We just received the judgement from the court on our class action certification, and the judge has ruled it meets all the requirements and can proceed to trial.
Read the full ruling here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8YiZD65CzjFcHlvaFB4QVdXY0E/edit?usp=sharing
It took a while but now we are officially "on the books".
This is a real lawsuit and it has teeth.
We have all ways been optimistic that the case would be certified.Justice will prevail..
ReplyDeleteThank goodness there is a legal resort to our dilemna. A lot of us are in the same boat, can't afford to stay definitely can't afford to get out.
ReplyDeleteIt is time for corporate businesses to develop some sense of operational ethics, empathy and responsibility for their action's consequences on mankind and the world we live in. it is unfortunate that money is such an addictive substance to accumulate. If all the money that sits useless and "collected" were used for good our world would be a great place to be in and legal actions like this could be lessened making way for more "violent" crime to be focused on. to quote Martin Luthar King "The day that we cease to stand up for what is important in our lives, our lives end" Good for those who have stood up here in this instance.
ReplyDeleteSo happy for all of you that have worked so hard to prove you all have a case.
ReplyDeleteWe are in the United States and we have the same issues, lets hope this
helps all of us as well.
Best of Luck!!
Congradulation I am myself a dealer store since 17 years and I am very happy to hear that we have now a case.
DeleteI am also a 'hometown store owner' in the states. do you know if there are any moves in the us to do the same thing?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure where the US dealers are in this regard.
DeleteWe are surely trying. Its hard to find the best lawyer in US and that
Deleteone people cant afford.
If anyone has any ideas on a good lawyer, please let us know.
Former Sears Hometown Store Owner. Most of us have no money
left.
We were also the victims of Sears Canada's Hometown dealer network (a few years ago), when we were involved with the opening of the Sears West Kelowna Hometown Store. Sears mislead us into investing our life savings into this location, with sales and profit predictions that did not or would not ever likely be reached.
ReplyDeleteIf there is anything we can do to assist your actions against Sears, let us know.
Sears, should be held accountable for the lies their representatives puts forward to get people to invest in their scam (working for nothing).
Roy.Stewart@shaw.ca West Kelowna, BC
I wish Canada and the United States could work together on this lawsuit. Sears
ReplyDeleteis organized crime!! They need to be stopped somehow!!!
I am a Hometown owner in Quebec and I wondered if I had to make something to be part of this class action in justice.
ReplyDeleteAll Hometown owners that are eligible to be part of the class will be contacted in writing in the coming months. You will have to respond in writing if you want to join the class.
DeletePlease direct detailed questions to searswoodstock@gmail.com
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/business/sears-canada-stake-sold-off-by-u-s-parent-1.2785151
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Sears actually deserves this. Now the difficult part is partially resolved and its time to work.
ReplyDeleteI am one of the stores on the "Exit A" list. This means that 6 months before my contract expires I was given notice that they are not renewing the contract. The decision is based on low GPA which evolved from Sears sending my store all the clearance items everytime they closed a store. Another reason was that I had a extremely high flyer distribution number which I have repeatedly asked to have reviewed but nothing was done. They calculate that the costs for them to operate in my store are too high and not worth them continuing. This doesn't come as news to me as I have been subsidizing Sears for years. Every month I see stores closing and all the stores in my district are in trouble. There is no help for the stores whatsoever. My area seems to have attracted a large direct shipping business which I am assuming is in all areas which has almost completely killed my catalog side of the business. I would guess that the sales in catalog are a third of what I used to receive. Now they offer free direct shipping on most items I am constantly getting calls at the store about big ticket items inquiring on the delivery status. These are orders I have nothing to do with and no knowledge of. Looking at the big picture I can only say that they are doing me a favor cancelling the contract as I was trapped in the system unable to stay and unable to leave. Now I will be leaving with a giant debt factor which I am not sure how I will ever pay. I like all the other owners trusted Sears being brought up that you could. Scary that Sears might not even last long enough to actually go to court. Here is hoping......
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I think the owners of sears Canada will have stripped the company bare and run off with the profits before this lawsuit goes anywhere. They seem to know the company has nothing to lose and have only stepped up their anti competitive practices(free shipping to customers, inserts in this wishbook advertising the option to get it shipped free through the mail and returned to a sears store). What little support and services they offered the hometown stores is dwindling. They seem to be creating more and more work and rules they expect from the hometown stores for free. One by one stores are collapsing under the pressure.
ReplyDeleteIt would surprise me if that wasn't sears's intention. But I don't understand why. What do they gain from forcing these people out? Are they avoiding obligations to the hometown stores if they have to shut the company down? Are they trying to avoid being stuck with a large amount of unsold stock from the stores?
Has anyone noticed that now when you order on line the shopping cart automatically ships to you directly unless you actually change the option to be sent to the store? How can Sears say they aren't stepping on toes with that move?
ReplyDelete