Goodbye Sears, it's been a hellava run

[BoomerD]

Fuck Sears. As much as I hate to see an American business close its doors, Sears is one I definitely won't miss.

Product quality has declined severely over the years...especially since they merged with K-Mart...to the point where nearly everything is made in China...even most Craftsman tools.
While Craftsman hand tools were never the "top drawer" quality of Snap-on, Mac, Matco, and the other "professional grade" tools, they were dependable. Nowadays, it's easy to break Craftsman sockets...and their end wrenches easily spread when you're really tightening/loosening nuts/bolts.
I haven't set foot in a Sears store in a decade...and don't expect to ever do so again.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Yeah, I remember wanting the sailor GI Joe when I was 8.

That is one bad ass jeep, I just want to be the driver or gunner. Definitely not the dude in the wagon operating the light.

 

[Thebobo]

RIP Die Hard batteries

 

[feralkid]

Sears was mail order only in the early days.

They sold guns to your door until the passage of the 1968 GCA. They also sold firearms in stores until the late 80's.

I still use an old J.C. Higgins 12 guage for pheasant hunting.

 

[MasterOfUsers]

It looks as though the demise of B&M Sears stores is inevitable. They used to be a staple of America, basically, "where America shops"
But over the past decade or so they've fallen on extremely hard times. They're closing stores left and right, and the merger with Kmart was just inane (imo).
Sears, Roebuck & Company started out in the late 19th century and was THE go to catalog for nearly everything that wasn't perishable.

Hell, they even sold cars

The Sears Christmas Wish Book was something I looked forward to every year as a kid growing up in the 60's/70's.

The world has changed, dramatically, and unfortunately, Sears never kept up. My father was employed by Allstate as a statistician, so I think I may have a special place in my heart for Sears (Sears owned Allstate Insurance).

Ok, enough opinion, here's the actual news:
money.cnn.com/2014/05/15/news/companies/sears-store-closings/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Not going to say anything about something i don't know anything about... I'm an Englishman.

Just here to say that with that username, you, sir, win the internets.

 

[Zorba]

I can't believe there still are any K-marts around, they have been horrible for a long time.

I used to shop at Sears a lot for tools, but lately a ton of their tools are made in China and they have really jacked up the price of the USA tools and the quality has gone way down. The last couple of times I bought something there they were massively on everyone's case trying to sign them up for the loyalty program, really annoying.

 

[zinfamous]

Anyone else see the humor in a business that practically invented the mail-order business, flaming out because it never adopted, decades later....to the mail order business?

:hmm:

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Anyone else see the humor in a business that practically invented the mail-order business, flaming out because it never adopted, decades later....to the mail order business?

:hmm:

That irony did not escape me. Too bad it escaped all the execs in charge of the sinking ship

 

[Linflas]

I remember anxiously awaiting the Wishbook every year and going through and circling everything I wanted. At least many are on the internet now:

http://192.185.93.157/~wishbook/

Yep that was the real start of Christmas when that catalog arrived. Thanks for that link, when I get home I have some nostalgia to look forward to. Sears was the go to store for almost everything when I was a kid, when my parents would go shopping there they would just turn us loose in the toy department while they went and did their shopping. And there was the candy counter to stop at before we left.

 

[Oyeve]

It was inevitable, Like J&R music closing down in NYC. They didn't roll with the times. Online is were its at for 10 years now. Companies that didnt have a good online presence are dying. Online is great, it will unify the world one day.

 

[BoberFett]

B&Ms are great,.. but, there isn't much point in them today. They are over priced and nothing more than floor shows.

I still see clothing, supermarkets and car dealers going strong. But, for the most part, I buy online.

Good for you. We definitely need to eliminate those local jobs. I'm glad to see you're on board with sticking it to those uppity low wage workers.

 

[PricklyPete]

Clearly they just need to merge with RadioShack to right the ship...I'm surprised this hasn't happened already.

 

[squarecut1]

It was inevitable, Like J&R music closing down in NYC. They didn't roll with the times. Online is were its at for 10 years now. Companies that didnt have a good online presence are dying. Online is great, it will unify the world one day.

Technology is only increasing social isolation

 

[disappoint]

Technology is only increasing social isolation

Don't look up. The Amazon attack quadcopter UAV will be by shortly to drop banana cream pie on your face.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Nothing last forever. Businesses that have lasted as long as Sears are rare birds in the business world due to their longevity but in the end every business eventually meets its end.

