bb1970
Well-known member
I saw a small Craftsman toolbox for sale at Costco today. Do you think the brand will survive if Sears goes belly up?? I'm starting to see Craftsman in more and more different retail stores.
Craftsman at Costco ????????
- Thread starter bb1970
- Start date
Craftsman will stay, but where will warranty be taken care of at?
I walked past the Craftsman socket set display at Menard's today, a special kit that only has one 3/8ths ratchet and a 1/4 adapter to go with the 3/8 and 1/4 sockets. $79.99 with a $30. Menards merchandise rebate. Almost zero takers, the end cap was still full from a sale started Sunday.
I walked past the Craftsman socket set display at Menard's today, a special kit that only has one 3/8ths ratchet and a 1/4 adapter to go with the 3/8 and 1/4 sockets. $79.99 with a $30. Menards merchandise rebate. Almost zero takers, the end cap was still full from a sale started Sunday.
Zeke
Well-known member
I think Sears will become a distributor of the Kenmore and Craftsman lines. They are Lands End too, right?
I don't think there's a lot of risk of Craftsman going away. Same with Kenmore, as Consumer Reports frequently rates fairly cheap Kenmore appliances as being just as good as appliances costing twice the amount.
We already have three Sears Appliance Outlet stores in the Phoenix area, which could well be adapted into Sears Appliance and Tool stores if they drop so much of the textiles and housewares they currently sell.
Come to think of it, all of the Sears stores here are two floors in the malls. Stop renting one floor, consolidate the stuff that actually sells on the other floor, and stop carrying that which doesn't sell well. If they wanted to, they could brand themselves as a bit of a man's store first and foremost, carrying durable work clothes and shoes, tools, appliances, gardening equipment and small lawn tractors, outdoor appliances and furniture, and the like.
I'm curious how this, "Softer side of Sears" worked out for them. For all I know I'm completely wrong, but I don't usually have a reason to set foot past the tools unless my wife sees a sale rack of men's clothes.
We already have three Sears Appliance Outlet stores in the Phoenix area, which could well be adapted into Sears Appliance and Tool stores if they drop so much of the textiles and housewares they currently sell.
Come to think of it, all of the Sears stores here are two floors in the malls. Stop renting one floor, consolidate the stuff that actually sells on the other floor, and stop carrying that which doesn't sell well. If they wanted to, they could brand themselves as a bit of a man's store first and foremost, carrying durable work clothes and shoes, tools, appliances, gardening equipment and small lawn tractors, outdoor appliances and furniture, and the like.
I'm curious how this, "Softer side of Sears" worked out for them. For all I know I'm completely wrong, but I don't usually have a reason to set foot past the tools unless my wife sees a sale rack of men's clothes.
PeterT
Well-known member
Yep, even Menards carries Craftsman now
dbreid
Member
Sears' problem is:
1.) They are poorly run currently. They have a habit of taking good brands and not doing much with them (Lands End, eg)
2.) They own too much real estate. This might seem like a good thing, but it weighs them down. They are one of the few "old school" big box stores left, and they came from a time when they owned the stores and real estate. This is an issue because it anchors them to places people don't go. They anchor old, outdoor malls, and the like. Not the way folks shop today.
Because of this, they are trying to restructure, but the only things they have that will collateralize debt is their actual stores. So their current borrowing is along those lines.
I think their diversity is an attempt to capitalize on their brands. Like many others do. If I buy something from Costco, and Warranty it as Sears, that gets me in the door at Sears. Exactly what they need.
1.) They are poorly run currently. They have a habit of taking good brands and not doing much with them (Lands End, eg)
2.) They own too much real estate. This might seem like a good thing, but it weighs them down. They are one of the few "old school" big box stores left, and they came from a time when they owned the stores and real estate. This is an issue because it anchors them to places people don't go. They anchor old, outdoor malls, and the like. Not the way folks shop today.
Because of this, they are trying to restructure, but the only things they have that will collateralize debt is their actual stores. So their current borrowing is along those lines.
I think their diversity is an attempt to capitalize on their brands. Like many others do. If I buy something from Costco, and Warranty it as Sears, that gets me in the door at Sears. Exactly what they need.
mmhouse
Well-known member
I posted this earlier here....
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115594
In short I think the Craftsman brand is much more likely to survive than Sears IF they continue putting the brand name on quality products. Sears itself is about three-quarters of the way down the tubes already the way I see it.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115594
In short I think the Craftsman brand is much more likely to survive than Sears IF they continue putting the brand name on quality products. Sears itself is about three-quarters of the way down the tubes already the way I see it.
Zeke
Well-known member
Kenmore is now mostly LG. So, it's made in Mexico if memory serves.
Virgil Cain
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2011
- Messages
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A particular problem with Sears real estate is that too much of it, and too many of their stores, are attached stores in enclosed malls. The era of the enclosed mall was winding down in the 1980's with a few high profile exceptions. They and J.C. Penny's are the last of the big box stores that are overly weighted towards stores attached to enclosed malls. Sears has a plan to create more stand alone stores, but they may have slowed the roll out of that given the current economic environment. I haven't looked at Sears stock in a long while.
There's a lot of Whirlpool/Amana/Kenmore sharing going on too. Grandpa used to work at the Whirlpool plant outside of Evansville, IN. He died in his late eighties not far from when the plant was closed. Funny coincidence...
allinon72
Well-known member
I wonder how many of these threads will pop up in the next few weeks.
marley2984
Member
Wish they would peel off the craftsman and tools lines and allow franchising of sears tool stores. Name recognition alone of the product is huge although alot of the craftsman products quality has fallen as well. Sears is just mismanaged and dedicated too much resource to weird ty pennington stuff. They allow franchise on sears service industries but not on the tools..... very frustrating.
