Thread regarding Sears layoffs

@irnz You aren't understanding what I am saying. I am by no means saying a reporter has anything to do with the operational aspects of Sears. I am saying it's "overkill" to keep reporting the same thing again and again. And yes the reporters who keep doing this are hurting store associates as they need to just move on. It's been reported.

@1cxa - With a company, such as SHLD, the directions and policies that guide that company are the sole result of decisions made by the CEO, the board of directors and select high-level managers. To the best of my knowledge I don't know of a single case at SHLD where a reporter has been responsible for such a decision. A reporter is only a messenger conveying the results that arise from the decisions that the responsible parties have made. To place any blame on reporters for the disastrous situation in which SHLD is mired, or for bestowing harm upon its associates, is absolutely ludicrous! That blame rest squarely on the shoulders of Eddie and his band of corporate toadies.

@1cxa. Aww...this person thinks the world revolves around them and their “feelings”.

@1bnb Okay it is obvious that some feel Eddie is the reason for everything bad that is happening. Okay everyone has their own opinion. What good does it do to just re publish an article essentially about how some Kmart/Sears store look bad....especially when it is a Kmart that is now being run by a liquidator? That doesn't help the associates that work there. It is an easy article for the reporter.....an easy assignment. The thoughtful assignment would be to reveal something new....not that some Kmarts/Sears are closing but the industry behind the stores that close....what are the workings of the liquidation industry and how does that affect things. And no there is nothing wrong, wrong wrong about what I said. It is shameful whenever anyone does anything that will directly or indirectly hurt someone.

@1bnb - Wrong, wrong, wrong! There isn't a single reporter that is harming SHLD associates. Every harm that is coming the way of SHLD associates is a direct result of Eddie's incompetence! Eddie and his bumbling band of accomplices are the only thing "SHAMEFUL" about this situation.

@1jpc No that is what the reporter wants you to believe. These pieces are un necessary....and nothing new. All they do is hurt the store associates who for the most part are all doing their best. It is wrong, and if I were a reporter, I would try to find something positive as opposed to all the drama/negativity. Don't give the reporter a pass. This reporter is hurting hard working associates who probably make minimum wage. That is SHAMEFUL!

People please understand that the person who wrote this article is a business reporter. Just like Barrons, Motley Fool, Yahoo, Business Insider, Forbes and many more. They write about business to inform potential investors and also employees about the state of the company. It is not a hit piece, in that they have no skin in the game whether SHC survives or not. They are just making observations on a store that they went into and the problems they encountered. This is just like the other hundreds of articles written by business magazines, investment boards, and others on the state of SHC.

It has nothing to do with the commitment of the employees or the store managers, but more on the bad, strange, and illogical decisions from the corporate managers. Eddie himself has said that he was not going to invest in the stores upkeep, computer systems, equipment or any other aspect of store remodeling. There have been some stores remodeled and for what purpose? Who knows. But stop taking everything so personal, it is an observation. And I am sure that for those who work in the stores, they can tell stories of bad customer service, broken registers, antiquated computer systems, lack of direction, lack of hours, lack of raises, bad management etc.

@zpa It seems to vary regionally and even locally. Due to differing priorities and competence of various levels of management, I'm guessing. Similarly, some stores (both Kmart and Sears) don't get enough / the right shipping supplies to pack some of their orders properly, while others are fine on that point.

@qol I find this so odd because every Sears store I go in has plenty of toilet paper. Are you talking about Kmart stores having issues? There aren't any close to my house anymore, so I only order online now.

Why are you taking it so personal? He said the customer service he received was good. Nothing about the rest is untrue. Registers constantly breaking down and not working. Check! Price scanners broken or removed. Check! Old signs left up and not removed. Check! The same merchandise is being sold at Sears and Kmart but sold at a higher price at Sears. Check ! Merchandise that is out of season or is displayed in places that don't make sense. Check! Online shopping kiosks not working. Check! The very same sad merchandise that did not sell last fall or winter is back out again. Check! It doesn't really matter about the messes or the mold or the fact the building is falling down around your ears. Other retailers have messes but they clean them up. The bathrooms have toilet paper and soap. That was a big push to quit when I hold to bring my own toilet paper to work. I mean besides the equipment never working and the fact minimum wage caught up to what I made. I put in my notice two years ago because I couldn't do another holiday season at Sears.

"Wow, Paula Gardner wrote a hit piece. Nothing to see here...."

An article showing and stating the obvious and ongoing problems is NOT a 'hit piece'. Indeed there is nothing to see here because journalists have shown this same basic story for at least 6 years. Better brush up on your rendition of "Nearer My God To Thee".

This story is warning shoppers and investors that this company is in distress. It has nothing to do with employees' feelings, the story is to serve shoppers and investors, not deliver a pep talk to employees.

Wow, Paula Gardner wrote a hit piece. Nothing to see here

http://connect.mlive.com/staff/PGARDNER/posts.html

@wfy Exactly my point.....see I really think these types of articles are just awful. I looked at the article. When a store closes, the product in the store is sold to a liquidator who then can put any price they want on the product. The store staff remains the same. So YES the prices could be higher at a Kmart store that is liquidating than a regular store as Kmart (Sears) no longer controls the prices. Everything is so one sided. If the intention is to hurt/upset store associates, then "karma" is going to get these nasty people writing these articles and trying to hurt/upset store associates as that is just wrong. If the intention really is just to hurt corporate (Eddie) okay but go to him directly as opposed to writing these silly articles that don't give the whole story.

Doesn't help that they don't get enough hours to take care of things properly at most stores.

@uza Don't know about Kmart.....but as I said there are lots of hard working Sears store managers/associates. Say what you want to make yourself happy. I am not excusing anything...just saying have some compassion as there are bad looking stores with every chain with the exception of course of Duluth Trading which always looks wonderful. JCP, Macys, Kohls,Target,Walmart....I have been in all of these stores and seen absolute messes.

“that's life“? What kind of idiotic complacency is this? That’s what got Kmart and Sears in trouble in the first place.

It doesn’t have to be like this if it’s well-managed and if there is a real vision.

Sounds like people working at Kmart expect it to be crap and shrug off the real assessment. Pathetic

@zvh If it makes you happy to say that and obviously you don't work for the company, go ahead say that. But there are also a LOT of hard working, dedicated store managers and associates that work for Sears Holdings, so why hurt them with this article? I GUARANTEE you I can find a mess of a store in any chain that I visit. As a good person, I don't take pictures to try to embarrass those stores as I wouldn't as that is not how I was raised. It happens.

If my neighborhood grocery store had sparse inventory, month-old sale signage, nonsensical prices, etc., they'd go out of business. The stores are just poorly managed from the top.

Don't let this get to you. I haven't looked at the article yet but what is new? You can visit any store anywhere and find bad things. That is life.