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Sears, KMart to Merge in $11 Billion Deal
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6839288 ^

Posted on 11/17/2004 3:37:25 AM PST by bikepacker67

click here to read article


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To: bikepacker67

Is there any way we can all keep this from my wife? I have enough Ginsu knives, Bamboo steamers, et al...but wait there's more...... Please no mas....


21 posted on 11/17/2004 4:26:10 AM PST by cbkaty
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To: RWR8189

"Two companies with two failed business plans merge."

Same thing I thought when HP bought out Compaq. They should have left Compaq die the natural death it was on track to do. My opinion is ... only thing Compaq brought to the table was their bad name.


22 posted on 11/17/2004 4:30:42 AM PST by moonman
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To: CasearianDaoist

Thats Target.


23 posted on 11/17/2004 4:32:03 AM PST by oldbrowser (You lost the election.....................Get over it.)
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To: bikepacker67

loser + loser = LOSER


24 posted on 11/17/2004 4:32:04 AM PST by maggief
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To: The Red Zone
I have a little inside info on this deal, No stock invovled, just working for a divsion of Sears that will be affected by this merger.

...so there could be co-brand stores at K Mart sites? Or they would just close the K-Mart and open a Sears.

They will actually do a little of both, where K-Mart brand identity is strong and profitable, they will stay K-Marts, but be merchandised more like Sears store, think Craftsman tools, appliances, etc.

The prime real estate spots will definitely be converted to stand alone new concept, "Grand Sears" stores. Modeled after the Wally World type concept, Food, Clothing, Garden center, etc,

25 posted on 11/17/2004 4:32:09 AM PST by Popman (Democrat Party Political Values are Condescension, Hypocrisy, Bigotry)
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To: bikepacker67

Craftsman tools at K-Mart?

Wait a minute - they're now available at the Navy Exchange, cheaper than out in town.


26 posted on 11/17/2004 4:34:02 AM PST by fredhead ("Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." William Penn)
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To: bikepacker67

The jokes for the late nighters just kind of start writing themselves.

Sears has really turned into a high quality customer focused store. They have been bits of both over the years but have improved in both areas of late IMO.

I was looking - well, actually drooling - over a 52 flat screen TV the past Saturday at Sears. The salesman walked up and offered without my asking: "You bring me the best price you can find on that TV (new) anywhere from any source and I will beat the price by 10%."


27 posted on 11/17/2004 4:37:00 AM PST by IamConservative (People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.)
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To: bikepacker67

A merger of losers.

AOL + Time + Warner ad infinitum. The synergy is awesome.

AOL has created an ISP called Netscape to salvage the customers leaving its overpriced service.

What will come of Lands End? Will it like Netscape become the synergistic repository of the Martha Stewert brand?


28 posted on 11/17/2004 4:37:35 AM PST by bert (Don't Panic.....)
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To: mowowie
"Shop smart, Shop S-Mart"

Yes, but will they sell shotguns?

29 posted on 11/17/2004 4:40:42 AM PST by Crusher138 (Support capitalism. Check out www.USAPoliTees.com)
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To: bikepacker67

Fascinating trend - BTT


30 posted on 11/17/2004 4:44:31 AM PST by Happy2BMe (It's not quite time to rest - John Kerry is still out there (and so is Hillary))
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To: ProudVet77
Sears will be introducing Martha Stewart designer license plates in their
auto shops. Each pair will be personally made by Martha from prison.

ROTFL !!!!!!

31 posted on 11/17/2004 4:45:20 AM PST by jigsaw (God Bless Our Troops.)
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To: bikepacker67

Didn't Sears buy Lands End a few years back? What did that gain them?


32 posted on 11/17/2004 4:49:07 AM PST by brewcrew
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To: IamConservative
I was looking - well, actually drooling - over a 52 flat screen TV the past Saturday at Sears. The salesman walked up and offered without my asking: "You bring me the best price you can find on that TV (new) anywhere from any source and I will beat the price by 10%."

I had the exact same experience. Last year for Christmas, (before I worked for Sears) I went shopping for a big screen TV. I went to all the electronic stores with not very success. The "toddlers" who were on the sales room supposed to be helping me understand what my options were to make a decision I was comfortable with were your typical snot faced geek that didn't care a bit.

I was actually shopping in Sears for my wife and walked past their T.V. dept.

I was very surprised. Not only was their selection far superior and pricing very competitive, the sales person actually had a functioning brain.

Needless to say, I bought Sears.

33 posted on 11/17/2004 4:53:39 AM PST by Popman (Democrat Party Political Values are Condescension, Hypocrisy, Bigotry)
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To: brewcrew
Didn't Sears buy Lands End a few years back? What did that gain them?

Lots of expensive inventory

34 posted on 11/17/2004 4:57:19 AM PST by Popman (Democrat Party Political Values are Condescension, Hypocrisy, Bigotry)
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To: Popman
Sears is very interested in breaking out of their mall type anchor store mold to compete with the likes of Wally world.

This would be all well and good except they both suck. They can't compete with WalMart.

35 posted on 11/17/2004 4:58:22 AM PST by Angry Enough
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To: q_an_a; Willie Green

At least ping the guy, so he can get warmed up.


36 posted on 11/17/2004 4:59:03 AM PST by FreedomPoster (hoplophobia is a mental aberration rather than a mere attitude)
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To: bikepacker67

Obviously the majority of folks who've posted here are much more well informed on politics than you are on the market.

1. Kmart is not French-owned. It's publicly traded, and if you want to see who owns the largest shares of their stock, it's pretty easily found out by opening a proxy report and reading it. But since there are those of you who are too lazy to do that, I'll tell you that 53% of the shares are owned by board members.
2. Sears is the 2nd most successful retail organization in the country, behind Walmart. Target is doing quite well also, but Sears has a much better footprint in a lot of areas that Target doesn't exist yet.

This buy-out (it will be Sears buying Kmart, after all) will provide Sears with the opportunity to go head-to-head against Walmart in markets where their current stores just are too small to compete. In addition, it allows the larger Sears stores to not have to play the 'discount' game where they have to have sales every week just to attract customers. This should be a win all around, other than in the boardroom in Troy Michigan (Kmart HQ) where most of those idiots will be canned, appropriately so after they drove Kmart to bankruptcy.


37 posted on 11/17/2004 5:01:44 AM PST by USMC-EOD (I vote Republican- if only just to piss off Michael Moore)
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To: Angry Enough

A decent Craftsman tool section might get me into a K-Mart. I haven't been in one in years.


38 posted on 11/17/2004 5:02:22 AM PST by FreedomPoster (hoplophobia is a mental aberration rather than a mere attitude)
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To: USMC-EOD
Obviously the majority of folks who've posted here are much more well informed on politics than you are on the market.

Please direct your comments to the correct poster.

39 posted on 11/17/2004 5:04:57 AM PST by bikepacker67 ("This is the best election night in history." -- DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe 11/2/04 8pm)
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To: q_an_a; All

Also blame Bush for the layoffs..


40 posted on 11/17/2004 5:05:20 AM PST by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
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