things around this part of NJ rarely gets a permit for Sears customer installs. The installer is William Sherman Plumbing.
I called the store and worked my way through the prompts and a few people to someone who actually helped. I told this person that I purchased from Sears because I didn't want to have to deal with what I was having to deal with. SILLY ME. The Customer service representative called the store, then called the installation company. Guess what, they just got the paperwork TODAY and they were faxing over to my town all the required information for the permit. Sounds fishy to me.
Going forward I would suggest you find out when a permit will be created and how much time after an inspection will be done. I should have asked the installer for the permit when he arrived.
Also, if you are using Sears customer service, don't take any S-it from them about contacting the installer. YOU contracted with Sears not the installer.
Also, if you can, I have found that you should drain the water heater prior to the installer coming. It makes things move quickly. Just turn off the water to the water heater, connect a hose to the lower hose outlet, run the hose outside (Below grade), open all the water facets (hot) in the house, and open the pressure release valve on the side of the old water heater.
Best of luck. In many cases Sears is the only player in town.
**** Updated 12/29/09
I have updated this to better understand the company that is supposed to do the permit requests. As of 12/29/09 I have not been called for an inspection. I called the my town permit department today 12/29/09 to see when they will be doing the inspection. They informed me that they received the permit request back in mid November 2009 BUT has not been paid for. It seems that the installer didn't lie to me, they just didn't tell me everything.
I called Sears again. Informed them of everything above and they got the install company on the phone again. The person there informed Sears and I that the person who disburses payment to the towns was on vacation this week and she would check on where the payment is. The Sears rep was a little upset also because they had paid the installer for the permit already. The installer company game me their name and number and to call back in 2 weeks. I guess we will all see then.
From this perspective I would not recommend Sears to perform all the functions that they promise unless you want to make many calls for followup. That was not what I wanted or expected.
Updated on 1/13/10 *****
Last week I finally got the permit in the mail and to call for an inspection. I set up the inspection for 1/13/10. The inspector came on time looked at the water heater and told me that I had the incorrect gas valve on it. I showed him the valve that I replaced and he said that would do just fine. He told me to change the valve, call for reinspection and everything will be OK.
So, the installer either doesn't know what he is talking about, what the valve needed to be replaced, or he is taught to lie to customers to get the additional revenue.
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clutzycook on 11/12/2009:
Well, it IS New Jersey, what did you expect?
jktshff1 on 11/12/2009:
good info, vh
qualityappliance on 11/12/2009:
Why would a gas water heater need to be grounded when there is no electrical?
old fart on 11/12/2009:
What about the electrical connections to the thermostatically controlled gas burner...?
x64 on 11/12/2009:
In NJ it is common for gas equipment to be required to be grounded. When I purchased a house a few years ago, the inspection revealed that the local ordinance (not sure if it was town, county, or state) required all gas appliances to be grounded individually, or collectively via a copper wire clamped from the gas line to the cold water line.
qualityappliance on 11/13/2009:
On any water heater I've ever seen the thermostat is an intregal part of the heater itself and not connected to any outside wiring.
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Horrible Customer Service
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I bought a hot water heater on Sunday from Sears. The price seemed right and so did the installation price. So, I took off Monday because according to Sears someone would call me to schedule an appointment to come out and install it. I waited and waited, then finally decided to call Sears' 800 number to see what was up. After being passed from one representative to another, they finally said they would call the installer and have them call me within the hour. OK. Two hours passed and no call. So, I called them back. They repeated that they would call the installer and see what was up. An hour later, the installer called, it was a local plumbing company. So, they came out and installed the unit. But, the pilot light wouldn't stay lit. So, he said that it looked like a valve was faulty, so he would need to schedule another time to come out. I said, fine. So, I called Sears and again got passed from person to person until I reached one person who said that yes, the plumbing company would handle it.
So, I called the plumbing company and arranged for them to fix it on Tuesday morning. Tuesday morning, as I was waiting for them, the plumbing company called and said that it wasn't their job and that Sears would have to send out a technician. So, I called Sears back and again got passed from person to person (and hung up on a few times while on hold) and finally they set up an appointment for Wednesday for a Sears technician to come out. Waited all day on Wednesday and then got fed up waiting and called the 800 number again. Again got passed from person to person (and hung up on a few more times while on hold for good measure) and finally got someone to call the technician to see when they would show up.
Technician finally called me back at 2 in the afternoon and then came out. He opened the panel and saw immediately what the problem was. A wire that went to the pilot was broken. It was something that was very obvious. There's no way an installer would not notice that he could not attach that wire. Either it was broken and he ignored it, or he broke it. No other way to look at it. So, the technician said that the part was not in stock and that he would have to order it. It should arrive at my house Thursday afternoon. I told him that there was no way that I could take off another day of work on this because my boss was already mad at me for taking today off. He said that it wouldn't be a problem for him to come by after hours to put this part on the unit and for me to call the 800 number as soon as I got home. So, I was frustrated and called Sears and explained that the installer should have seen that this unit was defective and that I would like my $300 back that I paid for them to install this thing. They said that they would not because they assume that it had been properly installed and that it is a problem with the unit. They said that the district manager of installation would call me Thursday to discuss this. Today is Thursday and I haven't heard from him.
