Sears/Kmart quickly disappearing
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rekees4300
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Yes Sears was doomed when it started selling credit cards instead of merchandise.
KubotainNH
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My son worked briefly for Sears maybe 8 years ago. They tried to make the employees push the credit cards which most of them barely did. That was the biggest reason he left, that and other crap in management. He did get some good employee discounts for a bit.
/pine
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I'm surprised a company like Newell Brands has not made an offer...it's not like they are unfamiliar with brand names etc... Our Brands
And who else could compete with Amazon for online sales of brand name merchandise?...especially if Newell was the only vendor of their products...
I first heard of Newell back in the 80's...they sold performance parts for 'Penn' fishing reels and later complete reels (not sure if they still do)...FWIW...I do not currently have a position in 'NWL' but it might be time to start watching and accumulating...
And who else could compete with Amazon for online sales of brand name merchandise?...especially if Newell was the only vendor of their products...
I first heard of Newell back in the 80's...they sold performance parts for 'Penn' fishing reels and later complete reels (not sure if they still do)...FWIW...I do not currently have a position in 'NWL' but it might be time to start watching and accumulating...
They aren't looking good right now, so...
My one attempt at the stock market was when a local paper mill came out of bankruptcy. I bought 10 stocks more to show my support than anything... everybody told me that I was crazy, so I listened and sold at a loss when they tanked.
12 months later they are selling for 2 1/2 times what I bought them for, never mind what I sold at. I would never make it as a gambler.
That's why my 401k is managed by somebody.
My one attempt at the stock market was when a local paper mill came out of bankruptcy. I bought 10 stocks more to show my support than anything... everybody told me that I was crazy, so I listened and sold at a loss when they tanked.
12 months later they are selling for 2 1/2 times what I bought them for, never mind what I sold at. I would never make it as a gambler.
That's why my 401k is managed by somebody.
/pine
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They aren't looking good right now, so...
My one attempt at the stock market was when a local paper mill came out of bankruptcy. I bought 10 stocks more to show my support than anything... everybody told me that I was crazy, so I listened and sold at a loss when they tanked.
12 months later they are selling for 2 1/2 times what I bought them for, never mind what I sold at. I would never make it as a gambler.
That's why my 401k is managed by somebody.
It's really quite easy to make a small fortune in the markets...just start with a large fortune...
DrRod
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What just kills me about Sears is that they invented remote shopping. Used to be through a catalogue and of course now through the internet. But its essentially the same thing. But they dropped the catalogue just about the same time the internet was gearing up. All they needed to do was post the catalogue on a website and they would have become Amazon before Amazon was thought of. But it wasn't to be.
DrRod
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As an aside, I needed a new gas dryer and so went to Sears because that's where you go when you need an appliance. It couldn't have been a bigger mess. Confusion at checkout, reworking the deal with all sorts of incentives and traps, delivery and installation had there own set of rules to navigate. When delivery day came, the dryer didn't. the warehouse told me there was a mistake in the order and I had to go to the store to straighten it out. I love it when someone's job becomes my responsibility. After several calls, some needing a UN translator, the deal was set and the dryer delivered. Ahh but the installer wasn't licensed to hook up gas and they had no relationships with such people so I had to find one on my own. He was cheaper than Sears but it turned out the hook-up package they sold me wasn't compatible with my house set up so he had to run to Lowes to get the right stuff. I can see why they might disappear.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
It is ironic that Sears, a company that started out as a mail order enterprise, is being killed off by the 21st century version of mail order. Well, Lambert has much to do with Sear's long, lingering, painful dive into death. :thumbdown:
I stopped going to Sears decades ago but maybe five years ago I was looking to buy a watch and the family had dragged me into one of my nightmares...
The Mall! :shocked:
To escape the family, who were shopping for shoes and clothes, :confused2:, I wandered down to Sears to see if they had the watch I wanted. I knew they would not have said watch but I remember they used to always have a decent watch selection. I was really shocked at the state of the store. It was a mess. It was dirty. It was disorganized. It was dark. It was VERY unwelcoming and not like Sears used to be and not like the other department stores in the mall. :thumbdown: The question in my mind was HOW was the store still opened?
