Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
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storewanderer
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by storewanderer »

That Kmart in St. George isn't long for this world either. Dead store.

Don't forget Kmart is still open in Elko, NV.

At least, as of this posting...

This is the worst year for Kmart yet and I don't think the closure announcements are over...
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by Knight »

Sears #2305, Anderson Mall, 3101 North Main Street, Anderson, South Carolina 29621-2764, is in the process of closing. Sears Auto Center #6158 has recently closed.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by marshd1000 »

Meanwhile in Canada, Sears managers are getting bonuses while floor staff is getting laid off!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sears-l ... -1.4204178
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by SamSpade »

Wandered into the Beaverton KMart on Murray Road hoping to find a minor item that is normally in the beauty department. After finding the one aisle of products (!) I realized how far KMart has fallen in this universe. While Walmart isn't exactly palatial, it, along with drug stores and Target (and at least here, Fred Meyer) all have quite large and well laid out beauty / spa / home wellness departments. KMart had one aisle of mostly torn up and strewn about nail polish with a few kits and accessories at prices slightly higher than the competition.

I didn't end up buying anything because while I was there, the only open register clerk got on the P.A. to announce that their registers could not accept any credit or debit cards, cash only. I didn't have any cash on me.

Interestingly enough, the blue light was front and center when walking in, but I didn't bother to notice what it was about.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by rwsandiego »

SamSpade wrote:...Interestingly enough, the blue light was front and center when walking in, but I didn't bother to notice what it was about.
Raffle tickets to raise funds to buy more merchandise, perhaps?
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by storewanderer »

Cash only? This is getting painful to watch...

The Kmart store closing sale in my area is pretty interesting. On 3 different visits now, the percent off does not apply properly on items. It is very tricky to catch this, and, of course, you probably have to catch it before you pay due to the "All Sales Final" policy. I have had items marked 30% off scan 10% off, items marked 40% off scan 20% off, items marked 30% off scan 20% off, etc. Nothing was complicated. I bought a lamp, large sign said LAMPS 30% off. It scanned at 20% off. Same for the other items. The cashiers are pretty clueless saying "it came up on sale" which is right, but not at the posted percent off, and then the manager comes over and I explain it and the manager agrees to change the price.

It is not hard to set prices for store closing sales as Kmart's unit pricing manager (oh they probably eliminated that position, but anyone in management can do this) is able to do a "percent off by department" function and percent off the items that are in a given department. So either this is sloppy or it is intentional.

I too have noticed how Kmart's everyday shelf prices in the drug category are slightly above Walgreens/CVS. I also notice many categories they do not have their own private label in, but just some weird random generic brand.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by arizonaguy »

storewanderer wrote:Cash only? This is getting painful to watch...

The Kmart store closing sale in my area is pretty interesting. On 3 different visits now, the percent off does not apply properly on items. It is very tricky to catch this, and, of course, you probably have to catch it before you pay due to the "All Sales Final" policy. I have had items marked 30% off scan 10% off, items marked 40% off scan 20% off, items marked 30% off scan 20% off, etc. Nothing was complicated. I bought a lamp, large sign said LAMPS 30% off. It scanned at 20% off. Same for the other items. The cashiers are pretty clueless saying "it came up on sale" which is right, but not at the posted percent off, and then the manager comes over and I explain it and the manager agrees to change the price.

It is not hard to set prices for store closing sales as Kmart's unit pricing manager (oh they probably eliminated that position, but anyone in management can do this) is able to do a "percent off by department" function and percent off the items that are in a given department. So either this is sloppy or it is intentional.

I too have noticed how Kmart's everyday shelf prices in the drug category are slightly above Walgreens/CVS. I also notice many categories they do not have their own private label in, but just some weird random generic brand.
I went to the store closing sale in my area, but didn't end up purchasing anything. Even with the 20 - 40% off, the item prices were higher than I could get at Target or Walmart.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by Super S »

arizonaguy wrote:
storewanderer wrote:Cash only? This is getting painful to watch...

The Kmart store closing sale in my area is pretty interesting. On 3 different visits now, the percent off does not apply properly on items. It is very tricky to catch this, and, of course, you probably have to catch it before you pay due to the "All Sales Final" policy. I have had items marked 30% off scan 10% off, items marked 40% off scan 20% off, items marked 30% off scan 20% off, etc. Nothing was complicated. I bought a lamp, large sign said LAMPS 30% off. It scanned at 20% off. Same for the other items. The cashiers are pretty clueless saying "it came up on sale" which is right, but not at the posted percent off, and then the manager comes over and I explain it and the manager agrees to change the price.

It is not hard to set prices for store closing sales as Kmart's unit pricing manager (oh they probably eliminated that position, but anyone in management can do this) is able to do a "percent off by department" function and percent off the items that are in a given department. So either this is sloppy or it is intentional.

I too have noticed how Kmart's everyday shelf prices in the drug category are slightly above Walgreens/CVS. I also notice many categories they do not have their own private label in, but just some weird random generic brand.
I went to the store closing sale in my area, but didn't end up purchasing anything. Even with the 20 - 40% off, the item prices were higher than I could get at Target or Walmart.
I have noticed that, on some items, they raise the prices just before the liquidation. But not everything. You have to watch things carefully.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by storewanderer »

I was in a Sears today in Aberdeen, WA. It is just what you expect. This is a basically abandoned mall and Sears is the only retailer in an anchor space. There is some sort of indoor rec facility in another former anchor space and an operating cinema in another anchor space. The mall itself is largely abandoned.

The Sears was trying to make a go of it but it was pretty bad. Giant empty spaces in men's and children's clothing. Lots of appliances out in walkways to give an appearance of items on the sales floor. Tools/hardware areas were trying to appear full but as you looked more closely, lots of out of stocks.

The Sears also had a strange logo I never saw before. It was just basic plain text "SEARS." That logo must pre-date me.
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Re: Sears/Kmart Death Watch 2017

Post by rwsandiego »

storewanderer wrote:...The Sears also had a strange logo I never saw before. It was just basic plain text "SEARS." That logo must pre-date me.
Hmmm...I'm 53 and the Sears exterior logos I recall are:

Image <===LOVE this one

Image

Image <===Can it get worse?


Image <===Queston answered.

Image <===I recall this one from a few older, urban locations in Chicago when I was growing up
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