Surprise, surprise. So, while at work, I called the 800 number to confirm what the technician told me. I got passed from person to person and finally got sent to a person in special handling. I explained the problem and she told me that it was not a problem for the technician to come out after I got off work. She gave me the local number for the technician. So, I got home at 4:30 and the part was here. I called the local number and it rang and rang for five minutes with no voice mail. So, I called the 800 number again and then got passed from person to person (and hung up on while on hold a few more times) and then finally got someone on the phone who said that the technician would not be available until next Wednesday. I told him that that was unacceptable and that this technician said he would come out today. The customer service guy said that that was impossible and that the technicians were off work by five. I explained to him about the local number and how no one answered the phone and could I speak to a manager.
He refused to let me talk to a manager repeatedly. So, I went up to the store in person and cornered the store manager and explained my story to him. He got on the 800 number and got passed from person to person as well (though he didn't get hung up on) and then lied to the operator and said that there is a gas leak at the house and that someone needed to come by on Friday morning. So, now they are supposed to come by on Friday morning to fix this thing. I am at my wit's end. I am going to file a formal complaint against Sears with the attorney general's office of my state once this problem is finally resolved. I've never been treated so poorly by a company. No wonder Sears is in financial trouble! I'll never do business with them again after this mess.
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SearsCare on 10/05/2009:
To natoman,
First allow me to apologize for this situation. It should not have been this difficult a situation to handle. I am very concerned by what I have read here and would like to look into this to see where the failure happened. I would also like to clarify something. This is not an excuse, merely an explanation. Installers are not technicians per se and may not have the technical ability to diagnose issues, and a technician would have had to be sent out. They have no way of carrying every part for everything we service so the part would have to be ordered. Were you ever offered a replacement water heater? You have the option of getting a replacement within the first 90 days if the unit you purchased does not work to your satisfaction and that should have been offered to you at the very beginning of this situation. I understand your frustration here and we would like to help in some way to make this right for you. My name is Brian and I am part of the Sears Cares escalations team. At your convenience, please contact my office via email at email@example.com so that we can look into what happened in more detail. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and the phone number the item was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. Also, please provide the screen name (natoman) used to post here for reference to this issue, and we do look forward to talking to you soon.
Thank you,
Brian J.
Senior Case Manager
Sears Cares
Anonymous on 10/05/2009:
SearsCares...it's nice that you monitor these sites, but I got to say that is way too little, way too late. After reading something like this, I wouldn't even ever consider using Sears for something like this. You can just never recover from stories like this.
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4 Months for Sears to Replace its Water Heater
Posted by
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- I can't believe that it has taken 4 months since I first brought to Sears' attention that my water heater of less than 1 year old was leaking water. Thank God, it's housed in its own 5x5 compartment outside. I got the run-around from Osh (where I purchased it) and Sears---each blaming the other. Finally got Sears to take a look at it and indeed, it was defective. Then the fun began. Sears sent one of the companies that they use (Fast Water Heater), who wanted to charge me $1,700 to "bring my less than one year water heater up to code, plus $84 for "delivery." I hit the ceiling, and when I came down, both were gone: the water heater and the guy who delivered it. He wouldn't leave it until I paid the $84. I felt that Sears should pay it. So, he took it back. I was so tired fighting with Sears and many of their incompetent and rude employees who work at Sears' Water Heater Hotline. They are pompous and bureaucratic.
At first, they "had to send another Sears rep. out to my home to check and see whether the w. heater was defective." How stupid. The information is in the computer, take a look folks!!! But, I was told that because it had "been so long since this started" that I had to go back through the process. Finally stayed on the phone with Sears for 2 hours and 27 minutes on May 7, 2008, trying to get them to re-authorize the water heater for delivery. I was told that I would receive a call back from a supervisor today, no luck. Called the 800 number and found out that "the girls were told to take care of this, but they didn't." These were obviously the three employees who provided inaccurate information and were incompetent--the ones I talked to this morning. In essence, they will make me wait because I went to corporate regarding their incompetence and bureaucratic process--no critical thinkers at all. It's really sad to have such people on the front line.
I will call as many times as necessary tomorrow to get the water heater that I've paid for. I will NEVER purchase a Sears product again. Oh, last week, I also canceled my 20-year credit card relationship with them. I wouldn't recommend anyone to use Sears' products, or products they "supposedly" sell, or should I say: take money from customers and not stand behind their warranty. P.S. They also tried to tell me that they didn't have to replace the water heater--if they could fix it. I said, my warranty states that "if it's leaking, it will be replaced." That was another battle that lasted for about 2.5 weeks. I'm sooooo done with Sears. I did talk to three nice people today who did their very best to assist me: Mike, Larry and Mark. Thanks guys for your assistance. Sorry, but you should fire everyone who "handled" this matter for not being able to resolve this issue before it escalated to the point that it did. Thanks for reading this long review. I needed to get it out, and I appreciate your patience. Please excuse any typos. I typed this as fast as I could.
