Why can't we read the product reviews?

1. I should have added that I was referring to the product reviews in the on-line appliance section.

2. I find the reviews in this forum useless since the model number is not shown in the title, eg "Kenmore 30" Electric Range" so you do not know the specific model it refers to.

HI There, lesvdavis!  Welcome to MySears.  I did check on the Sears.com site, and I was able to access the reviews for both of those products on the site.  Here are the links directly from the site (they are very long):

96412:  http://www.sears.com/shc/s/allreviews_10153_12605_02296412000P?dataBrand=sears&dataWriteReviewsUrl=http://www.sears.com/shc/s/writereview_10153_12605_02296412000P&dataProductPageUrl=http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02296412000P&dataProductTitle=Kenmore%252030%2520in.%2520Electric%2520Self-Clean%2520Freestanding%2520Range&dataProductId=02296412000P

97459:  http://www.sears.com/shc/s/allreviews_10153_12605_02297452000P?dataBrand=sears&dataWriteReviewsUrl=http://www.sears.com/shc/s/writereview_10153_12605_02297459000P&dataProductPageUrl=http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02297452000P&dataProductTitle=Kenmore%252030%2520in.%2520Freestanding%2520Electric%2520Range&dataProductId=02297452000P

Today the reviews are showing up.

Early this morning they were not working! I tried repeatedly over several hours.

The model numbers are still NOT showing up on the headings for reviews listed in the forum. It will say "Sears Freestanding Range" without any reference to a model number. That is not useful to prospective buyers (such as myself) plus it gives the false impression that it pertains to ALL Sears Freestanding Ranges -- rather than the SPECIFIC model the reviewers intended to review.

Thanks,
Les

I agree, the review search engine within mysears.com should use the same criteria as the search engine for sears.com.

As a sidenote, the search engine/product page tags on sears.com are not behaving properly lately. If you search for Maytag Bravos washer on sears.com, you'll only get Maytag Bravos dryers.

It is not only the search engine. When I try to read reviews on the forum, the headlines and the reviews do not provide model numbers so there is no way of easily knowing which "30" Freestanding Electric Range" model is being reviewed. Please see the review on the right and the headlines on the left http://www.mysears.com/Kenmore-30-in-Freestanding-Electric-Range--423784-review-05993 as examples.

I know. The search engines are entirely different, and the tags are entirely different. I get what you're saying. I think I'm just using terms that get to the "why" and you're focusing more on the "what." :)

The problem would be solved if each review included the product discription, brand and model number.

Well, we are in the middle of upgrading the site.

Technical difficulties are bound to arise.

I am surprised by your response -- especially since I have spent a lot of time and effort bringing these problems to Sears' attention. I have recently bought a side-by-side refrigerator from Sears and am trying to purchase an electric range and gas dryer.

Sears should be interested in making it easier to buy from it. Not offering excuses why their site is not functioning properly! There are other stores that have excellent working sites. Nobody HAS to buy from Sears. Your response seems to imply that I should go elsewhere where they care and I do not have to work so hard.

When will it be fixed?

I have expended a lot of time and effort trying to bring this to Sears' attention without any compensation. I wonder if Sears values its customers time and their trying to help Sears sell more?

Once they are finished with the upgrades.

I have no available timetable for that, but, once they are finished, it is supposed to be a much better experience.

They do maintenance during "off peak" hours, so the early morning is one of those times.

And you are correct about adding the model number, and other pertinent info to the Details tab of the review page.

If you can, and it isn't inconvenient, head into the store, and sit down with an experienced associate.  Not only do they have the site at their disposal, but time and experience to go with it.

Since you replied before I was through editing my last response, I'll post it again:

I am surprised by your response -- especially since I have spent a lot of time and effort bringing these problems to Sears' attention. I have recently bought a side-by-side refrigerator from Sears and am trying to purchase an electric range and gas dryer.

Sears should be interested in making it easier to buy from it. Not offering excuses why their site is not functioning properly! There are other stores that have excellent working sites. Nobody HAS to buy from Sears. Your response seems to imply that I should go elsewhere where they care and I do not have to work so hard.

When will it be fixed?

I have expended a lot of time and effort trying to bring this to Sears' attention without any compensation. I wonder if Sears values its customers time and their trying to help Sears sell more?

Once they are finished with the upgrades.

I have no available timetable for that, but, once they are finished, it is supposed to be a much better experience.

They do maintenance during "off peak" hours, so the early morning is one of those times.

And you are correct about adding the model number, and other pertinent info to the Details tab of the review page.

If you can, and it isn't inconvenient, head into the store, and sit down with an experienced associate.  Not only do they have the site at their disposal, but time and experience to go with it.

Sometimes, with all this technology at our disposal, we don't do the simple things we used to, like a personal consultation.

From my experience, bring your dimensions, and a list of the features you would like. 

