Sears Countdown at T-minus 5 Stores

[rp2813]

Attached is front page news in this morning's paper. I'm not providing a link to the full story because it's probably behind a pay wall and won't likely be picked up by an on-line news feed.

The last remaining Sears store in California is on the verge of closing. Nationally it is among only five operational Sears stores left. This has me wondering "what if" Jeff Bezos had thought about an Amazon brick and mortar presence sooner. I'm not saying Bezos could stand to expand his monopolistic empire any further, and I'm definitely not saying that Sears had the ability to envision the Amazon model and buy him out all of those years ago, but maybe an opportunity was missed to preserve what was once the world's largest retailer if a viable model could have been worked out.

 

[jr2712]

I'm very overwhelmed by the fact that nobody has the will to save a big icon of the American culture. In many ways Sears molded the way of life of America for several decades. To me Sears is like Chevy, GE, Coca Cola, McDs... Apple pie.

 

[ea56]

I agree Ralph! Why didn’t Sear realize that online shopping was the thing of the future and get into it like Walmart has? After all, Sears and Roebuck with their mail order catalogs in the late 1800’s was the model that online shopping has been fashioned after. What a wasted opportunity. Ya gotta move with the times or be left behind.

Eddie

 

[jr2712]

I agree Ralph! Why didn’t Sear realize that online shopping was the thing of the future and get into it like Walmart has? After all, Sears and Roebuck with their mail order catalogs in the late 1800’s was the model that online shopping has been fashioned after. What a wasted opportunity. Ya gotta move with the times or be left behind.

Eddie

Sad but very true

 

[circlew]

Evidently Sears is doing well in Mexico.

 

[qsd-dan]

Arrogance and "financial engineering" (cost cutting to appease shareholders) were the big killers. Both Eddie Lampert and Jack Welch destroyed their empires and employees through greed.

I think Sears could have easily remained fiscally well even without jumping on the bandwagon of internet sales early on if they remained customer oriented and adhered to the stricter morals of their past.

Seem like businesses today run purely on the "Fuck you, give me your money" attitude these days. It didn't use to be like this.

 

[rp2813]

Very well stated, Dan.

As for Mexico, I think Woolworth's still exists as well as Sears, but it's been 16 years since I've been down there. I also recall a supermarket chain in Puerto Vallarta that carried Safeway's house brands but can't recall its name. That was almost 25 years ago.