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hello dolly on 05/07/2008:
You can call the county code enforcement officer in your area and they should be able to tell you what the code is in your area for water heater installation. I would also suggest that you get an independent estimate of any "upgrades" needed for a new water heater. If you had to pay for a new one from someplace else I would have as much documentation as possible to be able to take Sears to small claims court for full reimbursement. If you don't have a copy of your owners manual you can print one off of Manage My Home .com - that will give you proof of your warranty in writing.
By all means write the BBB they actually get action taken for you. Don't wait on Sears any longer you have choices.
Ponie on 05/08/2008:
Sounds as if the others you dealt with were Larry, Curly, and Moe, rather than Mike, Larry, and Mark.
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Beware the Extended Warranty...
Posted by
SALINAS, CALIFORNIA -- We'd paid for the Water Heater extended warranty for about 7 years. After calling the Sears technicians out sev times in late 07, the WH died. We had just renewed the warranty in late Nov 07. Sears said they'd have to charge us $78 more for parts. OK, we paid. Fri afternoon before Christmas guests arrive, the Sears contract plumber came out and essentially said that if we wanted hot water, we would pay an additional $540. We paid... we needed to take showers & wash dishes. Afterward, we discovered our recirculation system no longer works well. We now have to waste a lot of water trying to get hot water to come.
We complained, spending sev days on the phone. Essentially Sears employees said what their contractors do is not their problem. The Sears technician who can condemned the WH in Dec came out and said there was no need to move the WH the 9 or so inches that the original plumber indicated was part of the reason for the $540 charge. Part of the charge was $170 for a "difficult installation", which really meant, he had to walk down some brick steps and along the front of the house and install the WH in a nicely open area with decent headroom. Further the Sears technician said that the contract plumber had now piped the WH such that any leak or problem would require them to cut pipe (potentially more expensive repairs in the future). Finally in response to my calls or perhaps to the technician filing a report, another plumber from the original contractor came out 14 Jan 08. He agreed that there were some mistakes and made some changes. He said "the additional $540 charge was to bring the system to code and said he'd show us the code as he always carried it". We followed him to his truck and then he decided he didn't have the code book. He promised to mail the appropriate pages. We've never rec'd that information.
In getting shunted around Sears, we also discovered that Sears policy isn't exactly what we were promised. The manufacturers warranty would run CONCURRENTLY with the 2 year warranty we had just paid Sears for. Since the WH was sick, I had asked the Sears Warranty agent specifically...if what we paid for the warranty and the WH broke... would the extended warranty be added on to the manufacturers warranty or how it was handled? He swore to me it would be added on, not run concurrently. Sears supervisors in that section now say essentially... too bad. He was wrong. You lose.
So far, we've been able to get no real help from Sears administrative staff. Several employees were sympathetic. A couple gave me bad information and wasted even more of my time.
Here's the bottom line. Most financial folks say that extended warranties are generally not worthwhile, but what they rarely say is that they deliver you into the hands of contractors who may or may not deal with you fairly. You lose control. You may lose what you've paid for the warranty... and more
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hello dolly on 02/11/2008:
First let me say what an awful experience. In your shoes anyone would have done the same and paid. You do have some recourse however
1) your installation is warrantied for 1 year by Sears so even if the contractor who came out goes out of business Sears will still warranty their installation work
2) The technician who came out may not be aware of what is code for your city or county but there should be a code enforcement office you can contact to find out what current code requirements for your city are. I would even ask them to come out and inspect the work - there may be a small fee but if indeed the plumber did something wrong you will need the documentation for your small claims court suit.
3) Take the plumber to court and sue him for any and all monies charged that were not "required" by code.
4) Unfortunately the extended contracts run concurrently with the manufacturers warranty as they cover items not covered by the manufacturer warranty. They are priced to include the initial warranty as they become more expensive once there is no longer any other kind of warranty.
Please post back if you need any help getting the information from your area. Again so sorry for your experience especially so near the holidays.
CWS0613 on 11/04/2009:
Sorry to hear you have had the run around. We purchased two new appliances in 2004 the Refer. has been repaired seven times and the stove three the only problem we have is the time that we have to wait for parts but the warranty has covered everything even food when we lost it. thanks Chris
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text:
An Endangered Species
Everything in This Country Must: A Novella and Two Stories
Scar Vegas and Other Stories
Dressing Up for the Carnival
In the Gloaming
The short story is a minor art form that, in the hands of a very few practitioners, becomes major art. Its effect is rarely isolated or singular, but accumulative; a distinguished story collection is one that is greater than the mere sum of its disparate parts. In isolation, striking and original as individual stories might be, it's likely that they would quickly fade from literary memory, as a few scattered poems of Emily Dickinson, separated from the poet's great body of work, would have long since faded into oblivion.
