Watching Sears and Kmart decline just breaks my heart because there was a time when they each really made great contributions to retailing.
It dates me to a ridiculous extent to say that I used to spend hours with the Sears catalogue as a girl but it's true--talk about defining direct mail. Sears used to sell whole houses through its catalogue!
Much more recently though, Kenmore appliances used to be great--always at the top of Consumer Reports listings. And you couldn't beat Sears Automotive for fast, inexpensive repairs. I once bought a battery in Lewiston, Maine and got the whole thing from discovery of the dead battery to complete repair done in time to get my son to a college interview. I also used to shop at the New London, CT Sears which had a great Land's End boutique.
As for Kmart, let's not forget their iconic partnership with Martha Stewart. That really pioneered designer goods and the concept of the "masstige" market that Target has exploited so successfully. And you know, you can still walk into Kmart and find two or three desktop computers for use by any customer at the store. Pretty downscale, but pretty great as a community resource.
RIP proud victims of changing tastes, bad management and leveraged buyouts. I'll miss what you used to be!
Here's the Wikipedia article about Sears Catalogue homes. They were shipped as kits via rail and included everything needed to construct the home, including plumbing and electricity.
Wow! An incredible part of our nation's history, not just our retailing history, is disappearing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears_Catalog_Home
The parents of my daughter's finance live in one of those homes in suburban NY. Of course, it's updated now. But they've retained the original character and feel. It's very cool.
And here's the photo from the catalogue. Thanks Street Smart.
Decline
PAW
12/28/2011 2:50:28 PM
It is too bad to see the downward decline of Sears. They seem to be having a bit of an identlty crisis - selling everything from screwdrivers to clothes by Kim Kardashian. I am not sure they know who there target market is.
I think that's the core problem. Who is the Sear's customer? No one seems to know who the stuff is supposed to appeal to. JC Penney has done a better job stressing its variety of goods, and keeping a more updated image.
Re: Decline
ProfR
12/28/2011 3:38:26 PM
You are correct - it is hard to define the target market for Sears or Kmart. If all their stores disappeared tomorrow would anyone care?
I think they need to go back to their roots of good service at good prices.
We would just have to go to Modell's for those badminton sets.
Sears
AskAsa
12/28/2011 3:58:37 PM
Sears hurt itself by being tightfisted with its credit.
I know people who applied for and received visa and mastercard and store cards with large credit limits. Sears would take one late payment a few years before and use it as an excuse to either deny the customer a Sears credit card or issue one with an insulting amount like $100.
This left a bad taste for sears among many consumers.
Re: Decline
PAW
12/28/2011 4:42:30 PM
I don't think many would notice of the Sears in my town was closed down. It is an anchor in a mall that is 75% empty and I don't recall the last time I even stepped foot in it (or KMart). Anything they have that I may want is available at numerous other stores. Even their tools are sold at other stores now.
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