Sears Could Be Gone If Slump Lasts Through Christmas

[wildbill23c]

I'm not sure how Sears is in the rest of the country but the one closest to me in Boise, Idaho is located in the mall. I refuse to go there because of the huge lack of parking, then they open so late in the day that I'm not going to wait till noon to go shop at a crowded mall. Add to that the employees just don't seem to care whether anyone shops there or not, just try and find someone for assistance if you need it...nope they all go run and hide.

I haven't bought any tools for many years from Sears. I bought a new lawn tractor 4 years ago and I wish I would have shopped elsewhere...an actual dealer for this type of equipment not another big box store with the same cheap **** as Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Just different paint jobs .

As soon as Craftsman tools started showing up in K-Mart, and Ace Hardware I knew the end of Sears/Craftsman was near.

Montgomery Wards still exists http://www.wards.com/. Its 100% online now though, absolutely no stores you can walk into and shop.

I'm 32 and I still remember the Sears & Roebuck catalogs and the Montgomery Wards catalogs especially around the holidays, dang things were about the size of a phone book LOL. The times of old are long gone, and these companies are forced out of business due to their poor business practices. The last time I was at Sears (when I bought the lawn tractor) there were literally 2 isles of tools. Appliances, and clothing were the majority of the store, then a small corner section for the lawn/garden tools. I remember as a kid there were isles upon isles of tools from hand tools to the big stationary power tools.

The Radio Shack here in town closed its doors 2 years ago, they had become a place that nobody went anymore as well because it used to be a store where all the Ham Radio guys would go for parts, radios, etc. Then Radio Shack stopped carrying that stuff, so what does that leave people to do? They had to shop elsewhere.

I haven't been into a K-mart for probably 5 years or more, but its just like other variety stores I would assume. I know in Arizona they had some regular K-marts, and they had Super K-marts which were K-mart plus a grocery store, here in Idaho its just the regular dull and boring K-mart.

With my extremely limited budget it means I shop at Harbor Freight most of the time because for the stuff I do, the tools there work fine for me. Now if I were a professional mechanic, contractor, etc. darn right I'd be shopping at Sears, Snap-on, Mac, etc. The down turn of the economy has closed down many businesses. People don't have the money to go out and buy expensive stuff anymore, especially stuff they don't need like the latest and greatest tool sets . I still drool over that stuff, but I've learned to just keep walking...yep its really hard to do LOL.

 

[Virgil Cain]

Why do you assume all of there stuff is inferior quality? I wouldn't buy the stuff that I buy were it inferior quality.

Reread my post. I don't assume that all Craftsman tools are of inferior quality. There are still some very good tools on their shelves. But I think it is undeniable that the quality of Craftsman tools has been on the decline. They probably hit their zenith sometime in the 1970s (even 1960s on some items).

What I'm saying is that if Craftsman survives the collapse of Sears (which I think likely) but they continue to degrade the quality of their tools then it will be a hollow victory. We will have Craftsman tools in name only. They will be no different than the run of the mill offering at Walmart or some of the chain autoparts stores.

Real shame. Going to Sears with my dad and browsing the tool section is a fond memory from my childhood.

 

[Polski-Chevy]

...and I'm sure Sears CEO and board of directors could care less. They will all take home millions this year and move on to another high paying job.

My first thought exactly.

I found out today that the Sears store (Washington Square Mall) down the road is closing Dec 7th, so much for making thru the X-mas season.

 

[NUTTSGT]

How do we come to the conclusion all this stuff they sell is "inferior" and to what?

Why do you assume all of there stuff is inferior quality? I wouldn't buy the stuff that I buy were it inferior quality.

Stuff like the Bob Vila line of gimmicky **** and Lobster claw wrenches for a start. That stuff turns people away.

 

[G_P]

Ever since Craftsman went Chinese I have not set foot in a Sears. If I want a Chinese tool I will buy it at Harbor Freight for 1/2 the price of Chinese Craftsman. I snag up all the US made craftsman I find at yard sales now. Even a badly rusted ratchet is worth a few bucks since I can take the guts out of it to rebuild an old US made ratchet if it breaks.

