Author: Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott
About the Author Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes weekly columns for King Features Syndicate, USA Today, Forbes and the Washington Post. He also publishes Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. Read more of Christopher's articles here.

I need Sears to replace this broken refrigerator. Can you help?

By Christopher Elliott

You would expect the freezer section of your brand new refrigerator to work perfectly, right?  That was Lorra Manuel’s expectation, too. But she says that wasn’t her experience when Sears delivered a malfunctioning Kenmore Elite to her home.  Now she wants Sears to take the broken appliance and replace it with a working refrigerator. But Sears and a subcontractor called Transformco are taking their time with her case. How can she persuade them to hurry up?

Question

I recently bought a Kenmore Elite refrigerator from Sears. I purchased the Master Protection Plan, which extends the coverage on the new appliance.

On delivery, the freezer didn’t work. I called Sears, and it sent a technician, who replaced a filter and recharged the unit. But that had no effect.

Sears and the company I’m now dealing with, Transformco, have been hard to reach and not very accommodating. It turns out my refrigerator has a recall issue, and I want Sears to replace it right away.

If  Sears won’t replace the refrigerator, I want a refund, and they can take this one away. Can you help me? — Lorra Manuel, Chicago

Skylux owes me a big refund! How can I get my $7,399 back?

By Christopher Elliott

Skylux Discount Travel owes Alan Rubin a hefty refund for a canceled Delta Air Lines flight. The airline sent the refund to SkyLux. But then where did it go? That’s the mystery for today. 

Question

My wife and I had reservations made by Skylux Discount Travel for a Delta Air Lines flight from San Francisco to Paris and Athens for October 2020. Delta canceled the flight because of COVID-19. At that time, I asked Skylux for a refund.

I found out that Delta refunded my fare to Skylux Discount Travel last November. Since then, despite numerous calls and emails, I have been unable to get Skylux to send the refund to me. The company keeps telling me it’s coming, but it never does.

Can you help me get my $7,399 back? — Alan Rubin, Tiburon, Calif.

How can I get the refund that T.J. Maxx owes me?

By Christopher Elliott

T.J. Maxx owes Ekaterina Quinones a refund. That isn’t in dispute. So why won’t the company just give its customer the money it owes her?

Question

I recently bought a clothing item online from T.J. Maxx and returned it in its original condition. I paid online through PayPal.

I contacted T.J. Maxx countless times to ask about a refund. First, a representative promised to refund me in “10 to 15 days.” Then the company said it would be another five days. Then another five days. Then it was “one to three days” to show up in my account. It did not happen.

We went back and forth for over a month. Almost two months after I returned the item, I filed a dispute with PayPal. I enclosed the evidence, including tracking showing the delivery and their signature, email logs, photos of the item in original packaging, and photos of the return shipment with the label attached).

PayPal sided with T.J. Maxx and rejected my refund request.

Why wouldn’t T.J. Maxx just refund me? This money is nothing for a huge retailer. And if they said they would, why wouldn’t they? Please, let me know if this is something you can help with. The help in my case would be figuring out why T.J. Maxx and PayPal have been treating me this way after the seller allegedly agreed to return the money. Thank you kindly. — Ekaterina Quinones, New York

Is TAP Air Portugal finally sending the refunds it owes?

By Christopher Elliott

By the looks of our complaint files, TAP Air Portugal owes plenty of passengers refunds right now. Sandra Einhorn is one of those unfortunate souls. She hopes we can track down the money the airline promised to send her months ago. Can we?

Question

In 2019, I booked seven roundtrip tickets from Miami to Budapest on TAP Air Portugal through Expedia. I planned to fly to Europe the following spring with my husband, two daughters, mother, and cousins.

In March 2020, a week or so before our scheduled departure, TAP Air Portugal canceled our flight because of COVID-19. I waited a few months before doing anything since I got an automated email about flight credit. And who knew when the world would open up again?

Eventually, time passed, life circumstances changed, and I knew that the seven of us would not be able to take that trip to Budapest anytime soon. So I began the process of trying to get a refund.

It’s been a year since I asked for a refund, and there’s still nothing from either Expedia or TAP Air Portugal. When I try to check my refund process, it either doesn’t have anything in the system or still shows a TAP Air Portugal credit.

I am exhausted from having to go back and forth between the two. Anything you can do to help me would be so much appreciated. — Sandra Einhorn, Hollywood, Fla.

Can my annual Sam’s Club membership really expire after just three months?

By Christopher Elliott

 How is it possible that an annual Sam’s Club membership could expire after just three months? That’s what Steve Atlas wants to know. Can we help?

Question

I recently bought a Groupon for a one-year Sam’s Club membership. The offer was misleading. I thought it was for a year, but this Sam’s Club membership is set to expire in three months. I pressed cancel less than 15 minutes after I made the purchase, and I expected the refund to be applied to my credit card.