The Craftsman brand name will remain but you will have to tell your kids/grandkids that it was once part of Sears...then you have to explain what Sears was 
But seriously the Craftsman brandname carries a lot of recognition and perceived value. Some company will always own that name and some tool manufacture will always slap "Craftsman" on their tools.
But seriously the Craftsman brandname carries a lot of recognition and perceived value. Some company will always own that name and some tool manufacture will always slap "Craftsman" on their tools.
SuperSocket
Well-known member
I noticed craftsman is in Costco too. However, I have some potentially bigger news:
They are building a new Sears here in my town, it's much smaller than the bigger sears about 10 minutes away and it appears that it's going to be a tool shop/electronics/appliances.... basically all of sears' best selling lines. I will keep you guys updated. We all have long suspected that the bigger sears store will close because it is in a totally dead area that is going to be demo'd in the future for a ball park.
EDIT: It is interesting to note that down the same road is the Kmart Pilot Test store... it's the only green Kmart and it's used for testing, so everything they have setup in there eventually will lead to the other Kmart stores nationwide if it's a success. I have not seen anything new in regards to carrying more tools, perhaps even less than before.
They are building a new Sears here in my town, it's much smaller than the bigger sears about 10 minutes away and it appears that it's going to be a tool shop/electronics/appliances.... basically all of sears' best selling lines. I will keep you guys updated. We all have long suspected that the bigger sears store will close because it is in a totally dead area that is going to be demo'd in the future for a ball park.
EDIT: It is interesting to note that down the same road is the Kmart Pilot Test store... it's the only green Kmart and it's used for testing, so everything they have setup in there eventually will lead to the other Kmart stores nationwide if it's a success. I have not seen anything new in regards to carrying more tools, perhaps even less than before.
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vectorw8015
Well-known member
The K Mart takeover was the death of Sears. They have transferred most if not all of their Craftsman brand manufacturing to China. They have whored out the brand by selling it to everyone who will display it and they have started selling so many competitors brands that their brand no longer stands out as a quality product. Sad to see what has happened to Sears.
rsanter
Well-known member
having craftsman at other stores is a good thing because it will strenthen the brand beyond being a 'sears brand'
it will also make shopping for what we need a little easier (potentially)
on the flip side they have devalued the brand by having 50% off sales every other month. they have tought the public that if you want something craftsman then just wait for a sale and you wont have to wait long.
they need to just lower the price a bit and have normal sales that are 20-25% off
the have gone to china with alot of stuff and that will hurt them. I wont buy anthing china/craftsman....done
they have bad management, they are not what they used to be. I used to be a Cman fan and I am no longer. I want a good tool with good service.
going to the sears in Visalia you get crappy service. go to the one in fresno and you get better service. almost like they are owned by different people. why sears allows the bad managemnt to continue is a mystery.
customer service
you use to call customer service and they would deal with a problem. they have now gone to a call and give feedback and you get no resolution.
sorry to all you current Cman fans but they are **** to me and have done it to them selves. I havent been in a sears for a while and dont plan on buying anything from sears unless its an unbelivable deal
bob
it will also make shopping for what we need a little easier (potentially)
on the flip side they have devalued the brand by having 50% off sales every other month. they have tought the public that if you want something craftsman then just wait for a sale and you wont have to wait long.
they need to just lower the price a bit and have normal sales that are 20-25% off
the have gone to china with alot of stuff and that will hurt them. I wont buy anthing china/craftsman....done
they have bad management, they are not what they used to be. I used to be a Cman fan and I am no longer. I want a good tool with good service.
going to the sears in Visalia you get crappy service. go to the one in fresno and you get better service. almost like they are owned by different people. why sears allows the bad managemnt to continue is a mystery.
customer service
you use to call customer service and they would deal with a problem. they have now gone to a call and give feedback and you get no resolution.
sorry to all you current Cman fans but they are **** to me and have done it to them selves. I havent been in a sears for a while and dont plan on buying anything from sears unless its an unbelivable deal
bob
I'll agree with Vector about the Kmart take over of Sears, it's leading them down hill.
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
Our Sears store is the last open business in an otherwise closed mall. Rarely see more than six or eight cars in the parking lot. Catty corner across the intersection is a KMart selling the same stuff. We also had a parts outlet next to the off site warehouse. It is closed. What I have noticed is that the Sears flyers in the newspaper are getting thinner and thinner and some weeks we don't get one at all.
I have a lot of Craftsman tools. Still buy them when I need something that I don't have. But I am really impressed with the ever expanding list of GearWrench tools. Off shore I think but very well made.
I have a lot of Craftsman tools. Still buy them when I need something that I don't have. But I am really impressed with the ever expanding list of GearWrench tools. Off shore I think but very well made.
mmhouse
Well-known member
That makes perfect sense for Sears. It's basically all they have left anyway.
I was in a Sears store a couple of days ago. Their merchandising is worse every time I walk in. They need to get these miserable stores closed ASAP and open something that can make a good impression on their customers before the Sears name is completely ruined.
I can't believe that K-Mart still exists and can't imagine it surviving.
Regarding the Craftsman brand at Costco, I was in today and saw the Craftsman portable toolboxes. I don't recall the price but the quality was very poor. I'm surprised that Costco wanted them on their shelves.
jdaallen
Well-known member
The K Mart take over was as big a mistake as Mercedes taking over Chrysler. Instead of improving the troubled company and strengthing the parent company, it nearly killed the parent company in both cases.