I did go to a Craftsman standalone tool store though. They had some NOS USA made stuff left but even a large amount of that store had switched from selling tools and appliances into selling patio furniture and gardening stuff.

The Craftsman name will almost certainly be bought by another company just because it is so widely and well known. Chances are though, that whoever buys it will more than likely cheapen it even more by reducing the quality of the tools to maximize the profits.

 

[franzdom]

I was in Sears today - first time in months - they were movings abunch of the tool section around (why?) but a TON of stuff was on markdown and my thoughts the whole time was: "Closing?". Seriously it looked like a 'final days' situation. Craftsman will be sold to someone, as will Lands End, bu t Sears will be gone before this thread gets cold.

Lands End is already sold. I like their stuff, even have a few USA made T-shirts they made a few years ago. Top quality stuff!

 

[RalphInCA]

Generally because the people in charge make money from it. Honest people get screwed, the dishonest get rich.

Right. Knowing how to manage a marginally performing huge corporation and still make you and the people around you rich is a unique, and hard to find skill.

 

[RH2]

Ironically, I was in my local Sears tool department this week and they had given it a complete makeover. I was really impressed. There were more tools than I had ever seen there, new signage, and it looked great.

I agree Sears probably won't last long, but they must be sprucing up some of the tool departments.

 

[ZRX61]

FWIW, ACE Hardware now carries Craftsman tools....

So does Orchard.

 

[wild cowboy]

I am sure Craftsman is not 100% Chinese yet, what are some Craftsman items I can still buy that are still really well made? - what say you Craftsman experts?

I will buy some tools in support of them if y'all can recommend specific Craftsman items that are still great

 

[ipp]

Ive spent a quite a bit at sears in appliances lately I hope they don't go under. Also with tools I picked up the swivel metric sockets. Usa made but not in stores. Odd.

 

[Yankee]

I found that odd too that some of the USA Craftsman tools are only sold online. I purchased the full polish teardrop 3 piece ratchet set and it is USA made.

The only full polish teardrop ratchets they carry in the stores are the models that are Taiwan made. Why don't the stock the USA models in stores?

 

[SO/PW newbie]

Montgomery Wards still exists http://www.wards.com/. Its 100% online now though, absolutely no stores you can walk into and shop.

Not really. Companies buy the rights to the name and run online stores that have nothing to do with the original company what so ever, other than the name.

Comp usa
circuit city
tiger direct

all have these "online stores" with the original logos and such but the original outfit is long gone.

 

[jakemac]

It's not just online stores that do that.
The new "Rockwell" brand tools are made by a new company that bought the rights to use the name after Delta had discarded it years before. As far as I know, they only bought the name, nothing else, in order to capitalize on the old Delta/Rockwell reputation to sell their tools.

 

[MagnumForce]

I am sure Craftsman is not 100% Chinese yet, what are some Craftsman items I can still buy that are still really well made? - what say you Craftsman experts?

I will buy some tools in support of them if y'all can recommend specific Craftsman items that are still great

Pry bars, Screwdrivers, pro ratchets, Adjustable wrenches, chisels and punches, nut drivers, hammers, pliers, hook and picks, lot of automotive specific tools, scrapers, many more things. Really it's just sockets and end wrenches that aren't still USA as an entire group yet everyone has lost their mind about it and Sears is now more evil than Lowes or home Depot where everything but screwdrivers is foreign coo

 

[d.mcfarland]

^^ Each tool is marked, so just double check when you are there.

 

[MagnumForce]

But all those tools I mentioned are still US made without a doubt.

 

[d.mcfarland]

But all those tools I mentioned are still US made without a doubt.

Yes, I agree with that list. And with Shop Your Way points the price can be brought down even more.

 

[wildbill23c]

Not really. Companies buy the rights to the name and run online stores that have nothing to do with the original company what so ever, other than the name.

