How does Sears figure that this makes them more money?

I found a cordless reciprocating saw on sears.com that uses the same batteries that everything else I have uses, so I decided to swing over to the tool department of my local Sears to buy it. I considered doing my usual buy online / pick up in store, but I wanted to examine the different blades they had, and I wanted to pay cash, so I went on in.

I grabbed the saw and a pack of blades and took it up to the counter. I told the cashier that I saw it on sears.com for about 54 bucks, but the shelf said 60 bucks. He looked it up on the sears website, confirmed that it was cheaper, but told me that they aren't allowed to match the price. He told me that we could go ahead and place an internet order, so he proceeded to put a sears.com order together for the saw and the blades at his computer, put in all my information, punched in my credit card, and told me it was ready to go. That consumed about 5 minutes of his time.

He walked me out to the customer pickup kiosk, scanned in the receipt and all that and had me sit down in the waiting area. After about two minute, a guy came out of the warehouse area, went into the store, came out with the saw and blades, and walked past me back into the warehouse. After another minute and a half or so, he came back out, handed me the saw and blades -- the very same ones that were just in my possession about five minutes before -- and sent me on my way.

Hilariously, he was very close to the five minute mark on the timer. Had it taken about 45 more seconds, they would have owed me a $5 gift card.

How does Sears figure that they're somehow increasing the profitability of that transaction by doing that ludicrous dance? I mean, even if he didn't have a computer right there, I could have just as easily put that order in via their mobile site or android app while I was standing right there.

Someone who isn't a corporate overlord has a soft spot in their heart for the consumer?

Next time you will ask for them, they won't be working there anymore.

just have to love corporate america. Here in the casinos in Atlantic City, we refer to it as "Casino Logic" It does not make sense, it is not made to make sense. If you use real logic (which is not allowed in Atlantic City, mind the pile of it at the end of the expressway where everyone throws it out the window on the way in) it will just give you a headache.

As a way of explaining. I used to work for a theatrical Rental house. When the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa opened, they used to rent the came package from us every week to use in their one nightclub. By the end of the summer, they had paid for everything in that package 5 times over.. but by casino logic, it was cheaper to rent it, put it up, use it, take it down, and ship it back and then repeat next weekend than it was to buy the stuff, perminantly install it, and forget about it

wae wrote: How does Sears figure that they're somehow increasing the profitability of that transaction by doing that ludicrous dance? I mean, even if he didn't have a computer right there, I could have just as easily put that order in via their mobile site or android app while I was standing right there.

If there was something intentionally there, it would be "We give them the option to get it cheaper, but with so many hoops to jump through that most customers won't bother."

In reply to mad_machine:

Rental costs are a business expense write off, purchasing would offer a lower tax benefit than renting. Just ignore all the labor costs of the InD so many times.

I had the same problem with Walmart. Their website had a microwave oven that was cheaper than the in store price by $20-30. They would not match it. Having a broken microwave at home, I bought the one in the store and took it home and used it that night. I also ordered and paid for one off the web and had it shipped for free to the same store where I bought the microwave in the first place.

Three days later the internet microwave shows up. I go to the service counter, pick up the internet one and then get back in line and return it with the receipt from the store bought one. End result, I got a microwave from the store for the internet price. I only had to make two trips to the store to do it and Walmart ate the shipping both ways on the internet microwave. Stupid policy on their part but it sure looked good to some economist.

SWMBO used to be a Sears Cashier and I heard about all their idiot schemes everyday. The making an Internet order to get Internet price thing was SOP for her to get the customer what they wanted so that in the end they might sign up for the damn Sears card that she had to plug to every customer just to get enough applications to keep her job. Yes, there were plenty of cashiers that lost their jobs for not getting enough credit apps in her two years working there. It's pretty stupid Corporate shenanigans that will lead int he end to the demise of the brand.

I wonder if they changed that. Now that you mention it, I remember being pestered left and right about getting a sears charge every time I was in there. For the last few months, at least, I don't recall being asked.

jimbob_racing wrote: I had the same problem with Walmart. Their website had a microwave oven that was cheaper than the in store price by $20-30. They would not match it. Having a broken microwave at home, I bought the one in the store and took it home and used it that night. I also ordered and paid for one off the web and had it shipped for free to the same store where I bought the microwave in the first place. Three days later the internet microwave shows up. I go to the service counter, pick up the internet one and then get back in line and return it with the receipt from the store bought one. End result, I got a microwave from the store for the internet price. I only had to make two trips to the store to do it and Walmart ate the shipping both ways on the internet microwave. Stupid policy on their part but it sure looked good to some economist.

You couldn't just use your oven?