ptegler@cablespeed.com wrote:
>Well.... anyone that use to like Craftsman or considered it a
>'quality' backed product line ...can kiss that good-bye!
>K-mart just bought Sears! 11 billions dollar deal!
>There's no way Kmart can/will continue 'quality'. There
>isn't any way they'll be able to maintain the 'Sears' brand loyalty
>by bring in China crap, which is the only way they'll be able to
>maintain profits.
>
>So who else believes Kmart and Sears BOTH will be out of
>business within five years after this grab for market dominance?
>
>Why post this on the LBC lists? ..AS a warning to buy your
>tools NOW! While they're still(?) some quality left in the name!
>:-(
>
>Paul Tegler
>ptegler@cablespeed.com
>www.teglerizer.com
>
>
That's a cryin' shame but I guess it was inevitable. Even without the
merger I think both companies would have sunk within five to ten years
anyhow. They were both loosing retail sales faster than anyone else in
the market segment while high-end retail companies like Neiman Marcus
are reporting near-record growth in sales. The real downfall is the
boom in home improvement stores and specialty linen stores (Lowes, Home
Depot, Linens and Things; Bed, Bath and Beyond, etc.) taking the vast
majority of their customers. For little to no more money they can feel
less like cattle and more like upper-scale retail customers where
cusomter service still seems to have at least some value. Add Walmart
and Target to the fray to take grassroots retail customers and it's
almost the perfect storm. The only thing I can think of that I can buy
at Sears that I can't buy at Lowes or Target is a bed. I don't know
about you but I don't buy beds all that often. The last few times I was
in Sears I felt ignored and unimportant, furthering my desire to not
shop there in the future. Honestly the only reason I've been going in
for the last few years to to replace failed Craftsman tools. That said,
I'll be heading to Lowes and buying Kobalt tools in the future. They're
much closer to my house than Sears is anyhow. :)
tschuh
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