Comp usa
circuit city
tiger direct

all have these "online stores" with the original logos and such but the original outfit is long gone.

I never knew Tiger Direct was any other company, other than what they are now. What were they called before?

 

[MagnumForce]

I think he is saying Tiger Direct bought the rights to comp USA and Circuit City and finally folded both into Tiger Direct.

 

[wildbill23c]

I think he is saying Tiger Direct bought the rights to comp USA and Circuit City and finally folded both into Tiger Direct.

We had a Circuit City, and a Comp USA in Boise for a while, and I wasn't impressed with either store, the employees were dumber than a box of rocks.
I wasn't exactly surprised when they went out of business, with their horrible employees and lack of knowledge they deserved to fail. Best Buy has been on my do not support list for many years, I had applied there for their geek squad for a tech support position and was told we cannot hire you because you are in the National Guard, and might have to deploy. So...I've never been back in that store sense.

 

[bushmechanic]

I'm glad to have Tiger Direct in Raleigh. It lets me go on my bi-weekly pilgrimage to Boston Market, and then have something else to do.

Damn. Now I'm hungry, and I want to look at computer parts.

 

[Snap_cap]

I was in Sears today - first time in months - they were movings abunch of the tool section around (why?) but a TON of stuff was on markdown and my thoughts the whole time was: "Closing?". Seriously it looked like a 'final days' situation. Craftsman will be sold to someone, as will Lands End, bu t Sears will be gone before this thread gets cold.

How large was the PINK tool section in your local store?

The re-model of the closest one to me resulted in an entire side of an aisle (48 l.f.) being their foolish PINK tool selection, another store I was in yesterday had about 20 l.f. wasted on that product line.

 

[wildbill23c]

I'm glad to have Tiger Direct in Raleigh. It lets me go on my bi-weekly pilgrimage to Boston Market, and then have something else to do.

Damn. Now I'm hungry, and I want to look at computer parts.

I bet a person could get lost in a Tiger Direct store LOL.

 

[mikehaugen]

I never knew Tiger Direct was any other company, other than what they are now. What were they called before?

When comp USA was doing poorly with the brick/mortar stores they bought Tiger Direct. They then changed the names on the outlet centers and website to CompUSA thinking they could use their name to bring in more business. Turns out Tiger Direct was a more respected name so they changed everything back. I live near one of their outlet centers and watched it happen. I asked someone at the store what was going on and that was the explanation he gave me anyway.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I for one will mourn the loss of Sears and Craftsman in general. Sure, it will "survive" as a brand, but be a shadow of its former self. It just seemed like an institution (look at that, we're already counting it dead..lol) that was as American as apple pie....

 

[SO/PW newbie]

We had a Circuit City, and a Comp USA in Boise for a while, and I wasn't impressed with either store, the employees were dumber than a box of rocks.

They were ok in the late eighties and into the ninety's, then when they went from commission sales to hourly kids is when they went downhill fast

Best Buy has been on my do not support list for many years

I hear you on that!

 

[MagnumForce]

When comp USA was doing poorly with the brick/mortar stores they bought Tiger Direct. They then changed the names on the outlet centers and website to CompUSA thinking they could use their name to bring in more business. Turns out Tiger Direct was a more respected name so they changed everything back. I live near one of their outlet centers and watched it happen. I asked someone at the store what was going on and that was the explanation he gave me anyway.

Comp USA never owned Tiger Direct. You are mistaken. The parent company of Tiger Direct bought the rights to the comp USA name and folded everything into Tiger Direct. Same with Circuit City.

Tiger Direct has been a subsidiary of Systemax since 1989.

 

[welder4956]

Sears problem is their unwillingness to adapt to the market and losing focus on customer service. These are choices their management has made, either willfully or by ignoring the financial results, and will be their downfall. Sad to watch it unfold.

 

[sberry]

Reread my post. I don't assume that all Craftsman tools are of inferior quality. There are still some very good tools on their shelves. But I think it is undeniable that the quality of Craftsman tools has been on the decline. They probably hit their zenith sometime in the 1970s (even 1960s on some items).

