MarkRaby Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I might be using the term "horror story" a little leniently, but I was out of JC Penny at 5:31 (just wanted the snowglobe) and headed to the mall entrance for Sears to get the $10 gift card. There was no one else there, but once I reached it, I found out why: there was a sign posted about the gift card and it said you had to enter through a specific entrance (which happened to be outside of the mall...). So I went to that entrance and was about 130th in line or so (200 gift cards were available). When the doors opened, I was pretty sure I'd get one. But they were out of them long before I even reached the door! This is because they did not have the area blocked off, so people were actually able to enter from the mall entrance, or any other entrance, and run directly to this area and get the gift card without waiting at all! I thought this was very unprofessional, especially considering what a point they made about you needing to go through that specific entrance. --Mark-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outnumbered Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Yeah, I might not call that a "horror story" but I think something similar happened at our Sears. Signs were posted indicating which door to use for the gift card. I was first in line at that particular entrance. When I got in, the tool section was mobbed by the people who'd been waiting by that door, and as I was using my $10 card at checkout, several people were asking me where I got it--apparently headed in that direction to try to get one. I don't know if they had any success though. I would hope that management would have only given cards to those entering the store, not those already inside coming up to that entrance. On a semi-related note, I'd like to know why every last employee at Sears felt compelled to walk by the door, look out at all of us lined up in that "looking at the zoo animals" way, and then walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toujours2u Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Same thing happened at my Sears! I was not waiting at a Sears entrance to get the gift card I was waiting to get a mall promotion gift certificate, 2 tickets to our local hockey team and Chick-fil-A coupons. After I fighted the mob and got my envelope from the mall promo I went down to Sears fully expecting the gift cards to be long gone. I went to the second floor and I saw a large group of people complaining to a few employees. So many people were mad that a manager actually went and got a stack of his business cards and wrote $10 on them. I just went along with the crowd and got a card. My daughter and I really scored at Sears by combining these with our mall gift certificates. The situation with the gift cards seemed to have happened all over the country. Maybe next year they will wise up, but I'm not going to hold my breath! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twins Mommy Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Boy, I know what you are talking about!! Our Sears store had a very small area they "tried to separate " fom the KB toy line (didn't work), only to have total madness. To top it off, at 5:45 am , an employee came out and announced that "anyone who wanted to shop early could go in". What in the world were they thinking?? At this point, all barriers wre knocked down and a mad rush headed for the doors. For those of us who were dodging the crowd heard the second part of the announcement... "anyone who wants the gift card, stay in line". By now, it was crazy and the 80 year old security guard was useless. The good thing was that I was about 40th in line now and everyone who rushed to get into the store early, had to return to the line. I thought to myself, was $10.00 really worth all of this??? Of course!! I managed to be first at KB, get my things at Sears and Walmart ,stopped by Walgreens and was home by 8:10 am to everyone just getting out of bed. All in all, a good day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-prompt Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I'm still thinking... $10? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toujours2u Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I encountered such "mob mentality" that I will never line up again for a gift card. I was almost squished trying to get the mall promo today. Thank God I had my huge karaoke box that gave me a little space as people were "herded" in a huge pushing, shoving group to center court and then screamed at by a mall employee to form a single line or no one was getting their certificates. I felt like I was in preschool again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docjones Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I arrived at Sears at the mall in Iowa City, IA, with my BIL at 5:58. One door had a huge line. Another had maybe 10 people. We parked right next to the 2nd entrance and walked out of our car and into the store. We didn't get the gift cards as they were handed out at another door. However, I picked up the five items I needed and was done by 6:15. I heard people behind me at the jewelry counter whining about the rings they wanted that I got the last one of. They really wanted to use their $10 gift cards, but were shut out of purchases they wanted. Sometimes it pays to skip the "mob mentality" and following the herd. My gain, their loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tawolf73 Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Our Sears did the same thing..now I was there at 4:45(at the automotive door like the sign said!) and was 4th in line. I got my card promptly at 6 when they opened the doors, got my stuff and was the first one too the check out. (I scouted on Wed to see where the stuff I wanted was so I could be effecient). There were people coming from the mall entrance of the store asking where the gift cards were! I said to several of them that they should have read the sign and waited in the cold with the rest of us! I think if they are going to do that one door thing for a giveaway then it should be the only door open at that time. There were more than 200 people in that line freezing outside. They could have waited 15 min until we all got a card and got inside before opening the other entrances, especially since they had signs posted at ALL entrances 3 days prior to BF. I feel badly for people who were outside that didn't get a card because some people can't bother to read a sign and follow directions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanni Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Our Sears has only one entrance so that wasn't a problem for me. Our store is small, it's not the full sized sears store, has appliances, tools, tvs, things like that. They only had 2 employees working on BF, both woman were on the registers. There was no one there to help anyone take their stuff out to their cars. So my husband and I carried TVs for the elderly since they didn't have any way to get them out of the store. I also printed out a bunch of the $5 off coupons and handed them out to people. We were there for an extra 30 minutes helping these people. The whole time I was thinking OMG I am burning valuable shopping time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey289 Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Very nice giving a had at the local store! Ive done that in 7-11! Cleaning up and making coffee if I didnt have to be anywhere!Haven't heard about my Sears or any of the close ones to me. I would be curious to know how it turned out cause my local sears is at the end of a mall and has 8 entrances or so! 10 gift cards hut hut Hike!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappynik Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Same thing at our Sears. We were probably 40th in line and then someone said no, you have to be at the side entrance, so we race over there and probably 75th in line. THen someone says no, the rear entrance! UGH! Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymom32000 Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I had a geat experience at Sears! Got there 15 minutes before the doors opened. Saw a line of people but not too bad. Hurried up and got out of the car and got into line. A guy in line behind me said there were signs on the other doors telling people where to go if they wanted to receive the gift card. So I had found the right one. Hurray! The doors opened 5 minutes early and everyone was very orderly going in. Received my gift card and hurried up downstairs to the tool area. Grabbed one of the cordless drills in the case for $39 then found a sales associate to ask about getting the $199 pool table. I was the first customer he checked out that day. He went to scan my card and it wouldn't work. Tried a few more times then gave me the $10 off a different way. He handed me the $10 off card and said "maybe it will work for you in a different area later today". I paid, thanked him, and headed upstairs to clothing. Found some stuff up there to buy and used the $10 off coupon I had received in the mail for the clothes. Then grabbed a PS2 game for my nephew using the $10 off card I had received at the door. So I saved $30 at Sears yesterday. Everyone of the staff there was so kind and friendly. It really impressed me! Even the people shopping there were friendly and calm. What a great experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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