I noticed in the last round of closings, that the store I used to go to as a wee little child will be shutdown. Some of my earliest memories are running around that Sears...
One would think that Sears, a company built on mail order, could have come back in the Internet Age with, well, mail order. It would seem that one could tie the mail orders with pick up at the stores and make a viable business...
Sad to watch what was a great company die this way.
Later,
Dan
I stopped going to Sears decades ago but maybe five years ago I was looking to buy a watch and the family had dragged me into one of my nightmares...
The Mall! :shocked:
To escape the family, who were shopping for shoes and clothes, :confused2:
, I wandered down to Sears to see if they had the watch I wanted. I knew they would not have said watch but I remember they used to always have a decent watch selection. I was really shocked at the state of the store. It was a mess. It was dirty. It was disorganized. It was dark. It was VERY unwelcoming and not like Sears used to be and not like the other department stores in the mall. :thumbdown: The question in my mind was HOW was the store still opened? I noticed in the last round of closings, that the store I used to go to as a wee little child will be shutdown. Some of my earliest memories are running around that Sears...
One would think that Sears, a company built on mail order, could have come back in the Internet Age with, well, mail order. It would seem that one could tie the mail orders with pick up at the stores and make a viable business...
Sad to watch what was a great company die this way.
Later,
Dan
MossRoad
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The reason many of these old stores didn't adapt soon enough to on-line sales was because they were run by old men that didn't or couldn't or wouldn't see the future.
Way back when, my employer had a bulletin board system that they hosted for local news, sports, events, weather, etc... it was insanely popular and successful for its day. We (the young people in the I.T. department) tried to talk them into becoming an internet service provider, as we saw that coming. They balked. Fast forward 25ish years and guess what? Their only profitable companies are two cable TV companies that they purchased. And those are not profitable because of the TV programming. It's because of the broadband services they provide. They missed the boat on it big time at the right time.
Hindsight is 20-20. Sears WAS a great innovator for many, many years. But they rested on their laurels too long and failed to look at the future hard enough. Like all Titans, they eventually fall. And like all technologies, they eventually get replaced.
Way back when, my employer had a bulletin board system that they hosted for local news, sports, events, weather, etc... it was insanely popular and successful for its day. We (the young people in the I.T. department) tried to talk them into becoming an internet service provider, as we saw that coming. They balked. Fast forward 25ish years and guess what? Their only profitable companies are two cable TV companies that they purchased. And those are not profitable because of the TV programming. It's because of the broadband services they provide. They missed the boat on it big time at the right time.
Hindsight is 20-20. Sears WAS a great innovator for many, many years. But they rested on their laurels too long and failed to look at the future hard enough. Like all Titans, they eventually fall. And like all technologies, they eventually get replaced.
I needed a freezer last year so went to the locally owned Sears affiliated store as they have always treated me well. I ordered a Kenmore for a little bit less than I could get anything at Home Depot or Lowes, and picked it up in three days. I haven't been to the Sears owned stores in years, and don't even know which are still open. It's too bad because at one time you could count on them for almost anything you need, at reasonable prices.
buckeyefarmer
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What ^^^^^ mossroad said.
In early 90s i worked implementing web based services for where i worked. Everyone was against it. They were entrenched in their old ways. Managers were threatened by the concept, because this was way over their heads...
In early 90s i worked implementing web based services for where i worked. Everyone was against it. They were entrenched in their old ways. Managers were threatened by the concept, because this was way over their heads...
MossRoad
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It's called the Diruptive Business Model
"In business, a disruptive innovation is an innovation that creates a new market and value network and eventually disrupts an existing market and value network, displacing established market-leading firms, products, and alliances."
Disruptive innovation - Wikipedia
"In business, a disruptive innovation is an innovation that creates a new market and value network and eventually disrupts an existing market and value network, displacing established market-leading firms, products, and alliances."
Disruptive innovation - Wikipedia
ultrarunner
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I did not leave Sears... Sears left me.
Cancelled my Credit Card after telling me it was good the night before...
