5th anniversary of Sears-Kmart merger

[Zayre88]

This week marks the fifth anniversary for Sears and Kmart. On March 24, 2005, two of America's oldest retailers, with roots dating to the 19th century, tied the knot, for better or worse.

The combined company is still standing and profitable after the Great Recession, a feat of its own given how many retailers succumbed to the economic downturn.

But a look at the numbers shows a company that is getting smaller, making less money and employing fewer people.

It generates less in revenue and profit than it did the first year together. It has more stores — more than 3,900 today, up from about 3,500 five years ago — but its market share is dwindling. Even as the company closes unprofitable Sears and Kmart stores, it is adding smaller stores that cost less to operate.

SOURCE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0326-notebook-retail--20100325,0,585150.story


What are your thoughts on Sears and Kmart 5 years later?  Discuss!

[nims57]

Things are looking very bad. In the past year, I have been to Kmart, Sears Essentials, and Sears Hardware closing sales.

[Zayre88]

I think it's a miracle that this company is still in business.  For 5 years I've read nothing but sales going down, profits going down, store count going down... and they're still there today.

Every time I go to Sears, I find more employees than customers, and Kmart stores are nearly empty because it's obvious that their prices are higher (unless items on sale and clearance).

I wonder how will they hold on for 5 more years?

[Marc82]

KMART and SEARS both suck. The last thing I bought at SEARS was a GE SUPER RADIO III at the West Hartford, Connecticut store some 10 years ago. The last thing I bought at KMART was The CD Soundtrack to the movie "8 Mile" back on Thanksgiving Day 2002 at the now-defunct Plainville, Connecticut store.

In July 2007 while vacationing in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania I stopped at the King of Prussia Mall to use the bathroom. I  parked really close to Sears and went inside to find a bathroom. The employees were just standing around doing nothing. This was like 2 o'clock on a Thursday afternoon. I find the bathroom. Do my business. Walk out into the mall and it's jammed packed full of people. I'm thinking to myself. Okay. Something is wrong. The mall is packed full of people but Sears is completely devoid of customers. Is Sears that bad of a store to shop at?

Last fall my mom asked me to take her to KMART in Waterbury, Connecticut. More employees than customers. And it was just nasty. And paint job. Yuck.

I don't see how they can last. Even if they redid all their stores. Even if they got all new corporate drones.

[Caldor1999]

personally i think what will help sears is to revamp there image for starters they need to get rid of Kmart i think that's a huge burden there. Every Kmart i have been to is dirty and nasty all the ones by me were once cadors and they REUSED everything caldor once had they didn't remodel anything besides a cheep paint job on the outside. also the service at the kmarts i have been to is horrible and the stores are messy they never have anything in stock and it got so bad that they permanently had to seal off the costumer rest rooms that caldor once used

As for sears i think they need to focus on there appliances such as Air conditioners Kitchen appliances and hardware tools electronics ect because they have everything you can need. you can even stuff u cant find at best buy or home depot.

also they should give some of there stores a nicer look to them maybe remodel there stores make them more costumer friendly and make them really stand out and catch peoples attention. also i think they should lessen the clothing line because i can't think of anyone i know who buys there clothing from sears. everyone ether gets it from target wal mart kohls or they get it from mall stores such as h&m express and so on or other dept stores such as JC Penny Macy's Nordstrom and so forth