at Sears Outlet, that is.  They delivered my dryer today and it runs with no problem.  HowEVER, I had told them even before I agreed to the sale that the washer would have to be moved to get the dryer in.  The sales guy said that was fine.

When the delivery people got here, they said they weren't really supposed to move washers, that sometimes they didn't hook back up the same way from being moved.  They said that Sears would make it right and pay for it (via a claim filed by the customer) if the washer didn't work right upon being re-hooked up.  They urged me to hit all 5's on any telephone survey to indicate that I was fully satisfied.

When they were ready to leave, they said I needed new water hoses for the washer and said I could buy some at any hardware store.  They left but rang the doorbell a minute later with a new set of hoses and said they were giving them to me.  They told me to let them warm up in the house before I put them on the washer, and told me how to connecct them up. I thanked them and they went on their way.

When I hooked them up, the cold water worked fine.  On the red handle under the laundry room sink, I noticed I could not turn it one way or the other, though I could turn the shutoff valve above it.  The washer inside the old hose was shot.  When I turned the shutoff valve all the way off, the water kept running at a pretty good trickle.  I hooked the new hose back up.  The laundry room faucet works great.  HowEVER, the washing machine does not work at all.  When I try to turn it on, all I get is a low buzzing sound.  I called KSBoy and we went through a number of different things but it is still not working.

So now I have 2 problems.  1) Laundry room underpipe leaking 2) Washer not working.

So I get on the phone and call Sears Oulet and tell them what happened.  The guy says, "So what do you want me to do about it?" (HOW RUDE, bad beginning)  I said, well you are Sears I think it should be made right, especially since I told the sales guy in the beginning that the washer would have to be moved.  To make a VERY long story short, we went round and round and he told me it wasn't Sears' problem, it was the delivery guys' problem ("they have nothing to do with us" were his exact words) and he was extremely argumentative and rude.  I asked to speak to his supervisor and he said he WAS the supervisor.  I asked him what his name was and he asked me why I needed to know his name, and I told him that I would like to talk with his supervisor, and he hung up on me.  What a colossal jerk.

I called the delivery guys number he gave me but got no answer and didn't leave a message.  I think Sears Outlet should stand by their merchandise and I don't think I should have to figure out myself that the delivery guys supposedly aren't in any way connected to Sears Outlet.  They may be contractors (the truck was not labeled Sears, but the jackets the guys were wearing said Sears on them), but they still represent Sears, and in my book it is up to Sears to handle them, not up to the customer.

I called Sears Outlet back and this time thankfully got a different person, a woman.  I had her tell me the guy's name I had just talked to, and had her tell me his supervisor's name.  I also told her my situation and she said I should talk with one of the two store managers tomorrow, that they'd be in at 9 AM or so.  She gave me their names.  She was much nicer and told me she was sorry this happened. 

So that is where I am on this.  I wonder if all of this would be going differently if I were a man.