Yet one might argue that collections of short fiction have been among the major literary accomplishments of the twentieth century. Surely the astonishing stories of Franz Kafka ("The Judgment," "The Metamorphosis," "In the Penal Colony," "A Country Doctor," "A Report to an Academy," "The Hunger Artist," among others) are a greater accomplishment than his uncompleted novels. Thomas Mann's shorter works—"Death in Venice," "Mario and the Magician," "Disorder and Early Sorrow," among others—are an achievement equivalent to that of the lengthy, ambitious, doggedly cerebral great novels.
In a very different vein, there are the brilliantly realized short stories of Katherine Mansfield, who never wrote a novel. There is Jorge Luis Borges, whose wonderfully original, idiosyncratic work consists almost entirely of enigmatic ficciones, some of them very brief. The short stories of Ernest Hemingway, including the entirety of his remarkable first book, In Our Time, are a greater accomplishment than the novels that brought him wealth and celebrity; no novel by Katherine Anne Porter, Eudora Welty, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Bernard Malamud, Peter Taylor, Flannery O'Connor, John Cheever, Donald Barthelme, among others, is the equivalent of their short stories. J.D. Salinger's Nine Stories is at least the equivalent of the immensely popular adolescent saga Catcher in the Rye, and of more abiding interest to adults. And there is the example of Raymond Carver, who wrote short stories and poetry exclusively, and who has ascended since his premature death in 1988 to near-mythic status as "the American Chekhov": a posthumous celebrity that suggests a certain bleak irony if one is acquainted with Carver's personal life.1
The perennial question "Is the short story an endangered species?" would seem to assume a perilous contemporary climate for the survival of this purely literary form. Despite the present-day profusion of literary magazines of varying degrees of excellence, and recent publications of outstanding short story collections by writers who have made the form their primary mode of expression, among these Tobias Wolff, Thom Jones, Lorrie Moore, the late Andre Dubus, and the veterans Grace Paley and Alice Munro,2 one doubts that the twenty-first century will be as hospitable to short story writers as the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have been. Short stories, unlike novels, are invariably "literary" and the audience for serious literature is said to be static; in some quarters, it's likely that the perusal of reviews of books has replaced an actual reading of "primary materials" (i.e., books).
In this radically diminished landscape, the generally reliable, heroically edited, and accessible annual anthologies The Best American Short Stories, Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards, and The Pushcart Prize: The Best of the Small Presses are invaluable.
No more beautifully cadenced and moving collection of short fiction is likely to appear this year than Colum McCann's provocatively titled Everything in This Country Must, a gathering of two stories and a novella. "This country" is Ireland, the time is the near-present, and the subject is the Troubles, pervasive as mist obscuring the green countryside. It's an era when political strife is unavoidable even by those who hope to define themselves as apolitical, and when no family, Catholic or Protestant, has been untouched. Wounds are fresh, though rarely discussed; forgiveness, though reasonable and necessary, simply isn't possible for many who have suffered personal losses. The title story begins ominously, with that air of melancholy beauty and resignation that characterize McCann's understated, luminous language:
A summer flood came and our draft horse got caught in the river. The river smashed against stones and the sound of it to me was like the turning of locks. It was silage time and the water smelled of grass. The draft horse, Father's favorite, had stepped in the river for a sniff maybe and she was caught, couldn't move, her foreleg trapped between rocks.
The narrator is a young farm girl named Katie who may be somewhat slow; through her limited perspective we are brought into the lives of a Catholic family devastated by the loss of family members struck by a British army truck:
…I could hear in Father's voice more sadness than when he was over Mammy's and Fiachra's coffins, more sadness than the day after they were hit by the army truck down near the Glen, more sadness than the day when the judge said Nobody is guilty, it's just a tragedy, more sadness than even that day and all the days that follow.
McCann sustains a mood of dreamlike suspense and mounting anxiety through an adventure that involves young British soldiers vainly trying to help save the draft horse, and ends in a gesture of anguish that's both unexpected and inevitable: "Oh what a small sky for so much rain."
From a very different perspective, the second story, "Wood," depicts a Protestant family at a time when the father, a miller and carpenter, has had a stroke, and the mother must take on responsibility for the household. Here too the perspective is that of a child, a boy who comes to a realization of his parents' precarious situation in a tensely politicized Northern Ireland; his father has distanced himself from local anti-Catholic activity ("Daddy says he's as good a Presbyterian as the next…but it's just meanness that celebrates other people dying"), while the boy's mother is more willing to cooperate, and to provide poles to carry banners in the annual Orangemen's march. The story builds to a dramatic pitch yet isn't finally dramatic, still less melodramatic. As in the Joycean model of poetically rendered, elliptical fiction, the conclusion is only a poignant trailing off from overt confrontation:
I looked at the oak trees behind the mill. They were going mad in the wind. The trunks were big and solid and fat, but the branches were slapping each other around like people.
