Sears is in dire financial trouble
It’s been in the news for some time now
Their stores look dated inside and out, it’s hard to find what you want, and they’re very poorly managed
Not only that, but their clothing selection is very questionable, in my opinion. Everything in the store looks like it’s meant for extremely poor people. It’s okay to be poor, but that doesn’t mean your clothing has to spell it out
Too bad about Sears. I used to go there for Craftsman tools, but no more. I think the Kmart merger was the beginning of the end for them.
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The beginning of the end for them was when “boy wonder” Eddie Lampert took over.
He had previously bought K-Mart, and then he merged the two chains, and this move–just like everything else that this “boy wonder” did–has been unsuccessful.
Recently, Sears announced that they are divesting themselves of their Lands End clothing division, which was their only clothing line that looked like something above ghetto-level. This divestiture is a last-ditch attempt to raise money, but it appears that they will be selling the Lands End division for less than they paid for it.
Bottom line…they need new blood in order to come up with some new ideas on how to resurrect this old American institution before it goes under.
Why anybody would want to shop in K-mart is beyond me
K-mart makes Sears look luxurious, well-stocked and well managed in comparison!
As far as the Lands End clothing, it seems Sears only had the junk. I personally like Lands End, but Sears didn’t have anything I would have worn.
I think Sears could have survived if they had consolidated around their core products: Craftsman tools, lawn and garden equipment, major appliances, Sears auto centers, and cut the clothes, housewares, etc. Who buys clothes at Sears?
“who buys clothes at Sears?”
I would, if they had anything that didn’t scream poverty
I guess I agree about Sears. Been a long slow decline. Don’t know that I know the answer but the beginning of the end started with eliminating their mail order as a large part of their business. Kind of the original internet shopping, but it was convenient to look through the catalog, place a phone order, and go pick it up the next day. I also thought that their branding had become a liability. I don’t want a Kenmore washer, or dishwasher, etc. in my house even though it may be the same as Whirlpool. I also don’t want a Craftsman lawn mower in my garage even though it might be made by MTD. Plus the parts are different and you have to go to their parts places many times-or at least used to, and just soured me on the whole thing.
I agree on the tools. Chinese made B&D quality now. Nothing special. Plus the last time I bought anything, it took 5 minutes to check out while they wanted my email, etc. to pester me with.
Agree with Bing. Instead of focusing on what made them special (catalog, Craftsman tool quality, etc) they tried to continue being all things to all people, cutting quality on tools and appliances, and lost any competitive advantage. Now I have zero reasons ever to go to Sears.
In the old days they even sold kit houses. Wish they still sold those. That’s something I’d actually consider buying!
I still buy Craftsman tools for home use. That said, I usually wait until they’re on sale. Their full chrome combo wrenches seem okay, but I continue to be unimpressed by their ratchets. Their “professional” screwdrivers are decent, but they pale in comparison to snap on
I use snap on tools at work, and some otc
Ironically, the sears garden department has been good to me. I’ve gotten a few tools exchanged.
They’re chinese, but at least I only paid for them once. I even got a lifetime warranty hose exhanged. The guy at the counter didn’t ask any questions.
Come to think of it, the only really attractive thing about craftsman hardware is the lifetime warranty. The quality of the tools themselves is merely average.
In the very early 1950s they sold a Allstare car, it was a re-branded Henry J from Kaiser.
I was at a friend’s house one weekend, watching and helping him do a timing belt on his Civic. He had a Craftsman 1/2" drive ratchet, the kind with adjustable angle head and the button on the head you push to remove the socket. That thing has got to be the most craptastic tool ever made. Bulky, impossible to remove a socket with one hand, angle head mechanism has stops in it and is never where you want it, and the gearing is so coarse as to make it useless unless you’re just changing a tire. I can’t believe people use those things. I hope he got it from the dollar store.
I’ve even started questioning the reliability of Sears Craftsman hand tools, which I always thought were well worth the money.
An example would be a 1/2" breakover that I used for over 25 years with never a problem. One day the socket drive finally gave up after being overloaded so Sears handed me a new one without question.
Long story short, the drive part of that breakover has twisted badly twice on me with comparatively light use, was replaced 2 additional times, and the current 3rd replacement is now developing a twist in the drive which sometimes requires a ball peen for socket removal.
The quality of the steel used in the tools has apparently gone south. Their power tools and jacks have pretty much gone the way of Black and Decker; Chinese junk.
Sears is not really with it anymore. I had to buy a new water softener and got their quote; not too far off from Home Depot. Then they insisted that they would have to install it for $300+, even though I showed them a picture of an open basement and piping already installed, making the installation a 20 minute job.
I ended up with a local water treatment company that sold me one with a 10 year waranty and virtually free installation.
Sears automotive are only trustworthy for tires and batteries.