I almost feel like I’ve done something wrong. This story is pretty unbelievable. I’m not going to go into all the details because you’re probably all sick of hearing about it.
All I wanted was a cheap, plain Jane gas stove that I could use in the basement for canning. I didn’t even need an oven but just the stovetop would have been more difficult for Vince to install and by the time we bought a cabinet base and countertop, probably more expense. We found a stove at Lowe’s that was regular $549 – bare bones model. They had a black one that someone had ordered and not picked up and the price on it was $400. We said . . we’ll take it! Vince had a 20% off coupon and they let us use that so we got it for $320.
There was a mixup. They never explained what happened. First they said our stove hadn’t arrived yet but it was there when we bought it, then they said they found it but when it was delivered, it wasn’t the same stove, though it was equally cheap. It had a bent metal part underneath and one of the leveling legs was missing and couldn’t be screwed in because of the part being bent. The delivery guys tried to screw in a leg from the other side and it wouldn’t work and the propane conversion kit was missing.
One of the Lowe’s managers told me a new stove, same one we bought, was going to arrive at the store Tuesday (yesterday) and would be delivered today. The stove didn’t arrive and no one told me this but from what I gathered, the stove was never ordered. My guess is that the stove was at the Lowe’s warehouse in Springfield and they could have ordered it last week and had it here yesterday but someone didn’t order it. Again, I’m guessing based on the few details I was given.
So, at the end of the day yesterday, I was not happy with them at all. After a bit of back and forth, the manager told me that a stove would be delivered today. He said “It’s an upgrade model from what you bought and I think you’ll be happy with it.” I didn’t ask what model . . I did offer to pay the extra for a nicer stove but the manager said no. Vince asked me what model they were sending and I said “I think it’s the ‘Shut This Crazy Woman Up’ model”.
I looked at some of the models that were a step up and was a bit concerned because there were some that the highest BTU burner was 900 and I wanted at least a 1,200 BTU for canning with the monster canner.
The stove was delivered today and . . oh, my goodness . . I hit the jackpot.
This is the stove I was supposed to get. It was black and the picture is white because you don’t see any details on the black stove picture (probably because there are NO details!) <G>
It did not have a clock, of course, no timer. It was not self-cleaning. Seriously, it was as plain as they get and that’s all I needed for canning. The front right burner is 12,000 BTUs and that’s what I need too.
This is what got delivered today:
It has a clock. It has wifi. It has voice control. I can say “Start the oven at 350” and it will do it . . once I get all that set up.
It has a Bread Proof setting, and a Keep Warm setting.
It has 5 burners and the center is a cast iron griddle. I can see lots of grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas being made on that!
I am so pleased with this stove. It definitely is more than I needed downstairs but I’m sure I will use all the extra features.
We’ve (and you know that “we” was 99.9% Vince) have done the propane conversion. Vince had bought fittings for the first stove but this one has a different size fitting. We will have to get the right one tomorrow to hook up the propane and should be good to go. Vince found the right fitting and it’s working like a champ. Instructions said to run the oven at 400 for one hour to burn off something so that’s been done. I’m cooking with gas . . downstairs!
I’m feeling a bit bad because I feel like I got a lot that I didn’t pay for but I did offer to pay. Part of me feels like I should at least call the Lowe’s manager and thank him but part of me feels like he never wants to hear from me again.
Tomorrow I should be able to can my first load downstairs.
DarW says
Wow!! That’s fantastic!! Maybe a nice card to acknowledge that he did, indeed, make it right. I do think it would be appropriate to thank him for exceeding your expectations in a difficult situation…. (Even one they caused! lol)
Nelle Coursey says
This is wonderful! I am so glad they did this for you! And you had every right to complain. Someone dropped the ball, not once but several times! This is the least they could do for you!
MARLENE CALSBEEK says
Wow, you did hit the jackpot, I bought the same stove last year at Home Depot and on sale it was more than twice as much, I love mine, but I waited 31 years to get a propane stove.
Debra McIntosh says
wow, that’s excellent!
Dottie says
WOW – that’s AWESOME!!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Isn’t it? I was expecting a stove very similar to the one I had purchased.
Stephani in N. TX says
I’m glad you can finally can on the stove, sold by Manny, Mo and Jack – 3 stooges(?) I would have asked for my money back somewhere along there and shopped with the competition. Sears used to do business like that sometimes, no wonder they couldn’t keep up. I have some kitchen appliances to change out, makes it kind of scary. Your dishwasher event and now this stove, yikes. Good for you hanging in there.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
We got a deal we couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Believe me, we checked and it was in our best interest to try to get a stove for what we paid.
Cilla says
You did well. Love the “shut the crazy lady up”. Toby told me I should never be worried about going to prison (HUH??????) as they’d give me a pardon in 2 days or less. There are advantages to being old and crazy. Good job. Great stove.
Teri says
Fantastic news!
Sandi B says
I had a similar situation with Sears probably 25 years ago. I had purchased a Jenn-Air downdraft gas stove. I had to wait for the gas line to be extended before I could have it delivered. A few days later, I get a phone call from a customer. Sears had left all of the paperwork on the stove on the sales floor. It included ALL of my info: name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, and my full social security number (why it had that, I have no idea!!)…we were just cleaning up from having our ATM card compromised, so I was in NO MOOD to deal with that. Sears ended up giving me the stove, and delivering it for free. Fortunately, nothing ever became of it. But I was livid.
Dorothy Matheson says
Kinda like us when we went to Vegas for a week for a convention. I went back to the room between meetings mid afternoon and there were a batch of bags in there that were not ours. I got my DH and we went right down to the front desk and raised heck. Lots of heck and they covered the rest of the week for us and made appologies.
I guess my DH and I have hotel stories because we went to the beach at Galvaston and said we would splurge one night in a nice hotel not our usuall less expensive one. Got into the room and the sink would not turn all the way off and the window curtain was croked and the bath room tile was broken in places. We talked for a bit and put our stuff and went to the desk to tell them we wanted our money back. The room at our usuall place was half the price of this Not nicer one. Oh yes they escorted us to a lovely room then. No increase in price.
Squekky wheel and all that.
Kay Sorensen says
My way of recognizing the manager who resolved this would be to contact corporate and let them know how well he handled an impossible situation so well.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Great idea, I’ll do that right now! Thanks!
Christina says
“Shut this crazy woman up” comment had me in stitches. There are advantages of getting old, we will not take being messed around with. Wow its an amazing stove, never seen one like it over here. Happy Canning and cooking on it and in it.
Helene says
Do thank the manager. Knowing what you know from Chad’s career, the thank you comments are far and few. I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear how pleased you are (finally).
Karen says
What’s that saying?….Good things come to those that wait. Enjoy – that’s what my friend calls a ‘happy, happy’.
patti says
i would take a canned item to mr. manager and show/tell him why it was so important to have that stove in a timely manner. the garden waits for no one! and not many people get to enjoy freshly home canned food. it also might help him understand that crazy screaming woman!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I learned a few years back that no one really cares. This incident had a happy ending but often, there’s no follow up. I would have had tow waste gas to go all the way across town to show a jar of canned veggies to a 20 year old who would have thought I was stupid when I could buy it at Walmart or better yet, get dinner at a fast food restaurant.