There will be only one position in this new, exciting and innovative way of modern bricks and mortar retailing: the store keeper. The store keeper opens the store, unloads boxes of merchandise to place on tables, replenishes the change, mails the money, checks, rewards and payment information (written by the member on note cards) to the central support center; sweeps and vacuums the store and empties the garbage. The store keeper makes a periodic check in to replenish change, clean or straighten up. In the 11-hour average a Sears store is open, it is estimated that the sole employee, the shopkeeper, can perform his or her duties in two to three hours or less, which leads to an enormous cost saving in labor and restores profitability. With Simple Store, members shop on the honor system, which in turn enables them to shop their way without being interrupted by a sales associate. If a member does need help, they are welcome to call the store keeper's personal cell phone number, which is posted on the phone attached to the wall.
After making the appropriate labor readjustments, each store will receive a shipment. In that shipment will be about 50 folding banquet tables, a cash box, a calculator, pencils, note cards and a "How-To Self Check Out on the Honor System" poster. The cash box will start off with $1000 in various denominations for members to make their own change on the honor system. We will get to the cash box, pencils and notepad in a moment.
Meanwhile, all shipments will arrive to the store on a pallet. The store keeper will arrive to the store before opening, unload the pallets, remove the shrink wrap from these pallets and move the boxes from the pallets onto the folding banquet tables. After performing those duties, the store keeper will leave for the day, checking in periodically and will come back to the store lock the doors by 9pm.
Members will select their merchandise from the boxes laid out on the banquet tables. All merchandise is priced as marked. For larger items, like appliances, there will be a hand truck for members to take their purchase out of the store and into their vehicle. After the member has made their purchase, they will go to the self checkout station, run by the honor system, where they will find the cash box, some pencils, a calculator and note cards. For cash payments, members simply add up their purchases, figure the tax and deposit their cash into the cash box and make their own change. For checks, the member will just place the check made out to Sears or Kmart under the cash tray. For credit and debit purchases, they will record their name, credit card number and total on a piece of notepad paper to be placed under the tray. For all purchases where the member wishes to redeem bonus points or Freecash, the member will be given the opportunity to deduct from their subtotal what they figure they have in points. Members will also record their phone number and their transaction total on a piece of notepad paper to receive their rewards points or to sign up, which should take 30-45 business days to process after it has been mailed with the checks and credit card numbers to the store support center. This, too, is placed under the cash tray. By implenting an honor system for checkout instead of employing a traditional cashier, we are embracing operational efficiency and keeping our stores simple, helping our members shop their way.
For members wishing to apply for a Sears card, there will be a phone on the wall with the number to the Sears Card Application hotline. Members will call this number, answer a few questions, and if approved, they will write their account number on a business card.
For ship to store items, there will be a dedicated area in the store where members will find their merchandise. Members simply find their merchandise and take it with them -- easy peasy.
For big-ticket purchases, members will find informational binders on a bookshelf to answer any questions they may have.