If they do SMART promoting and smart planning. This will work. And if it does, great. Somethig to keep Wal-Mart honest. If not, it has the ability to make AOL - Timewarner mess to look like childsplay.
I think Sears will make it work. Sears is a vastly changed company than it was say 10 years ago. I had mostly written off sears, other than hand tools. Their prices were under the old retail models, far higher than I could find products elsewhere and customer service was non existent.
Now, their prices are definately in line with everywhere else, and their sales often put things far cheaper than I can find em elsewhere. Service is generally far far better than most other places, and they are one of the few national retail chains where you can still get "everything" under one roof left.
BOX STORES are ok, but if you need or want to buy an appliance, and other stuff, without visiting a half dozen stores, nationally Sears is about all that's left out there.