The novella "Hunger Strike" is a more ambitious, and more painful, depiction of a young person's agitation at a time, presumably in the early 1980s, of intense political confrontation in Northern Ireland. A fourteen-year-old Belfast boy has been taken by his mother to live in Galway for the duration of a hunger strike by IRA prisoners in a Belfast prison; one of the prisoners is the boy's twenty-five-year-old uncle, his deceased father's younger brother, whom the boy has never met but whom he reveres. The novella takes us into the boy's most intimate experience in his involuntary exile. He's transfixed by the hunger strike, which lasts for over fifty days; with mounting terror and fury he thinks constantly of his uncle: "He was one of four prisoners on the strike—already, for each man dead another had replaced him and the boy found it strange that the living were stepping into the bodies of the gone. The dying, he thought, could go on forever." While the boy endures his uncle's martyrdom at a distance, he also is susceptible to frequent outbursts of destructiveness and vandalism; his rage is barely contained. In Northern Ireland, too, violence erupts anew in response to British refusal to grant the striking prisoners political status:
The riots back home were full-scale now. Some prison guards had been shot. Two joyriders had been gunned down in Twinbrook. A young girl, bringing home milk, had been hit in the head with a rubber bullet and she was in a coma. Somebody had slit the throats of a whole herd of cattle because they belonged to a Catholic farmer and the herd had been strung together to make the word NO in the field.
McCann's powerfully imagined elegy for the passing of youth's idealism suggests both the bittersweet, unsentimental lyricism of Edna O'Brien's early Irish stories and those novels by Bernard MacLaverty, Cal and Grace Notes, in which the tragic shadow of the political falls across the lives of sharply rendered, individualized men and women. At the end of "Hunger Strike," the bereft boy is forced to realize that "…the uncle he didn't know was all the uncle he'd ever know." Perhaps this is a way of speaking of the ambiguous relationship of a young generation of Irish writers, some of them expatriates (McCann, born in Northern Ireland, currently lives in New York City), to Ireland itself.
There's this frantic but good-hearted guy Johnny Loop, born loser, just released from two years in a Galveston prison and now "frying across the Texas panhandle" in July to arrive in Vegas where he meets up with Fruit Loop his stunted but busty and hippy and blond-as-bleach younger sister in her wedding dress who's about to be married to built-like-a-bull semi-pro football player Breezy Bonaventure of the Sarasota Panthers, except there are complications involving considerable violence when a pervert in a nearby hotel conspicuously leers at Fruit Loop and Breezy and the entire Panther team, obliged to seek vengeance, beat him up and Johnny Loop left to ponder his existential dilem-ma, while downing numerous cans of beer:
I do not like to gamble and done Vegas too many times. I am not lucky. Some people are lucky. The big finger in the sky is pointed at them. The big finger in the sky never so much as took the time to poke me in the eye.
In a casino bar Johnny Loop is approached by a beautiful woman who is ten times better looking than any woman who ever looked at him twice in his life, a schoolteacher from Iowa dressed all in shiny spangles. She smiles at him, and next thing Johnny Loop knows it's hours later, he's waking from a nightmare, his sister Fruit Loop and Breezy Bonaventure are married and gone on their honeymoon, and it's being explained to Johnny Loop by a doctor how lucky he is to be alive because it seems that a crucial organ has been surgically removed from his body. But to elucidate any further would be to cheat the reader of the opportunity to discover how Tom Paine works out this wild, wacky, finally poignant title story of his virtuoso collection Scar Vegas.
There are ten remarkable stories here, with singular idiosyncratic voices, characters in extremis like Johnny Loop, and a passionate political vision underlying the inspired chaos of the plots. Scar Vegas is a bold and original first book rendered for the most part at breakneck speed. In the opening story, "Will You Say Something, Monsieur Eliot?," a young American male of the privileged Caucasian class ("The world loves me") suffers an accident on a single-handed sailing trip out of the Bahamas and bound for St. Barts, endures hardship in the killing sun, and begins to hallucinate:
The romance of Raymond Carver's posthumous career is a literary phenomenon akin to the papal sanctification of a martyr. Carver was no romantic himself, however, and explains candidly in his essay "Fires" his reasons for concentrating on short forms:
During [the] ferocious years of parenting, I usually didn't have the time, or the heart, to think about working on anything very lengthy. The circumstances of my life, "the grip and slog" of it, in D.H. Lawrence's phrase, did not permit it. The circumstances of my life with these children dictated something else . If I wanted to write anything, and finish it, and if ever I wanted to take satisfaction out of finished work, I was going to have to stick to stories and poems. The short things I could sit down and, with any luck, write quickly and have done with.
