K-Mart + Sears Merger

[pulsator-power]

Anyone hear today that K-Mart & Sears are merging?
The new company will be called Sears Holdings Corp
& will have 7 Kmart execs & 3 Sears execs on the board.
This info is on the internet. Aparently, nothing will change.
Yeah, right.... I wonder what will happen with the Kenmore brand.
Jerry

 

[peterh770]

More like you will see Craftman tools at KMart... It'll be just another marketing outlet for Sears products.

 

[partscounterman]

merger

I think I'm beginning to hear a death rattle

 

[jerry]

Maybe they should call them KENMARTS? But i don't think the name will catch on.

JERRY

 

[launderess]

The Kenmore -K-Mart merger was announced this morning on Reuters and most other business media.

As most of us know K-mart has been in deep trouble so Sears probably got a pretty good deal for picking them up. Likely Sears will use K-mart stores in areas where they do not have a presence (Manhattan in New York City has a huge K-mart but the nearest Sears stores are in New Jersey or outer bourghs), to sell "Sears" appliances/power tools and such.

L

 

[mrb627]

New Brand

Perhaps the Kmore brand will be born.

 

[goatfarmer]

The way I heard it,K Mart is buying Sears.

kennyGF

 

[jasonl]

Maybe the one cashier that's working at the Sears can go helpt the one cashier that's working at the K Mart down the street. Whoa! Two lines open at KMart? And you don't have to wait a hour? What is this world coming to?

 

[DADoES]

The news bits I've read said it was KMart buying Sears. Which I find strange considering that KMart declared bankruptcy last year.

 

[Wash-me-blues]

Believe it or not, K-mart IS buying Sears! But I don't care what decent products they sell together or how many stores they have, NOTHING can compete with Wally World!

 

[gyrafoam]

Hopefully they will survive as one entity. History has proven that TWO sick companies merging together rarely survive. Perhaps the "bad karma" comming from the Wal-Mart executive offices will affect Sears Holdings in a good way! It will NOT be a good thing for American consumers to have Sears disappear! But if it ever does watch for the collectors value of those old Kenmore's to jump!

 

[appnut]

It would make me sick if Sears/Kenmore disappeared. I still like the feature/price mix on their appliances of any modern brand.

 

[launderess]

OMG!

Yes, got it wrong, K-mart is buying Sears! Well when fancy hedge fund types get ahold of a company this is what can happen.

Apparently, according to media reports, both K-mart and Sears are "dinosaurs" in the retail market and are looking to go up against Walmart.

Sears stores are concentrated in shopping malls,whose business is dying, and K-mart is struggling against the likes of Walmart so both need "help". Stand alone K-mart stores will become Sears stores, and it looks like that will be a trend.

Have to imagine the appliance and tool sales from Sears have suffered tight margins with the birth of Internet sales. Not to mention Sears great customer service (taking any appliance back for any reason within 30 days), puts it at a disadvantage from other stores like Best Buy and Lowes that take on restockng fees to discourage returns.

Sears also faced heavy competition on the tools/home building supply front from stores like Lowes and Home Depot. Take away appliances and "hardware" what has Sears got? Tough Skins?

Would be sad to see Sears go, but just to make sure am going to start eyeing appliances to put on my Sears card. Might as well take advantage of the free delivery and no interest offers before it's too late.

Launderess

 

[laundromat]

Does this mean that when I go to Sears from now on I'll need to look for the flashing blue light or listen carefully for "Attention Kenmart shoppers,we're having a blue light special for the next 3 minutes in aisle...."? LOL

 

[programcomputer]

See My reply in SUPER forum

I just posted about this in the Super forum....
should have looked here first..sorry!!!

Chad

 

[rchris]

According to the news reports Ive heard, there *will* be items with the Kenmore label which will make their way into K-Mart stores.

 

[peteski50]

K-Mart + Sears Merger

I can't believe that being kmart was going to go bankrupt just 1 1/2 year ago they are able to buy sears. I certainly hope this doesn't turn into a situation like when wci bought frigidaire.
Peter

 

[lbcarguy]

How did they do it

Hey folks,

K-Mart was able to buy Sears because while in bankruptcy, they sold lots of stores: read that they sold lots of real estate. This gave them the cash to buy Sears.

Forecasts for their future are all over the map with many saying it only extends their life a few short years.

Bottom line: I personally feel Wal-Mart is a big problem in our economy and is bringing China up to speed so fast, we may never be able to maintain what is left of the middle class here.

I vote against them by not shopping there. Now the additional bad news is that Target and K-Mart/Sears are going to try to emulate the Wal-Mart formula. So, who benefits, mostly China. Yeah, prices are cheaper, but if you are out of work, what can you buy at any price?

I work in the auto industry and it won't be long before thousands of jobs start to migrate out of the mid-west and now South to China and Chinese cars start to hit the shores here.

At least the appliance collectors can keep the parts suppliers busy for a few extra years before all of that is closed up or moved to China.

Something to think about as we all head to the stores next week after Thanksgiving.

 

[48bencix]

Real Estate

Kmart's real estate sales are what is keeping the company flush with money. But Sears has plenty too. I think that's what this is all about. Sell off the real estate. It's probably the most valuable asset.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want Sears to go, I like Kenmore and Craftsman. The stores have a feeling of quality that Walmart and certainly Kmart lack. But the shopper has the final word. People seem to want cheap goods even if they are low quality. Many if not most people don't have the kind of money that quality goods would require.

I also felt bad when Montgomery Ward closed, I enjoyed shopping there.

The greatest loss will be the Sears parts department. I think you can still get parts for almost everything they sold.