And it's not just Sears. I know others in retail working for different stores, same story. Here's someone from Macy's saying sales are down at least 20% from last year.
https://www.thelayoff.com/t/QKBh84q#post
Folks, this isn't about Sears, Macy's, or any other specific retailer. This is the economy as a whole going down the tube.
@QKagsfU-two There are probably at least a few Third World countries that spend more on roads and other infrastructure than Sears/Kmart have spent on improving/renovating their stores
@qhr I wonder if that is because your store is the only one left in an area that used to have multiple Sears stores
Sales overall might be up. At the same time they are spread around among more competitors than ever before. Brick and mortar stores, online sales, gift cards, high end liquor stores, craft shows, art fairs, specialty shops, paper catalogs. Where I live people can buy m-r-j-a-a at a hundred different stores which just appeared in recent years. And the $millions going to these shops count in total retail sales. Years ago Dad might have received a drill for Christmas from Sears. Now maybe he gets an ounce of weed. Every year people have more options for spending money and more diverse product selections. Weak outdated retailers such as Sears and Kmart selling cheap Chinese made stuff don't stand a chance in the brave new world of retail.
@qhr - Which Sears store is doing so well? Some of us may want to stop by and enjoy the experience of a successful Sears Store. If your store is doing as well as you say, then Eddie wouldn't mind one bit if you reveal it on this site!
Our sears parking lot has been full most nights and sales are up, busiest we’ve been in ten years.
Maybe you guys just work in dawg stores?
@two Wow you sound like you used to work for Sears and are upset over something. I never think anything of anyone asking about a credit card. It's part of their job. It's just like at Taco Bell they ask me to take a survey....okay if the person working is nice sure why not. If not I throw it away...but move on....it doesn't stick in my mind like oh my gosh they are asking me this again. I agree with you on a clean store BUT there are other companies who do very well with less than nice or clean stores (ie Ross/Dollar General). Ross is an awful store to go into.....very messy...at least the one near me but they are on fire sales wise. The Dollar General near me is awful too but does very well as they are rapidly expanding as is Ross. You put a lot of thought into everything you buy obviously. The Sears store near me is clean, the associates are nice, and truthfully I don't mind waiting a short time in a line. And I honestly have never thought once going into ANY store that I am #1....and no one in Target, Home Depot, Lowes anywhere else either has ever treated me that way. In retail today, I pretty much always have to seek out help if I need it. And it's okay because I realize for the most part everyone is doing what they can do. Of course if I run into issues with a larger purchase, i get mad....like when we bought some storm doors from Home Depot and they ordered the wrong size...but as long as they fix it I am okay. Things happen.
Holiday sales in most retail places are doing well. Brick and mortar are still alive. It is the business that did not adapt (SHC, JCP, Macys) and did not give a great customer experience (SHC) or did not invest in the stores (SHC) that are struggling. THese days customers want nice, bright, clean, well maintained stores with great customer service, the same thing they have always wanted. Places like SHC has run down stores, that are dark, dank, moldy, outdated, with little help and horrible customer service (see the Sears forum page or their Facebook page).
As an example of what I mean I will look to fastfood. Look at Chic-fil-A. They sell chicken sandwhiches.
You can be the 40 person in the drive through line and you will be out of there in 5-7 minutes, tops. The store is clean, well lit. The employees are friendly, well mannered and know their job. I don't really like fastfood but if I do eat it I look for a Chic-fil-A for these reasons. Why spend my money on a company who disrespects my business? A business who doesn't care enough about me, the customer, to properly clean, light, maintain and stock a place where I want to give my business (MONEY). Why should I work hard to buy nice things and then go to a store who doesn't have the brains or desire to put me #1 and give good service? Why should I, who has limited time during the day, go to a store who can't invest in updated registers and hire enough cashiers to service the customer? Why should I, who works hard, has kids, go to a store who hassles me about signing up for a credit card I don't want or need? If anyone from the company can explain why I should shop at Sears or Kmart over Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Lowes, Home Depot or Amazon I would be more than willing to give them my business (MONEY) but as I an others have already done we have voted with our business (MONEY) and loyalty and shop elsewhere.
You're making the classic mistake of thinking your experience and a couple of others are representative. That's called confirmation bias - you look for "facts" that support your POV and ignore ones that don't. Holiday sales overall are the strongest they've been in years.
How about sales at Big Lots, Burlington Coat, TJ Maxx, etc. ? Consumers are shopping the (perceived) discount retailers.
Reality is Sears, JC Penney & Macy's are doing worse than most.
All I have to do is look at the parking lot outside Sears and Macy's in our mall.....more employee cars than customers during the busiest time of the year....30 years ago, on a December weekend, customers were driving around and around just trying to find a parking spot......I see this at other shopping centers as well.....More people are shopping online....thus fewer cars in parking lots.
Err Kmart, sears, and Macy's doesn't equal the whole economy.
Macy’s? Really? Theirs sales are declining because grandmas are dying off so fast. I bet I haven’t bought anything in one, literally ever.
Sales are going from the roof at our kmart just it's too moldy with eddies lack of maintenance it us about to say poof. He should come here. Oh wait we are closing. Poof. He made another million. Eddie is a moldy billionare .
I see you know the media narrative quite well. But guess what they forget to mention? Online sales as a whole only make up about 8% of total retail sales. So when they say they're "going through the roof" they mean they're increasing by 10% or so. And that includes Amazon.
10% of such a small number is meaningless, but thanks for spewing the official narrative. Maybe next time do 5 mins of homework before you open your mouth.
"sales online are through the roof FYI. Brick and mortar will continue to decline for some time"
sales online are through the roof FYI. Brick and mortar will continue to decline for some time