Sometimes companies just have to die before the right time arrives for rebirth.
Of course, it is a lot easier for us armchair generals.;-)
Fall 2006 was when all three went and started implementing the college designed marketing plans, and all of them by the end of 2007 lost at least a third of their value. 2007 was also the last year that Sears issued their very stripped down wish book. (the big books stopped being published in the US in 2005.)