As for stores closing... the 100 store Orchard Supply Hardware is closing... started local in 1931... was a great place to pick up things... also very conveniently to get in and out.
I'm really going to miss that store...
Orchard sold Craftsman and was bought by Lowes... but Lowes said all stores will close by year's end... the local store still had a banner saying it was hiring...
The big ACE and Do it Best are gone here too... the ACE had been here since the 1940's and was a city block... really had everything in that store...
I avoid mail order due to problems with delivery... lots of problems with thieves following delivery trucks here.
Cancelled my Credit Card after telling me it was good the night before...
As for stores closing... the 100 store Orchard Supply Hardware is closing... started local in 1931... was a great place to pick up things... also very conveniently to get in and out.
I'm really going to miss that store...
Orchard sold Craftsman and was bought by Lowes... but Lowes said all stores will close by year's end... the local store still had a banner saying it was hiring...
The big ACE and Do it Best are gone here too... the ACE had been here since the 1940's and was a city block... really had everything in that store...
I avoid mail order due to problems with delivery... lots of problems with thieves following delivery trucks here.
^^^^
We don't have that stealing problem here - yet- but I often have packages delivered at a nearby dropoff point, especially in winter as the town road to my house isn't the best.
It costs me a couple of bucks each time but still cheaper than driving 45 miles to the nearest business center.
We don't have that stealing problem here - yet- but I often have packages delivered at a nearby dropoff point, especially in winter as the town road to my house isn't the best.
It costs me a couple of bucks each time but still cheaper than driving 45 miles to the nearest business center.
goeduck
Super Star Member
I bought a clothes washer a few months back at Sears. They had a knowledgeable sales rep and delivery was actually a few hours early on they day they said. Two years back I bought a basic 100% refrigerator and basic 100% freezer for the garage from Sears (not everyone has those). Same thing, good service.
I am sure it will end some day and it will be interesting to see what happens to the real estate and eventually how the Sears name is resurrected and in what form.
I am sure it will end some day and it will be interesting to see what happens to the real estate and eventually how the Sears name is resurrected and in what form.
ultrarunner
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I was out of time and needed a refrigerator in Olympia... Saturday afternoon, I happened to see one that would fit at Lowes...
The sales person was very helpful... I said it was too late as I was driving back to California at 10am tomorrow on Sunday...
He came back and said he could have it at my home Sunday morning at 9 am... I was very skeptical but I did need one for the new tenants...
Right on clockwork, the truck shows up and drops off the new one... takes the old one and a microwave...
I want to give the guys $20... they said they cannot accept it... folded it and put it in his shirt pocket.
Sometimes things really work out well...
The sales person was very helpful... I said it was too late as I was driving back to California at 10am tomorrow on Sunday...
He came back and said he could have it at my home Sunday morning at 9 am... I was very skeptical but I did need one for the new tenants...
Right on clockwork, the truck shows up and drops off the new one... takes the old one and a microwave...
I want to give the guys $20... they said they cannot accept it... folded it and put it in his shirt pocket.
Sometimes things really work out well...
Fuddy1952
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Dad worked for Sears as service manager then home improvement sales from late 40s-'83...retired. I kept asking him to write a book, amazing funny stories. Dad passed a few years ago @88.
Oldoak
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Sears never "sold" credit cards but it is their credit division that kept them alive this long.
sixdogs
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It's said the first generation creates the wealth, the second generation spends the interest and the third generation spends the principal. That last generation just didn't seem to want to take the risks associated with new ventures and chose the safe path when it should have hired managers and CEOs willing to take some risks. Amazon looks easy today but they prospered only because of a brilliant CEO and management and success was anything but certain. Sears in the early days was run by people with skin in the game that loved every aspect of customers and retailing and couldn't wait to get to work in the morning.
Sears is probably gone, malls dying and the future is to be determined. Looks like online but the jury is still out. I think Harbor Freight is filling lots of the hand tool vacuum.
Sears is probably gone, malls dying and the future is to be determined. Looks like online but the jury is still out. I think Harbor Freight is filling lots of the hand tool vacuum.
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