Winnipeg woman steamed over treatment at Sears liquidation sale

A Winnipeg woman says shopping the Sears liquidation sale has left a sour taste in her mouth.

Debbie Seier was on a mission, shopping for her 93-year-old mother, when she went to the Kildonan Place location at 10 a.m. on the first day of the sale on Oct. 19.

• 'Duped': Sears shoppers allege retailer inflated prices for liquidation sales

"I thought this chair would be ideal because it's motorized and it would help with what the doctors recommended to have her legs elevated for her edema," said Seier.

Seier said the regular price was $799 and she bought it for $299, which she considered a good deal for her pensioner mother.

"The chair was paid in full and she put a sold sign on the chair," she said. "When I went back Saturday, I went near close, they couldn't find the chair."

Seier said she sent her brother back the next day with a truck and the pick-up slip to get it. He was told the chair had been returned.

She said after her brother called she went to the store with the receipt to prove she hadn't gotten a refund.

"The bill specifically says all sales final," she said. "That was another mystery to us — how could this chair be returned if all sales are final?"

Seier said the sales associate called over a loss-prevention officer while dealing with her and her brother.

"On top of it, we're the upset customers and he said to me, 'Well you don't understand, I'm losing my job,'" she said. "Totally inappropriate thing to say. I mean, I worked for a very large company in Winnipeg which was closed down five years ago and I lost my job."

Seier got a full refund and said the manager was apologetic about the way they were treated. She said she eventually found out the chair had been sold to someone else.

"It is a very bad experience," she said. "Mainly for my mother because, as you know, you try to explain to an elderly person, they're so excited to get this chair at a fantastic price and they're so looking forward to it and the chair isn't there."

She said at the end of the day, she is relieved this happened to her and not her 93-year-old mother. She said she wanted to speak out to protect seniors and people who may not have been able to speak up and get their money back.

"I would hate to see this happen to anyone else," she said. "I think with larger items, it's difficult to get these items out of the store unless you have proper transportation. [Sears] has to make it clear with people you have to come pick it up that day or there has to be a better policy."

In an emailed statement, Sears apologized for the way the customer says she was treated and acknowledged the chair mix-up was their fault.