Peter has paid for a Sears Craftsman Lawn Tractor, twice, and two and half weeks later it hasn’t been delivered. He’s gone through the phone gamut, the blame tossing, and the broken promises. With his grass 10 inches high, he just wants his tractor so he can mow his lawn.

Peter writes:

Two and a half weeks ago I ordered a reconditioned Craftsman Lawn Tractor from a nearby Sears Outlet store via the Sears Outlet website for delivery to my home. After taking the day off to receive the delivery, I get a phone call from Sears Delivery informing me that the delivery will not be made and that I would need to reschedule. The rep did not know what the problem was, so I called the store.

Three hours later, after talking to the store sales manager, Sears Outlet Customer Service, and Sears Delivery again, I did not find out what happened with my tractor. Each rep just blamed the others. Finally, after calling the store again to relay my frustration over the issue, the sales manager informed me that their employees did not deliver the tractor to the warehouse on time and promises me a $50 gift card for my inconvenience.

Two days later the tractor arrives, and is completely nonfunctional. The drivers call Sears Delivery, who has me cancel the delivery and offers to send a brand new (not reconditioned) tractor and I accept. Fifteen minutes later I get a call back from the delivery rep informing me that she cannot send me a new tractor and I would have to call the store to get a replacement.

I called the store back and after discussing the issue with an employee was told that I would have to speak to a manager. I waited on hold until the system hung up on me. Waited a half hour and called back, same thing. Repeated again and no difference. Finally on the fourth try asked the employee what the managers (he said two were on) were doing, and he said they were real busy, so I left my contact info and asked to be called back. Two and half weeks later, never got called. I even tried to call the next day, but got disconnected while on hold again.

I contacted the Sears Social Media Customer Service with the email found on the Consumerist, and was told to go ahead and order another tractor and they would credit me 19% (the difference between the original tractor’s price and another I was interested in). The rep also cancelled the original order and told me that the ~$1000 would show back up on my card in 3-4 business days.

Two days prior to the scheduled delivery for a different tractor I called the outlet store, Sears Outlet CS, and Sears Delivery to ensure that everything was fine with my order and that it would be delivered. I was reassured by all that my tractor would be delivered as promised.

The day of delivery arrives, and I was called yet again by a rep who tells me that my order will not be delivered and that there was a problem with the store. I called the store, who knows nothing about the problem. I talked to the SMS Customer Service and they know that the delivery was not made, but don’t know why. They also can’t tell me why the refund on the original purchase hasn’t gone through yet even though 4 business days have passed.

Currently I am out over $2000 and have no tractor to show for it. I also have not received the gift card I was promised from the first failed delivery.

The worst part is not that the tractor has been delayed (although my wife would claim our 7-10 inch tall grass as a problem), its that twice my delivery has been cancelled and no one feels responsible to tell me why without hours of phone calls on my part.

After over $2000, two days taken off from work, six hours waiting for delivery, and close to 5 hours on the phone, all I have received from Sears is repeated (and broken) promises that I would get the tractor I paid for.

Time for some executive customer service action. Try 888-266-4043 or 800-995-2139.

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