In his twenties, Carver "always worked some crap job or other," sawmill jobs, janitor jobs, delivery man jobs, service station jobs, stockroom boy jobs, even tulip-picking in Arcata, California. His desperation to find time to write was conjoined with an equal desperation to make enough money to support his young family. "There were good times back there, of course; certain grown-up pleasures and satisfactions that only parents have access to. But I'd take poison before I'd go through that time again."↩
Tobias Wolff's short story collections include Back in the World (1983) and The Night in Question (1996); Thom Jones's include The Pugilist at Rest (1993) and Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine (1999); Lorrie Moore is the author of the much-acclaimed Birds of America (1998); and Dubus, Paley, and Munro have published their collected stories.↩
The romance of Raymond Carver's posthumous career is a literary phenomenon akin to the papal sanctification of a martyr. Carver was no romantic himself, however, and explains candidly in his essay "Fires" his reasons for concentrating on short forms:
During [the] ferocious years of parenting, I usually didn't have the time, or the heart, to think about working on anything very lengthy. The circumstances of my life, "the grip and slog" of it, in D.H. Lawrence's phrase, did not permit it. The circumstances of my life with these children dictated something else . If I wanted to write anything, and finish it, and if ever I wanted to take satisfaction out of finished work, I was going to have to stick to stories and poems. The short things I could sit down and, with any luck, write quickly and have done with.
In his twenties, Carver "always worked some crap job or other," sawmill jobs, janitor jobs, delivery man jobs, service station jobs, stockroom boy jobs, even tulip-picking in Arcata, California. His desperation to find time to write was conjoined with an equal desperation to make enough money to support his young family. "There were good times back there, of course; certain grown-up pleasures and satisfactions that only parents have access to. But I'd take poison before I'd go through that time again."↩
Tobias Wolff's short story collections include Back in the World (1983) and The Night in Question (1996); Thom Jones's include The Pugilist at Rest (1993) and Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine (1999); Lorrie Moore is the author of the much-acclaimed Birds of America (1998); and Dubus, Paley, and Munro have published their collected stories.↩

subset: commoncrawl


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The following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation.
These optional excursions might or might not be offered. Whether it's a special
dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site,
optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus,
they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we
also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to
craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to
Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal
suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your
vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you
can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided
might be in a foreign currency; you can use our online
currency converter for exchange rate information.
Once you have booked your vacation, Globus provides the ability to pre-purchase
excursions, register for your vacations and provide emergency contact information
Orientation Drive
Enjoy an unforgettable drive through some of the more exclusive streets of the "Eternal City." Marvel at the impressive piazzas, fountains, ancient buildings in all their majesty, and much more.
Roman Highlights
Enjoy a guided stroll through the historical center of Rome. Your Tour Director will propose a tailor-made itinerary featuring some of the city's authentic jewels. For instance: Trastevere and its Basilica of Santa Maria, or the baroque district with Campo de' Fiori, the Pantheon, San Luigi dei Francesi, famed Piazza Navona, Via dei Condotti, Piazza del Popolo with its church of Santa Maria del Popolo, and displays of Caravaggio paintings.
Florentine Dinner
Would you like to enjoy a special evening in Florence? Well here's your chance. Savor a classic 4-course Florentine dinner with coffee and drinks, at a fine restaurant in the superb location of Santa Croce Square. Begin with the famous "Antipasto Toscano", a selection of the best local olives, cheese, salami and home made 'focaccia bread', followed by a regional pasta dish and typical Tuscan style beef or fish for the main course. If you still have room you can end this delicious meal by indulging yourself with a sinful dessert - After all you are on holiday!
Highlights of Uffizi Gallery
With your Local Guide, visit one of the earliest museums in modern Europe with the world's finest collection of Italian and Florentine art. Gain fascinating insight into paintings by the great Masters Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian.
Tuscan Dinner
Tuscany is known for its gorgeous landscapes, its rich traditions, long history and culture but Tuscany still has more to offer with its great food and wine. Tonight drive out to the rolling Chianti Hills and enjoy a traditional Tuscan meal, including coffee and drinks, in a picturesque country setting. This wonderful dinner with regional dishes is prepared using the finest local ingredients - Realize your dreams and live the Tuscan life for an evening!
Tuscan Hills and San Gimignano
Journey through the celebrated Tuscan countryside to discover the charming village of San Gimignano, known for its famous towers, white Vernaccia wine, saffron, and olive oil. Legend has it that in the 12th century, rival families of San Gimignano began a tower-building competition to display their power and wealth-and 72 towers were built. Today, the 14 towers that remain have earned the town its modern designation as "Medieval Manhattan."
A Venetian Night Out including Transfer
Travel by private water taxi along the splendid Grand Canal with its elegant palaces to a fine Venetian restaurant. Taste four mouth-watering courses of local specialties and wine or soft drinks. After dinner there is time to explore and absorb the unique, romantic atmosphere of Venice by night.