Unfortunately, the only refund I received was for $35 in Groupon Bucks. I don’t even know how to use them. I care less about the $35 than about being treated with honesty, integrity, and a willingness to find a solution that is fair to me. Can you help me get my money back for this annual Sam’s Club membership with the unusual expiration date? — Steve Atlas, Merritt Island, Fla.

The photography class is canceled — so where is my refund?!

By Christopher Elliott

If you sign up for a photography class and it gets canceled, you would expect a prompt refund, right? That’s not what happened for Bev Pettit, and now she needs our help.

Question

In early 2020, I signed up for a Raphael Macek Photo Workshop in Scottsdale, Ariz. I sent a $1,250 deposit for the May 2020 event and received a confirmation.

A month before the photography class, I began to receive emails from the company indicating that it canceled the workshop, but there was no mention of a refund. The notice said the class would be “rescheduled” due to Covid. But after one year of not hearing anything and now the company refusing to answer emails, texts, and phone calls, I have resigned myself to the fact that they will not be refunding deposits. I tried to file a credit card dispute with my bank, but they said it had been too long for me to file a claim.

A year after Raphael canceled the photography class, I finally received a reply to my request for a refund from Macek’s wife. She said Raphael would not be rescheduling the workshop.

I want my $1,250 back. I hope you can help me.
— Bev Pettit, Prescott, Ariz.

How can I make Air France send my refund now?

By Christopher Elliott

Air France owes Jim Shea a refund for a flight it canceled during the pandemic. But he’s been waiting a year for his money. So where is it?

Question

Last year, I bought tickets to fly from San Francisco to Stockholm on Air France. I booked the tickets through Cook Travel, a travel agency in New York. I paid for the tickets with my credit card.

Air France canceled the flight because of the pandemic and Cook Travel promised me a full refund. That was one year ago. Cook Travel has asked me to be patient, but now they are not responding to my inquiries. I’ve tried to dispute the charges with Citibank, my credit card issuer. Unfortunately, a representative told me too much time has elapsed. I’ve tried to reach out to executives at Air France and Cook Travel but have gotten no response — and no refund. Can you help me? — Jim Shea, San Mateo, Calif.

Will Home Depot let me return this Electrolux refrigerator that doesn’t work?

By Christopher Elliott

If you buy an Electrolux refrigerator at Home Depot and it doesn’t work, you should be able to return it, right? Myra Washington believes so — and our team does, too. Can we convince either company to help this frustrated consumer?

Question

I bought an Electrolux Side by Side refrigerator last month. Home Depot delivered the fridge about two weeks later, but it doesn’t work, and I want to return it.

I tried to get the refrigerator to work for a week. Then I called Home Depot after it was clear that I could do nothing to make it function properly.

The repair technician was a no-show for my first appointment. Electrolux rescheduled. When that repairman examined the refrigerator, he determined it had at least four things that needed fixing. He ordered the parts and said he would come back the following week. But he also advised me to return the refrigerator to Home Depot because that would be a better outcome than waiting for it to be repaired.

Home Depot refused to let me return the refrigerator and said it was Electrolux’s issue.

Did Expedia make an error and leave this traveler stranded?

By Christopher Elliott

Could Expedia make an error that leaves you stranded somewhere? In this case, it appears so. Joanna Heath says Expedia canceled her return flight to Los Angeles, forcing her to buy a new ticket. Now the online agency refuses to give her a refund. What’s happening here?

Question

I recently booked a flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia through Expedia for my family. A few weeks later, I contacted Expedia to make a change for my return flight. The agent made the booking and sent me confirmation and the attached travel documents. But I’m certain that the Expedia agent made an error.

When I tried to check-in for my return flight — the one I had changed — I got a message “check-in not available. Please contact an agent.”

I contacted American Airlines. An agent told me that the flight was delayed and that the delay would cause us to miss the connecting flight. But when they went to give us an alternate flight, they discovered that we actually had no tickets. According to American Airlines, Expedia had made an error and never paid for the flight or completed the booking.

We now had no flights home at all. We were advised by American Airlines to call Expedia immediately.

Why won’t Sears refund my canceled order now?

By Christopher Elliott

Greg Johnson is frustrated. After waiting for months for a new refrigerator from Sears, he finally gave up and canceled the appliance. Now he’s been waiting for Sears to send his refund for almost as long. Can we help?

Question

I ordered a refrigerator from Sears three months ago. The appliance was delayed multiple times. Last month, I decided to cancel the order. I’ve had many phone calls with Sears since then, and I’ve been hung up on multiple times. Through the online chat feature, I never get anyone outside of a bot.

Sears has yet to refund the $1,641 it owes me for the canceled order. Unfortunately, I used my debit card instead of a credit card. Can you help me get my money back? — Greg Johnson, Blackwood, N.J.

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