Sears One-Ups Wal-Mart With $185 PC

Bottom Line: You get what you pay for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tune : is a dumb arse

26 years ago I worked at Sears while I was in college. I applied for a credit card, it was my first attempt to establish credit, and was denied. I vowed to never own a Sears credit card, Discover card, or to even shop at Sears unless it was for hand tools again. I am proud to say that I have lived up to that vow and have had numerous Sears credit card apps sent my way over the years.

For those of you who don't know (everyone who has posted here apparently) Sears owns K-Mart now.

Remember the days when Sears motto was "SEARS HAS EVERYTHING" NOT SO NOW. Sears advertises items only to find they are out of stock or worse yet they never had it at the store. They are famous for trying to sell you floor models, don't make that mistake. If you are looking for a good deal on computers or electronics buy from a store that deals with those items, sears says if they can't fix it, they will replace it...not true

Remember the days when Sears motto was "SEARS HAS EVERYTHING" NOT SO
NOW. Sears advertises items only to find they are out of stock or
worse yet they never had it at the store. They are famous for trying
to sell you floor models, don't make that mistake. If you are
looking for a good deal on computers or electronics buy from a store
that deals with those items, sears says if they can't fix it, they
will replace it...not true

Just before the school year started I bought a Toshiba Laptop from Office Depot. They were on sale from $750. to $550. with an additional $150. rebate. The rebate was in my hands within 21 days. Bottom Line=$400!! Same model listed as first rate by Consumer Reports. Awesome deal. I didn't even buy the service contract for extended warranty, which I always do...but that was almost $400 all by itself. Adds 2 years to the warranty...sure doesn't seem worth it. Gets to be a disposable item at that price! ;-}

It doesn't include the damn monitor! The real price is over $300!

To fattrucker:

Had similar problem purchasing portable washer/dryer from Sears for $685 in early '80s. Paid off parents' card within seven months (never paid another cent), but Sears dunned repeatedly for more. Took several calls and one personal trip to store. Resolved through spirited, animated discussion with store manager. Vowed to never darken Sears's door again.

But, friend tried to buy a $200 microwave at Sears using my debit card (forgot to advise against). Could not do it personally because I was very ill. Friend phoned, reported cashier refused card. Personally explained disability and friend's successful use of card at other retailers, without success. Microwave purchased at Circuit City without incident.

Addendum: Sears credit card should be absolutely avoided due to predatory practices. For example, minimum monthly payment may be $25.00. Sears offers "help" and "understanding" to cardholders by permitting lower than minimum to be paid, or skipped altogether. High interest accumulates quickly and total amount due skyrockets.

Actually, what the Sears clerk did was correct---due to data protection laws only the OWNER of the cardcan use it unless they have authorized another to use it by having the person's name on the card.

As far as the PC in question having spyware instaled by Sears---unless you can prove it (higly unlikly as Sears does NOT build them in-house) you are looking at a slander-based lawsuit.

I have fifteen years of PC repair experience, and from personal experience I do know that if malware WAS installed, it was done at the factory (used to fix HP PC's for Home Depot in the 90's and they have viruses on them).

seb - so true, I had same problem at Sears with a clothes dryer purchased 7 days earlier; they took it back, said it would be three weeks before repairs would be made, I said "oh no it won't"; my credit card company took care of the matter to my great satisfaction.

I WAS SCREWED BY MICROSOFT!! I NEVER RECEIVED MY VISTA UPGRADE!!

Sears, K-Mart and AutoNation are all under the control of Edward S Lambert, chairman and CEO of ESL Investments. He is micro-managing all three companines into the ground because he is the modern day Carl Ichon. Check all three company stocks since he took over. No wonder sales and service is going down. He runs the companies into the ground, buys them and takes them private and then breaks them up and sells off the parts.

Always liked SEARS & ROEBUCK. AS a youngster (1960's) I enjoyed the vastness of all the big department stores. K-Mart was for me the first BIG discount retailer. I liked their 'store brand' items. It was new at the time.
Discount LINUX computers. What a great idea.
What's all this other needless negative diatribe aimed at achieving? Do some seriously have nothing better to do? Or is it that lacking any depth they reset to their default position: ignorance?
Vote with your dollars. Buy what you think is worthy. Speak well of good things and abstain from criticism. In this you will do well.

It is a shame that people cannot look past the package to see whats inside. Everyone you will ever know will have negative story concerning Sears, Kmart and almost every other store you can name...but lets get some things straight. The article was about a company selling a reasonably priced computer aimed at those who cannot afford the bigger brand name computers. Sears just happen to carry them...thats all. Sears do not make computers so please don't blame sears if you have a problem...blame the company. Sears should be applauded...not condemned...for helping to bring low cost computers to the masses.