What I'm saying is that if Craftsman survives the collapse of Sears (which I think likely) but they continue to degrade the quality of their tools then it will be a hollow victory. We will have Craftsman tools in name only. They will be no different than the run of the mill offering at Walmart or some of the chain autoparts stores.

Real shame. Going to Sears with my dad and browsing the tool section is a fond memory from my childhood.

Ok, this is worth re reading and I agree. The Sears in the 70's was in about 4th place in the mind, right near SK maybe. Millions of professionals used it and still do but they decided to spiral down in price and in the end are competing with Walmart and HF,,, both giants. They are already run of the mill, no better or worse than Stanley or Pittsburg, pretty much the same tool as far as a user could notice or tell.
I bought Sears tools in the 80's, I bought a lot of sockets and they were junk, the Stanley Walmart socket of today is far superior. It wasn't that there were not tough Cman sockets but I had a lot of pieces snap and a lot of them on the first use. On occasion one was sized wrong. The fondness for old,,Sears''', 80's tools is misplaced, totally nostalgic and as faulty an assumption as could be.
I havnt or am not familiar but don't hear of breaks in the new tools but more is done with impact but I havnt heard on the forum of busted new Sears sockets.

 

[mikehaugen]

Comp USA never owned Tiger Direct. You are mistaken. The parent company of Tiger Direct bought the rights to the comp USA name and folded everything into Tiger Direct. Same with Circuit City.

Tiger Direct has been a subsidiary of Systemax since 1989.

Now that you mention it, I think the purchase was the other way around. It was Tiger that thought they should use the CompUSA name, but found out they were better off with their own.

 

[sberry]

The problem with Sears tools is that they should have been shooting for a place on the ladder above them when they owned this position,,, instead they went for the rung below.
They could have made nearly the same tool they do today and simply priced it a bit higher than its worth.
Its almost comical to see the rush to buy up the "last USA" Sears tools,,, they are sets on sale,,, nearly give them away as it is. 309 pc set for 250$ or less. I bet a slick salesman could part it out at a flea market and make money.
If I needed a tool set this would be on my hit list. Warranty or not, its disposable pricing. Couple hundred bucks and a set of screwdrivers buys enough to tear an engine out of the car.
I have a hard time understanding why anyone would buy anything but that. I was hoping to follow Mechanic John but evidently the scheme that was leaving 50's hanging out of his pockets was working too well and couldn't resist the urge to chase down a tool truck.

 

[sberry]

Sears problem is their unwillingness to adapt to the market and losing focus on customer service. These are choices their management has made, either willfully or by ignoring the financial results, and will be their downfall. Sad to watch it unfold.

It isn't customer service,,, Its the position. There were the tool trucks and dealers, SK was sold at jobbers and then there were Sears, they were in about 4th and Kmart was well under that. They should have held that position and tried to shoot SK instead of Kmart and now everyone in the low end game.
They made the mistake of going down when they should have moved upscale. Would have not cost more to produce a few less goods at a better profit.

 

[sberry]

There was no one babbling about customer service back then. People did what they could, the consumer has it good today, a bunch of whining brats and cant do simple math.
I get 300 pieces for 200$ and try to find something wrong with it. Don't even use it and on email or 800 number ******* about a chrome blem they found with a magnifying glass. Worried to tears if the warranty will be there for their Grandkids.
People think I am anti Snapon,,, absolutely not. They are doing what they should. Sell 10 sockets for 300 is way smarter than selling 300 for 200 to a customer aint never going to be happy.

 

[MagnumForce]

Sears is not in competition with SK or anything like that. They are in competition with Lowes, Home Depot and Harbor Freight. Get that through your heads making it cost more woudl not have done a thing, don't be silly. The only people who give a **** are people here, the average Joe changing his oil or building a kids swingset still thinks Craftsman is the best he can readily get but knows he can buy cheaper stuff from Stanley anywhere or at Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. If you want to drive somewhere and pick up tools and not order them online or anything then Craftsman is still your best bet and still the most prolific out there when unless you are around at least a mid sized city there is no Harbor Freight and they have way more American Made items than any of their competition which should be commended and instead they are villified here.



