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It has been my experience just now not to purchase the extended warranty from Sears when it comes to exercise equipment. We purchased a NordicTrack Audiostrider 990 on March 11, 2008. We now need warranty repair. After calling Sears, they told me that I needed to contact Universal Technical Services, who offers the extended warranty through Sears. They told me that NordicTrack warranty covers the frame, motor, parts and all labor charges for one year. This is correct according to the NordicTrack website as of today, June 9, 2008. UTS told me that I needed to contact NordicTrack which I did. NordicTrack wants me to go to a hardware store and purchase tools to take apart the machine and to mess with the flywheel to solve the problem that we have with our NordicTrack elliptical trainer. I am not comfortable doing this labor since 1)Sears sold me an extended warranty which was supposed to cover everything for 3 years. 2)UTS is the company that offers and is supposed to honor this 3 year warranty and make needed repairs as needed. 3)NordicTrack should honor their policy of covering this product for one year.

I purchased the 3 year extended warranty and should have this warranty honored from UTS. They should cover all warranty related issues. I was asked by a representative at UTS..."Well, would you like to use your once a year (annual) maintenance visit now?" NO! I shouldn't have to use my "once a year" maintenance visit for a warranty problem. I don't need a maintenance visit...I have an extended warranty problem and it needs attention.

As a consumer feel betrayed by all 3 parties and the warranty that is offered by these companies, especially Universal Technical Services.

After being tossed around from Sears to UTS and UTS to NordicTrack, it appears that the blame and "passing the buck" stops at the manufacturer, NordicTrack. NordicTrack will send someone to check the unit and repair it for me with a $5.99 handling fee and a $45.00 service charge.

This is NOT what I signed up for when I purchased the optional 3 year extended warranty and paid for this.

Monetary Loss: $1300.

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

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David Rde

Jon Parker,

My name is Liz and I am a member of the Sears Social Media Support team. I saw your post today and wanted to reach out to you to offer our assistance. I am very sorry to see that you had such a disappointing experience with the repair of your elliptical. It is frustrating enough to encounter any trouble with repairing your elliptical, much less to getting the runaround. We would very much like to connect you with a dedicated case manager to further discuss your situation. At your convenience, please contact our office via email at smadvisor@***.com so you donรขโ‚ฌโ„ขt have to be upset by this any longer. In the email, please provide a contact number and the phone number the elliptical was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. In addition, please include your Screen name (Jon Parker) in the email for reference to your issue. Thank you for your time and we look forward to speaking with you.

Thank you,

Liz R.

Sears Social Media Support Team

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of David Rde

Iโ€™m been on hold with UTS for 40 minutes and counting. The sales department picks up immediately. However, when you need a technician to complete service, no one is available.

Guest

I agree. I have been trying to get a Nordictrac elliptical fixed for months.

Have gotten the runaround from UTS. Do not buy NordicTrac or from Sears.

Guest

I totally agree. I have been getting the run around and everyone Nordic Track, UTS and even Sears aren't on the same page and probably there is FRAUD taking place esp.

if my refund check doesn't come in 6to8 wks...

if I knew Sears was not responsible, I would have not purchased an extended warranty... total BS.

Guest

After reading these posts I asked my Brother-in-Law, a manager at Sears in sporting goods, about Nordic Track and Icon. He said he has never had any issues with Nordic Track, every now and then someone will return a machine for other reasons.

Guest

Dear Ybert- I saw that you commented on a posting on this sight. I'm not sure if you had an unpleasant experience with one of our products or service, but we'd like to make it right.

Please email me at cstechops@***.com and we'll offer you something.

Thanks. Cameron Icon Health & FitnessCusotmer CareAugust 7, 2009

Guest

Dear Customer-

I represent NordicTrack Fitness. I read over your comments on pissedconsumer.com and saw that you had trouble with our service department. I'm not sure of your machines current state, but please let me know if it is up and running. We would also like to offer you something for your troubles. Please email me back at cstechops@***.com and we'll take care of you. Thanks.

Cameron

Icon Health & Fitness

Customer Care

August 7, 2009

Guest

As an ex Sears employee who worked in Sporting Goods Div 6 Nordic Track has a long standing reputation for atrocious service.

For years they would not let Sears sell an agreement on them.When an agreement was sold it was through Nordic Track.Supposedly they were going to eliminate that.

A company called Icon Health & Fitness used own/make Nordic Track and Proform fitness equipment for Sears.

Icon Health & Fitness is the company you need to check into to.

I think Nordic Track went into bankruptcy or was almost sued into bankruptcy in the mid to late 90s.

Even dealing with Nordic Track for Sears they were brutal.They were slow,condescending and inefficient.They would call the store ask what ever employee do you have any problems with Nordic Track stuff right now.They wouldn't give you time to contact a manager,get notes or ask around.

The most common complaint about Nordic Track is that they would try to talk you through repairs.Sending a repair tech out was the very last thing they wanted to do and very hard to do.And Sears management knew about Nordic Track.Nordic Track wouldn't even respond to urgent management requests for service for the store or customer.

Brutal,ignorant,useless,slow:anything but a model of customer service.

Guest

I would report Sears, NordicTrack and UTS to the Better Business Bureau for Fraud and to the Attorney General for your State.

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