Fridge returned, no refund?
When Ryoko Nakazawa returns her new refrigerator to Sears, she expects a full refund. But after weeks, there’s still no check. What’s the deal?
Q: I bought a new Kenmore 70819 TopFreezer Refrigerator from Sears. At the time, a Sears representative told me that I can return the refrigerator within three months, no questions asked, for a full refund.
The refrigerator was a little larger than I wanted, so I called Sears for a return. A week later, a Sears representative picked up the refrigerator. Sears said a refund check would be mailed, and that I should receive it in the mail within 21 days.
I did not receive the check. I have called Sears at least five times and every time a representative tells me that I should receive a check in the mail in “a few weeks.” Finally, a representative told me that since I paid cash for the refrigerator, I should receive a cash refund from the store.
The representative promised I would hear from a store manager. No one ever called. I have called the store several times already and left messages. No one has returned my phone calls. Can you help me get my $627 back? — Ryoko Nakazawa, Mesquite, Texas
A: If Sears promised you a refund, you should get one — promptly. But I’m a little skeptical of the Sears employee who told you that you could return your refrigerator any time within three months and receive a full refund.
Sears’ published refund policy seems to contradict what the salesperson told you. “Most products can be returned in new condition, with the original packaging (including accessories, manuals and parts) along with your receipt,” it says. “After the return period, or if the item has been used, the manufacturer’s warranty may apply. See your owner’s manual for specific product details & proper handling.”
If you made arrangements outside of the retailer’s normal refund policy, then you should have asked for it in writing. Why? It’s difficult to prove a representative said anything weeks after your purchase. But having it in writing would have been enough evidence of this generous return agreement.
In fact, you had communicated with Sears almost exclusively by phone. That meant you had no meaningful paper trail you could have shared with Sears’ managers. I recommend documenting conversations by email or online chat. I also list the names, numbers and email addresses of the Sears customer service executives on my consumer advocacy site.
I contacted Sears on your behalf. A representative confirmed that Sears had picked up the refrigerator. But the company could not verify that it generated a return sales check in its system. Sears’ system usually generates the checks automatically, but for some reason this didn’t happen when you returned your refrigerator. Sears finally sent you a check for $627, as promised.