Et Cetera

Sears, Roebuck & Co. initially said there were no problems in its automotive- repair division. But with the repair business off 15% across the U.S. since accusations of overcharging were made three weeks ago, the company admitted it had some problems after all. In response to an 18-month investigation in California that claimed Sears "systematically" cheated customers, the company announced that it would discontinue commissions and quotas for salespeople.