Gondola Serenade
Enjoy a ride in a traditional gondola, gliding through centuries-old canals, under famous arched bridges, past lavish palaces and quaint piazzas. These long, narrow, flat-bottomed boats with a high prow and stern were designed specifically for the Venetian canals and made in unique shipyards called Squero. Black is the obligatory color, due to a law passed to reduce how the rich and noble over-decorated their personal craft. The comb at the front of the gondola is made of iron and serves not only to balance the boat, but is also the symbol of gondolas and Venice. The six comb teeth represent the six Venetian districts-i sestieri.
Lagoon Cruise and Meal in Burano
Appreciate the peaceful vistas of the Lagoon while you glide past the islands of Santa Elena, San Michele and the famous Lido. On picturesque Burano island, renowned for its lace making and colorful houses, savor a mouth-watering meal, with drinks included. Afterwards there's time to shop and stroll.
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Tour Italy, England, South America, or the world on an escorted vacation. Globus, part of the Globus family of brands, has been the leader in escorted tours, travel packages, and river cruises for more than 85 years.
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Go check out the new Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi comic!
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derpina-x wrote:Shame I never made my own PPGD character. It would've made my whole year for Bleedman to draw what happens in my imagination. :'c
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- first drive 2011 mitsubishi outlander sport
Mitsubishi moving Outlander Sport production from Japan to Normal, IL
by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Feb 4th, 2011 at 1:31PM
Mitsubishi has confirmed rumors that it will transfer production of at least one of its models from Japan to its American manufacturing site in Normal, IL. At this time, the only vehicle the automaker has officially confirmed for U.S. production is the Outlander Sport. It's worth noting that the Outlander Sport shares a platform with the slightly larger Outlander and the Lancer sedan, so it certainly wouldn't be surprising if production of these models were moved Stateside as well. Mitsubishi estimates that about half of the models it builds in the States will be exported. At present,... Read More


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Soma Sensualities Soymilk & Orange Flower Rejuvenating Wash
mouse over photo to zoom click for larger image
Soma Sensualities Soymilk & Orange Flower Rejuvenating Wash
Mesmerizing and warm. Pamper yourself with the scent of orange blossoms wafting through a warm tropical breeze. Revitalizing soymilk infused with essence of tangerine, the scent of sun-ripened peaches, delicate gardenia and a hint of vanilla and coconut. Luxurious body wash with a moisturizing lather. Conditions as it cleans with sweet almond oil and antioxidant-rich grape seed extract.
- Moisturizes as it cleans.
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- 8.4 fl. oz./250 ml.
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Musicians in Brockley
Dewey Finn: I pledge allegiance... to the band... of Mr. Schneebly... and will not fight him... for creative control... and will defer to him on all issues related to the musical direction of the band.
I just wondered whether it might be possible to add some kind of section for "musicians wanted", where people with similar tastes can find others that may be interested in making music together?
I don't know if many musicians read BC on a regular basis, but Brockley seems to be a fairly creative place, so I figure it's worth a try.


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Once you complete your Reward Night reservation you will be given the option to duplicate this reservation.
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To book more than 9 rooms for one stay or request a quote, please use our Easy Meetings tool or call 1-800-MEETING (in United States, Mexico and Canada).
Travelers seeking extended stay hotels in Baton Rouge, LA count on the Staybridge Suites® Hotel Baton Rouge - University at Southgate. While lodging here, patrons are within walking distance of LSU and many local restaurants and five miles from downtown destinations like RiverCenter Convention Center.
Planning an extended stay for business? The hotel's Baton Rouge accommodations feature free Wi-FI access and a Business Center,
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Planning an extended stay for business? The hotel's Baton Rouge accommodations feature free Wi-FI access and a Business Center, helping streamline communication. A hassle-free commute to area companies is certain, too, thanks to the hotel's proximity to I-10 and I-110. Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is also within a short drive.
These suites are the premier choice for those on Baton Rouge college visits. The hotel's location near LSU allows guests an up-close experience with the Fighting Tigers spirit. In addition to football games, campus attractions like the LSU Museum of Art and LSU Golf Course are within walking distance for the hotel's guests. While in Baton Rouge, LA guests can also venture downtown for a night out in the Arts & Entertainment District or a riverboat casino cruise.
This 100% non-smoking hotel allows guests to "Get Comfortable" thanks to 24-hour conveniences like free laundry facilities, a Fitness Center and the BridgeMart store. Free breakfast is provided, ensuring a great start each day. Pets are welcome, too. Start planning your trip to LSU tiger country today!
