jwstewar
Active member
No, this isn't another thread about how Sears is dead.
but actually a couple decent experiences.
We were looking for a new mattress and box spring in full size for our youngest daughter (8). We went to the typical places - Original Mattress Factory, Mattress Firm, Sleep Outfitters, Menards, Sam's Club, HH Gregg, etc. Had found one each at OMF and MF. Liked the one at OMF, but wasn't crazy about the price. Like the price at Mattress Firm, mattress seemed OK, but had questions on the long term reliability. So on a whim, we went into Sears right before we pulled the trigger on the one at Mattress Firm. Monica and my daughter found a mattress they really liked - a Serta (a brand that we've had good luck with) and the best part was it was at the same price as Mattress Firm. Thought we were done, but we didn't purchase it quite yet. We went home, Monica found it online at Sears website. Started loading up their coupons online and everything. We ended up getting this mattress for about $100 (less than $700 total including tax) less than the one at Mattress Firm plus free delivery sooner than Mattress Firm could deliver theirs and my daughter loves the new mattress. My wife has slept a couple nights with her and said it was very comfortable.
Now, here is where it gets interesting. We had a storm a couple weeks ago and lost a few trees. I cut the one tree up that was laying across the driveway with my old Craftsman chainsaw. It had been doing OK, but needed a new chain. Well, Monica got ambitious and wanted to cut some of the pine trees up before they died so she could give them to the goats. Problem is, I had run out of 2-cycle oil and I hadn't mixed the second can of gas (I was using the one I had mixed). Guess which can she used? Yep, she burnt my little old Craftsman up. I was able to finish cutting the one tree up because you had about 2 minutes run time before you had to let it sit for an hour before it would restart. I started looking. Thinking I wanted a Stihl or an Echo, leaning toward an Echo. Found one I wanted 18" bar 40cc for $299. Before I had a chance to buy it Saturday she called me home for something else. When I got home she said we had "points" from the mattress purchase. About $67 in points, plus she had a few others for a total of about $80 and they had a saw. It was a Craftsman 20" 50cc may by Husqvarna. Regularly $280 (but who pays regular price at Sears), on sale for $199. We looked on line it was on sale for $180. We then loaded up some more coupons on her loyalty card. All said and done, we got the saw out the door for $100.95. We picked it up in store about a half hour later. I went home and fired it up. Played with it a few minutes in the rain, seemed to run well and cut pretty good. So yesterday I gave it a pretty good workout. Cut the branches up from the one tree that had split, then finished cutting that tree down and cutting it, cut the remnants from another tree that had fallen, and then started cutting another pine that had split. Finally had to add gas and oil to it. Went back at it and finished cutting that split and then a few more branches that needed to come down. By that point, I was done, but the saw was ready to go for more. Not sure how it'll be long term, but for $100, I'm pretty impressed so far. Starts much easier than my F-I-L's Stihl - one of the reasons I was leaning toward the Echo - that and its 5 year warranty. Oh, this Craftsman has a 2 year warranty and a 10 year motor warranty.
Now, as far as what Sears actually had on the shelf, that was sad.
Oh, I had another positive experience too recently with Sears. I have a set of rachet wrenches. I broke the 9/16 working on the tractor. Walked into Sears with it, they didn't have the exact one in stock but were willing to substitute another one so that I wasn't out of commission, but I didn't like the sub for 2 reasons. It didn't match the rest of the set but also it wasn't angled. So they said, no problem, we will order it in for you and send it to your house. That was on a Tuesday and it came in the mail on Friday. I was very happy with that service as well. Hopefully they can make a comeback.
but actually a couple decent experiences.We were looking for a new mattress and box spring in full size for our youngest daughter (8). We went to the typical places - Original Mattress Factory, Mattress Firm, Sleep Outfitters, Menards, Sam's Club, HH Gregg, etc. Had found one each at OMF and MF. Liked the one at OMF, but wasn't crazy about the price. Like the price at Mattress Firm, mattress seemed OK, but had questions on the long term reliability. So on a whim, we went into Sears right before we pulled the trigger on the one at Mattress Firm. Monica and my daughter found a mattress they really liked - a Serta (a brand that we've had good luck with) and the best part was it was at the same price as Mattress Firm. Thought we were done, but we didn't purchase it quite yet. We went home, Monica found it online at Sears website. Started loading up their coupons online and everything. We ended up getting this mattress for about $100 (less than $700 total including tax) less than the one at Mattress Firm plus free delivery sooner than Mattress Firm could deliver theirs and my daughter loves the new mattress. My wife has slept a couple nights with her and said it was very comfortable.
Now, here is where it gets interesting. We had a storm a couple weeks ago and lost a few trees. I cut the one tree up that was laying across the driveway with my old Craftsman chainsaw. It had been doing OK, but needed a new chain. Well, Monica got ambitious and wanted to cut some of the pine trees up before they died so she could give them to the goats. Problem is, I had run out of 2-cycle oil and I hadn't mixed the second can of gas (I was using the one I had mixed). Guess which can she used? Yep, she burnt my little old Craftsman up. I was able to finish cutting the one tree up because you had about 2 minutes run time before you had to let it sit for an hour before it would restart. I started looking. Thinking I wanted a Stihl or an Echo, leaning toward an Echo. Found one I wanted 18" bar 40cc for $299. Before I had a chance to buy it Saturday she called me home for something else. When I got home she said we had "points" from the mattress purchase. About $67 in points, plus she had a few others for a total of about $80 and they had a saw. It was a Craftsman 20" 50cc may by Husqvarna. Regularly $280 (but who pays regular price at Sears), on sale for $199. We looked on line it was on sale for $180. We then loaded up some more coupons on her loyalty card. All said and done, we got the saw out the door for $100.95. We picked it up in store about a half hour later. I went home and fired it up. Played with it a few minutes in the rain, seemed to run well and cut pretty good. So yesterday I gave it a pretty good workout. Cut the branches up from the one tree that had split, then finished cutting that tree down and cutting it, cut the remnants from another tree that had fallen, and then started cutting another pine that had split. Finally had to add gas and oil to it. Went back at it and finished cutting that split and then a few more branches that needed to come down. By that point, I was done, but the saw was ready to go for more. Not sure how it'll be long term, but for $100, I'm pretty impressed so far. Starts much easier than my F-I-L's Stihl - one of the reasons I was leaning toward the Echo - that and its 5 year warranty. Oh, this Craftsman has a 2 year warranty and a 10 year motor warranty.
Now, as far as what Sears actually had on the shelf, that was sad.
Oh, I had another positive experience too recently with Sears. I have a set of rachet wrenches. I broke the 9/16 working on the tractor. Walked into Sears with it, they didn't have the exact one in stock but were willing to substitute another one so that I wasn't out of commission, but I didn't like the sub for 2 reasons. It didn't match the rest of the set but also it wasn't angled. So they said, no problem, we will order it in for you and send it to your house. That was on a Tuesday and it came in the mail on Friday. I was very happy with that service as well. Hopefully they can make a comeback.