This website is not at touch with reality at all.

 

[BirdMobile]

There was no one babbling about customer service back then. People did what they could, the consumer has it good today, a bunch of whining brats and cant do simple math.
I get 300 pieces for 200$ and try to find something wrong with it. Don't even use it and on email or 800 number ******* about a chrome blem they found with a magnifying glass. Worried to tears if the warranty will be there for their Grandkids.
People think I am anti Snapon,,, absolutely not. They are doing what they should. Sell 10 sockets for 300 is way smarter than selling 300 for 200 to a customer aint never going to be happy.

Post of the year... right there, folks. Truthy!

 

[jd_1138]

The problem with Sears tools is that they should have been shooting for a place on the ladder above them when they owned this position,,, instead they went for the rung below.
They could have made nearly the same tool they do today and simply priced it a bit higher than its worth.
Its almost comical to see the rush to buy up the "last USA" Sears tools,,, they are sets on sale,,, nearly give them away as it is. 309 pc set for 250$ or less. I bet a slick salesman could part it out at a flea market and make money.
If I needed a tool set this would be on my hit list. Warranty or not, its disposable pricing. Couple hundred bucks and a set of screwdrivers buys enough to tear an engine out of the car.
I have a hard time understanding why anyone would buy anything but that. I was hoping to follow Mechanic John but evidently the scheme that was leaving 50's hanging out of his pockets was working too well and couldn't resist the urge to chase down a tool truck.

Exactly. They basically raced towards the bottom of the food chain. If you sell a crappy set of 300 tools for $200. That person is not going to come back to buy much more stuff because they already got what they need (albeit low quality). If you sell a quality product at a higher price, a person can buy it in stages as they need it or as they can afford it.

Have different modules for different levels. Newbie tech/mechanic. HVAC technician. DIY'er.

 

[sberry]

Cman and ACE may have been a fit. They sell the same junk but went upscale a little and sacrificed volume for price increase. I bought a 3 dollar clamp the other day, if I was in a box store would have bought 5 for 5.
All the premium tools were full retail but they were cherry picked. A few Kleins and don't recall f they were a Channelock dealer or not. They had some junk, I bought a 5 dollar cutter I didn't use anyway and would have traded for a screwdriver if I had a chance to do it again.
I could stand a new set of 9's,, 33$ plus tax. We tried a China clone, it was about half as good at 1/3 the price

 

[sberry]

Sears is not in competition with SK or anything like that. They are in competition with Lowes, Home Depot and Harbor Freight. Get that through your heads making it cost more woudl not have done a thing, don't be silly.

Yes,,,, today Sears is in competition with Lowes,,,,,,,,,,,,, today,,,, when this started we hadn't even heard of Lowes. There was Kmart, I had never even heard of a Walmart.
You are right,,,, they are not in it with SK,,,,,,, its what they SHOULD have done.

They had a 50 yr head start on Lowes and lost it.

 

[Hiball]

Whether or Not The Craftsman Name survives a Sears Meltdown is really a moot point IMO. I say this because they have lost the Marketshare that made them a powerhouse. How many of you guys remembered going to Sears with your Dad/Gpa and buying your first tool set? I know I do, and still have the majority of them and if Sears closed there doors tomorrow and took Craftsman with them, they don't owe me anything. I don't see that type of Father/Son behavior when browsing the Sears Stores, Today its all about "super coupons" and "20% off coupons" and trying to maximize Savings via Internet sales and god forbid you have to pay shipping. I don't wish any Ill-will towards The Craftsman brand, but regardless of who owns the Brand I would hate to be the guy in charge of selling the brand, and trying to get get there piece of the Marketshare back. Whether you like HF or not, they do a good job of marketing there brand and bringing excitement to the Consumers who frequent there stores, along with the consumers on the fence of where to shop.