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Kraus Kitchen Faucets
The Westside Wholesale as a famous online store offers the wide variety of products for kitchen environment, including Kraus kitchen faucets. They will create a modern look of your kitchen in a superior way. With the multi-functional Kraus pull-out faucets, which are always of the amazing quality and durability, they are made in well-thought-out style and convenient elegance. Manufactured of 100-percent solid stainless steel, their construction is equipped with the supreme-satin stainless steel finish enabling discoloration and corrosion resistant features of these products. The more advantages of Kraus faucets are vividly significant: they are equipped with dual pull-out spray head and an aerated flow or even more powerful spray. Designed in a "sleek gooseneck" way with retractable hose and 360-degrees spout swivels. These faucets are of two spray heads that makes them even more comfortable in use. Kraus faucets contain drip-free ceramic cartridge; they are adjustable for temperature and water pressure due to the flow rate limitation option and single-level temperature and water level control.
- Faucet heights: 16.5 inches; 14.5 inches; 14 inches; 10.75 inches; 13.25 inches;
- Spout heights: 11 inches; 9 inches; 8 inches; 7.5 inches; 6.5 inches;
- Spout reaches: 10 inches; 8.75 inches; 8.5 inches; 8 inches; 7.5 inches;
- Hose measures: 28 inches long; 24 inches long;
- Top-mount, single-hole installation;
- Water pressure is tested;
- ADA compliant;
- Soap Dispenser;
- Certified;
- California AB 1953 compliant;
- Limited lifetime warranty;
- Easy-push, self-priming pump;
- 2.2 GPM flow rate;
- Hot/cold waterlines and other mounting hardware are included;
- Standard US plumbing connections;
- Soap dispenser features 100% solid stainless steel construction;
- Easy-push, self-priming pump;
- Swivels 360 degrees;
- Refillable from above;
- Holds 14 ounces of liquid;
- Dimensions: 3 inches high x 4.5 inches deep;
- Requires 1.25-inch hole; 1.375-inch hole.
The faucets by Kraus are offered by the Westside Wholesale at the superior prices, just from 210$. Each of the items are sent within 1-3 days as the option of quick shipping is available for every customer of our profound online store. The outstanding quality is guaranteed by the manufacturer!
Kraus 16.5" Single Lever Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet and Soap Dispenser - Stainless Steel
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How to Select
How to Shop for Kitchen Faucets
How many times a day do you turn on the water faucet in the kitchen? Dozens? Hundreds? It is difficult to imagine what the average kitchen faucet has to endure over its lifetime, so it needs to be high quality to last through the years. This will minimize the possibility of leaky faucets and reduce your repair bills.
Although kitchen faucets come in numerous styles, there are few basic designs. Many faucets come with a hot and cold tap, but rather than getting a two-handle unit, choose a single-levered faucet. They are usually pricier than models with two handles and a spout between them but are convenient to grasp and adjust with one hand and can be easily used by children and arthritic sufferers.
Single-handle faucets use a ball, cartridge, or disc mechanism, while two-handle units are disk, cartridge, or compression. Out of these kinds of kitchen faucets, compression models are the most prone to dripping since they use seals or washers than can wear out. Disk-type units are usually the strongest and most trouble-free, and cartridge-type faucets with an easily replaceable cartridge allow for easy repairs.
It is typical to install a separate sprayer in addition to the main faucet but if you prefer your kitchen to be minimalist, there are modern combination units with a sprout that can be pulled out to become a sprayer. Such a model makes it easier to water plants, notably those in large pots, and can be used to rinse out the sink. And if you need to fill high pots, pans, and kettles, consider a traditional gooseneck faucet that can fill even lobster-cooking pots.
Kitchen faucets are available in different styles and finishes, including polished chrome, polished copper, brass, brushed nickel, brushed chrome, brushed bronze, black iron, powder enamel and antique brass. Most of these units have a contemporary appearance with polished chrome being the most common finish since it is durable and suits any kitchen décor. However, there are models with antique styling and finish that work especially well in a traditional kitchen. Moreover, brushed or patina finishes might be preferable to polished shiny surfaces since they do not show water spots.
With kitchen faucets, price is typically an accurate indicator of quality. Avoid faucets equipped with plastic handles or shells of dubious durability. Do not get lured by the price tag: high quality kitchen faucets will repay you in continued trouble-free operation, water savings and low maintenance.


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All About Bunty Walia
Director David Dhawan suddenly fainted at Bunty Walia's wedding reception at Olives in Mumbai. He fell down while chatting to Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan at the reception. The party was hosted by Bunty Walia to celebrate his wedding with Vanessa Parmar. He was immediately rushed to L ... read more
The 'Nishabd' actress Jiah Khan's filmy career might have come to a standstill but she manages to remain in the news for her affairs. The actress is rumored to be dating producer Bunty Walia&rsq ... read more
After playing versatile roles in her filmy career, Bipasha Basu is all set to play a terrorist in Bunty Walia's 'Lamhaa'. According to a source, "Bipasha plays Aziza, a sturdy leader of a women's group in Srinagar. They are the moral police and repress any act that is ... read more