The other day, a gentleman brought pictures of his kitchen on his iPhone, and it was one of the greatest things I have seen a customer do for an associate!

I did and they lied to me. I asked if Sears carried Hotpoint ranges (not necessarily on display) and was told they did not. When I looked on your website, there are several models available for delivery. Do you work for Sears?

Admittedly, I do.

I've been with the company a relatively short time, but it is a great place to work.  The pay could be better, but that's the economy rearing it's ugly head these days.

We only carry Hotpoint in the freestanding range line.  They are not an offered brand for drop-in, or slide-in ranges.

Having an associate who is not knowledgeable, or is inexperienced toward product knowledge is not necessarily a lie.

Currently, we have forty six models available in the freestanding range category.

Putting sewers into a town tears up the roads and sidewalks, creates lots of temporary inconveniences, sometimes a little collateral damage, and then, at the end of it all, you've got improved waste handling. Getting mad at the state of the sidewalk in the middle of the process neither hastens the end of construction, nor does it change what's happening, nor does it mean nothing is being done about it. I'm not sure how much benefit there is to getting in a twist over it. It's a massive overhaul that's being done, and there's going to be some dust.

But, seriously, are you seeking compensation for letting Sears know there are errors on sears.com? This is getting ridiculous. You are getting WAY too het up over the fact that the site is being worked on.

Then you got someone who is not experienced. In the appliance department, there is a flipbook with the entire product line-up that Sears carries for ranges, including Hotpoint. Just because someone's wrong doesn't necessarily mean they're lying.

I would think that your website and forum would be used as a tool to help customers make their purchases and to promote Sears. Not to be used by its "underpaid" employees to send customers elsewhere and even to competitors because they are experiencing web problems that these employees are reluctant to resolve.

Although comparing this site to a sewer may seem appropriate to some Sears employees who would rather not make timely repairs, there should be big differences. I would hope you are not dealing with tearing up concrete and moving sewage here. For knowledgeable, motivated employees repairing software should be a lot cleaner, faster and easier. Plus moving to another city is more difficult for people than buying from another retailer.

My time is valuable to me. After spending much more time than I expected informing Sears of these problems, you add insult to injury by taking an attitude that is resistant to fixing the problems promptly. I am sorry that you feel that you are underpaid, so, by all means, ask for a raise or find another job. Don't take it out on me. I am trying to buy two major appliances here. 

It is unfortunate that you seem not to be very interested in fixing these problems promptly and promoting good will by encouraging customers to buy from Sears.

When I asked her about GE, she said she could show me the flipbook. But she insisted that Sears did not carry any Hotpoint freestanding ranges. 

Yes, you could be right. She may have been mistaken and I should not assume she was lying or trying to bait and switch me to Kenmore - merely because she would only show me Kenmore ranges and did not show me the flipbook for GE either.

BlueCrewGuyInMA said…

Then you got someone who is not experienced. In the appliance department, there is a flipbook with the entire product line-up that Sears carries for ranges, including Hotpoint. Just because someone's wrong doesn't necessarily mean they're lying.

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lesvdavis said…

I would think that your website and forum would be used as a tool to help customers make their purchases and to promote Sears. Not to be used by its "underpaid" employees to send customers elsewhere and even to competitors because they are experiencing web problems that these employees are reluctant to resolve.

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This is exactly the problem. You're claiming nobody's willing to fix the problems. The fact is, there are enormous things being changed, and until these enormous changes are finished, it will not be 100% perfect. That's why I compared it to a large public works project.

I sympathize with the frustration of the site not working perfectly right now, but don't mistake lack of instant change with unwillingness to change. This isn't about just making spot fixes. This is about an entire website being entirely restructured and new systems being added to it that interact in ways that are not yet fully understood and must be exposed to use to be perfected. There are few websites that seek to be as vast a resource as sears.com is about to become, and as a result there are many things that, in the short term, will not work properly.

Your feedback is appreciated, but please understand that the amount of change being implemented in the sears.com site is truly momentous and, as such, will take some time to perfect. Please be patient, and understand that the site WILL eventually work 100% properly, but it will take some time, and many skilled people are working to make it so. But, no amount of demanding it be perfect will speed up the process.

Please, try to be polite, try to be patient, and try to be understanding. If there is further information about products that you would like, please feel free to ask.

There is no incentive to sell Kenmore over any brand. Hotpoint isn't a brand that is seen much anymore, so for all any of us know, she may not even know what Hotpoint is or that it's a brand that Sears carries. I wouldn't make the jump to malice, prevarication, or malice just because someone was wrong about something. And, with the greatest variety of ranges on the floor being Kenmore, it makes more sense to start there to find features that a customer would find appealing if the customer doesn't have a brand preference. While not expecting someone to be entirely credulous, there's not much good in being entirely cynical about everything, either. All it does is make one's life far more stressful and wearying than it needs to be.