An American Icon, Sears, is imploding. Here's why

http://www.businessinsider.com/sears-stores-are-in-decline-2016-6

I think this is more of a "how we know" than a "why", but still sad.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/13/2016 03:32 PM EDT

Sad. Clearly employees are not following the systems set in place and managers are unwilling or unable to hold them accountable. Leadership needs to get the message through before the ship has taken on too much water.

Jeremiah Anderson wrote:Sad. Clearly employees are not following the systems set in place and managers are unwilling or unable to hold them accountable. Leadership needs to get the message through before the ship has taken on too much water.

For sure they have inept people, but it's also possible they don't have enough of them- they're selling off properties and liquidating stores to pay the bills.

To me this is an American icon- sadly, the Internet will be blamed for their demise with competitors like Amazon...but many other retailers are fine.

What should they do?

Focus on what works. Craftsman tools and Kenmore appliances have been strong historically, and nobody buys either off the internet. Ditch the Land's End brand...it's a noose. Add dependable in-store services (like optical) and exploit the goodwill the Sears' brand represents. Don't close one store- close many. Hit core markets and re-tool to be lean and mean and stockpile cash and new investment to explode forward with that Sears brand of department store meets economical shopping when the next market slowdown occurs and the purely American addiction to shopping keeps consumers going to the mall. Add delivery service out of your stores with more bandwidth to serve more places than Amazon Prime. Add a killer electronics experience, largely for the home theater market.

Oh, and fire your stupid CEO.

too late. Sears customers are mostly dead. I look for WalMart to die off in the same fashion as Sears. Most of their stuff is junk, specialty retailers have taken away their profitable items and they seem focused on groceries which is a very low margin business. They push mostly foreign grocery products (half made in Mexico), their meat/fish is very poor quality and limited selections. Walmart online is a mess - you never really know when you will receive the products and they can't seem to get it right. Forget Sears online as well as most of the old brands such as JCPenney, Kohls, etc. These are all Dead Stores Walking.

I don't think we've witnessed the next great wave in retailing yet but I suspect it will be large, co-branded retailers centrally located in one massive complex similar to malls if we have brick and mortar at all. Think strolling thru a place where you try out the latest TV, pay for it and it is delivered to your house the next day, picking your groceries by scanning with your phone and they are either delivered to your home or bagged and ready by the time you get to the front of the store - no shopping cart, no waiting in line to check out. Try on clothes and they are delivered the next day - no carrying heavy clothes around the store. No doubt, most prefer online ordering as long as the delivery is almost immediate but ordering clothes, shoes and many other items online can be frustrating when they don't fit. There are many products I still want to touch, see and experience before I buy.

DEAD STORES WALKING: Sears, Penneys, KMart, Target, Michaels, Kohls, Macy's, Gap, JCrew, Dillards, Lowes or Home Depot (there can be only one), Mens Wearhouse, Brooks Bro's., ACE Hardware (they don't have anything anyway).

My wife already uses a grocery store app where she orders and pays for everything then she gets a text when it is ready.

She or I then go to the store and they have special assigned parking stalls to park at. You text them your confirmation code to let them know you are there and within 5 minutes they come out with all of your groceries and even put them in the car for you. It's pretty sweet!

SheehanThomson wrote:My wife already uses a grocery store app where she orders and pays for everything then she gets a text when it is ready.

She or I then go to the store and they have special assigned parking stalls to park at. You text them your confirmation code to let them know you are there and within 5 minutes they come out with all of your groceries and even put them in the car for you. It's pretty sweet!

sweet. that's what I'm talking about.