Just recently we had a discussion about Craftsman tools. I just read a Chicago Tribune article that says Sears sold Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker (who knew THEY were now one?) and are looking to sell off Kenmore and Diehard, as well as its Home Services and Sears Auto Centers. They’re also consolidating corporate operations for Sears and Kmart and closing 150 stores.
So if you’re buying tools, or need auto servicing, a new battery, an appliance, or Home Services, you may want to factor this information into your purchasing decision. Your purchase may not be backed by Sears for long. The manufacturer of the tools, battery, or appliance likely will through the purchaser(s) of these business parts, but if the new owners’ stores are too distant it may not be worth having.
Come to think of it, if your local Sears is one of the 150 being closed, any warranty may not be worth having anyway.
Our suspicions were apparently right. Sears is apparently being sold off piecemeal. Although Sears is claiming it’s to “reduce our overall cash funding requirements and ensure that Sears Holdings becomes a more agile and competitive retailer with a clear path toward profitability” (yeah, right), I think the handwriting is on the wall.