Sears eBay Stores Shut Down?

[wilbilt]

"Thank you for your interest in Sears Liquidation items. This store is now shut down. All orders in the last several days will go out in the next week to 10 days. Please be patient as we are tying to fulfill a very long backlog of closeout Christmas products."

That message displays in both the "Sears" and "Sears Liquidation" stores. Do you think it's just for the holiday season?

I was seriously considering a couple of those $45 roll cabs.

 

[Danglerb]

I talked a bit to the people I bought my Sears rollaway from, and from time to time Sears clamps down and restricts things, like they can't use the name "craftsman" or "Sears only brands" in their ads. I can't believe Sears plans to eat all its returns, or sell them in stores. The in store clearance is mostly a joke at my local Sears, open box stuff at full price, discontinued open box at 5% off, items with big mark downs on the computer, but same old tag.

My guess is that "maybe" things are on hold for the holidays, or some sticky point about "Sears" directly selling the scratch and dent may impose some liability on Sears for warranty etc. that wouldn't be true with a third party seller. Are third parties still selling "famous name brand" items?

Shipping damaged and customer returns are not going to go away, and there will be a huge amount after the holidays. Unless Sears ships it out of the country or something weird, the stuff will have to be sold cheap, and that means a lot of it will end up on ebay by somebody.

 

[wilbilt]

My guess is that "maybe" things are on hold for the holidays, or some sticky point about "Sears" directly selling the scratch and dent may impose some liability on Sears for warranty etc.

Sears had two separate stores going on ebay. The "Liquidation" store sold refurbs and returns, while the "Sears" store sold only new, undamaged merchandise (I assume it was overstock and clearance inventory).

 

[mhoffm911]

Sears overstocks and returns are sold to auctioneers around the country in container loads. I know many auctioneers who purchase them by the pallet full and some who buy them by the semi load. There are companies out there who facilitate this type of arrangement.

 

[Major Ramifications]

The company I work for buys Sears overstocks and returns by the truckload, and we sell them cheap. Sears has been clamping down lately on the use of their brand names and on the type of stuff they have been letting go to the liquidators.
I don't know what is going on with the Sears ebay sites, but my guess is that this is all related. I wish I knew someone who works further "upstream" in the overstock & return product flow.

 

[NOMAD]

I noticed my favorite local refurb seller is now selling "name brand" goods and can;t list the sears or C-man name.

They also must be hurting from this as the quality of goods they have on ebay is not so good anymore. Little stuff instead of better large items.

I got a full set of toolboxes, wedwacker and other little things with that seller, then I just drive across towna dn pick up with no shipping cost.

Hopefully they'll lighten up after the holidays.