 

[Zorkorist]

It looks as though the demise of B&M Sears stores is inevitable. They used to be a staple of America, basically, "where America shops"
But over the past decade or so they've fallen on extremely hard times. They're closing stores left and right, and the merger with Kmart was just inane (imo).
Sears, Roebuck & Company started out in the late 19th century and was THE go to catalog for nearly everything that wasn't perishable.

Hell, they even sold cars

The Sears Christmas Wish Book was something I looked forward to every year as a kid growing up in the 60's/70's.

The world has changed, dramatically, and unfortunately, Sears never kept up. My father was employed by Allstate as a statistician, so I think I may have a special place in my heart for Sears (Sears owned Allstate Insurance).

Ok, enough opinion, here's the actual news:
money.cnn.com/2014/05/15/news/companies/sears-store-closings/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

That Sears closed their Sears Catalog division, when everyone else was making catalog sales, tells you how fucked up they were.

-John

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Good for you. We definitely need to eliminate those local jobs. I'm glad to see you're on board with sticking it to those uppity low wage workers.

It is not about wanting to eliminate jobs that were provided by the business just out of spite. It has everything to do with a failing business not being able to compete in the marketplace because it can't adapt to the changing conditions fast enough.

What would want done? Should we subsidize a failing business that has not learned to apply market lessons to become successful and right its course???

That would be far worse than watching Sears go under on its own. At least in the former scenario it would leave room for other successful players to expand and fill in the void left behind by Sears. Much like a large and well aged tree that dies ends up providing new opportunity for a new generation of plants, animals, etc to thrive off its demise and restart the cycle of growth. In the wake of Sears demise others will move in to take up wait void they have left behind and the those who are successful in market place will continue to adapt to meet changing consumer trends and needs and they will in turn create new opportunities for employment that will take root and guide the job market for as long as they stay around and that particular business model continues working.

 

[Zorkorist]

Sears, who?

-John

 

[ultimatebob]

I remember anxiously awaiting the Wishbook every year and going through and circling everything I wanted. At least many are on the internet now:

http://192.185.93.157/~wishbook/

The 1944 Wish Book is interesting. All of the war documentaries try make it look like everyone was scrimping and saving and living like paupers at home to support the war effort, but that book sure seems to have a lot of unnecessary luxury items in it...

 

[MongGrel]

RIP old Sears catalog Lingerie catalog section for starter sub p0rn 40 years ago.

I guess JCP was always better at that then anyways.

He he.

 

[Sonikku]

I remember anxiously awaiting the Wishbook every year and going through and circling everything I wanted. At least many are on the internet now:

http://192.185.93.157/~wishbook/

Man those idiots. Putting Mum-Rah in the Thundertank? What were they THINKING? Whatever fools did those photoshoots don't understand Thundercats.

 

[Triumph]

Craftsman hand tools now made in China. Don't care about Sears anymore. I will continue to buy their used tools when I come across them at yard sales though.

 

[who?]

The 1944 Wish Book is interesting. All of the war documentaries try make it look like everyone was scrimping and saving and living like paupers at home to support the war effort, but that book sure seems to have a lot of unnecessary luxury items in it...

1944 was the year some real estate people imported palm trees from Samoa to California to make the place look cool.

 

[CKAESV]

Anyone else see the humor in a business that practically invented the mail-order business, flaming out because it never adopted, decades later....to the mail order business?

:hmm:

That actually isn't true. Sears is doing decently in Internet and mail order areas. That isn't its problem. After Sears and Kmart merged the new plan was to run the brick and mortar store as cheaply as possible and rely on service plans, internet orders, and their points program to carry the business. The reason all of that is failing is because they are still using supplies from the 1970s in many stores. The clothing sections haven't had a legit redesign often enough to keep up with new stock. It is impossible for a woman to fully outfit a wardrobe in a sears store because she won't be able to find all of their clothing that they have on hand due to how haphazard it is thrown together. Clothing takes up half of the sears stores. And all the other sections are just as bad.

On the other hand the Lands' End in sears section of clothing is always perfectly laid out. That is because Lands' End has full time teams that do nothing but specify how to lay out Lands' End clothing in the provided space at each Sears store. Lands' End was owned by Sears until a few weeks ago, but they weren't going to let anyone mess up their reputation. If necessary the teams would go into the store and buy them new supplies, paint the walls, etc.

 

[Bitek]

I can't think of a single thing sears does that isn't done by someone else better or cheaper. Other than buying an appliance, can't imagine a single reason to go to sears.

Sad to think they were the Amazon of their day.