Sears: Death of an American icon

NY Post ^ | October 15, 2018

[conservative98]

1983. Mannequins are shown as Sears unveils its "Store of the Future."

[sipow]

Around these parts the amazon lockers are all over. I’ve even seen them in apartment complexes. Much more convenient than Walmart for me.

But that’s what is great - what works for one person isn’t what works for another - so there are a variety of solutions out there.

[GOYAKLA]

My Dad (b. 1899) was given a Sears violin(Fiddle) on his eighth birthday. Today it needs restoration but where do I take it or just leave it be?

[susannah59]

I use Amazon. I’ve had things delivered to Wal-Mart for pickkup but had to go inside the store all the way to the back to pick up my item. I didn’t care for that. I’ve ordered groceries online and picked up once, but the store nearest me hasn’t started that service yet; it should start next month. That can work for me if I don’t need items like meats or produce. I’ll choose those myself.

I use Jet.com a lot and love it. Quick, easy, free shipping for $35 or more purchase. Terrific customer service, too.

I grew up in a small town. We didn’t have a Sears store, but a catalog center. I remember the Christmas Wish Books well. I thought you could find just about anything in there! Sears really did mis their opportunities.

[x]

Something like this happened to Woolworth's and to A&P.

The top brass took money out of the company and treated the company as a real estate operation.

But it doesn't seem like anybody at Sears had the kind of fun Barbara Hutton and Huntington Hartford did with all their money.

[familyop]

I understand what you're saying an agree that university programs continue to produce politically correct managers.

"I actually do want to write a book someday about how MBA's are destroying the world."

But that is why I said that there's no future for it. We're on the precipice of the mother of all debt collapses. When human life becomes cheap enough, political correctness will be terminated.

The only way that they can have enough sustainable revenues for even moderate government spending is to hire many more men to produce useful items. But they chose balance of payments deficits (so-called free trade) that ever increase the piles of debt.

The vicious cycle will start with the bond collapses.

If they choose to continue the Trump paradigm on the other hand, political correctness will still leave with increasing manufacturing on U.S. soil.

There's more, too. Continuing abundant cheap oil is their other fantasy--another reason manufacturing will be closer to home with many men at work, real families, etc.

And yet another: men and women can be temporarily socially engineered, but they'll always return to more natural, healthy habits. Feminism is dead and still won't admit it despite the current great unveiling of its horrible face.

[ViLaLuz]

Sears had terrible customer service which probably contributed to their demise.

[TheConservativeParty]

The worst. Warranty was worthless. It was fraud. I was too ill to fight them more than I did.

[ViLaLuz]

I’m so sorry they did that to you.

[TheConservativeParty]

Oh thanks.
I’m so glad they went under!

[GOPJ]

If you're buying something from Sears customer service is American - if they're servicing an agreement there's a good chance you'll be talking to someone in the Philippines - and if you have hearing issues - you won't be able to understand the person.

It use to be a great place to shop... many many years ago.

[GOPJ]

I’ve had horrible experiences with them too... dreadful store.

[Kickass Conservative]

Got a Battery Walmart for my Wife’s Car, a Kia Optima.

It cost $100 and it has a five year warranty. I don’t think it is even prorated for the first three years.

Bought the Car new. The original Factory Battery lasted two years / 15,000 Miles. The second one the Dealer installed and “tried” to make us pay for didn’t even last that long.

[TheConservativeParty]

I celebrate the death of that store. They were still good most of my younger life, but totally sucked when they refused to honor their much advertised warranty. Such BS. Diehard my ass! Was junk and they didn’t give a darn.

I don’t even like to use our craftsman tools anymore.

Sorry they were bad to you too.

Bad Karma finally killed ‘em. Good.

[GOPJ]

Sears and JC Penney must have been run by liberal ‘elites’ who had ZERO respect for their customers. It’s not easy to run a successful business into the ground as fast as they did... good riddance to both.

[x]

Sears and JC Penney must have been run by liberal ‘elites’ who had ZERO respect for their customers.

Eddie Lampert gave a lot of money to the Republicans while he was gutting the company.

Obviously, if you're a billionaire, you are part of an elite, but not everything is political, and it's not always a matter of white hats and black hats.

[TheConservativeParty]

Yes I agree. Good riddance to them.

[GOPJ]

https://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/edward-lampert.asp?cycle=16

He donated to democrats and Republicans... AND on the plus side he didn't try to buy influence... didn't give much to either side. Looks like the Sears thing was just too far outside of his level of expertise... in short he bit off more than he could chew. I wish him well and hope this works out.

[TruthWillWin]

Sears store of the future? ED Brennans brainchild to revamp retail stores, spent a fortune doing so. Ignored catalog, beginning of the end for a once great company. Worked for Sears 1970 to 1993.

[x]

He donated to democrats and Republicans... AND on the plus side he didn't try to buy influence... didn't give much to either side.

Some of those contributions were made by other people. The Edward Lampert from Greenwich gave to Republicans much more than to Democrats (if he gave anything to Democrats).

Of course, if you gave to Bush, Romney, and Forbes, people today will see you as a RINO, almost a Democrat, but it certainly wasn't like that at the time.

Looks like the Sears thing was just too far outside of his level of expertise... in short he bit off more than he could chew.

See the "How Sears Was Gutted by Its Own CEO" thread today.

He wasn't incompetent. It was intentional.

I guess he probably stayed on the right side of the law, but the shady characters aren't all on one side in politics.

[GOPJ]

I believe he gave Romney $2,000 - which is like most of us tossing someone a nickle... The link I provided has all his political donations.