Sears and Kmart bring Christmas to July
Filed under: Family Money, Shopping, Technology
If you're the type to be annoyed by the ever earlier appearance of holidays, you're going to really hate this: Christmas Lane (beware: there's Christmas music that autoplays) at Sears and Kmart, an online holiday shop. Open now. That's right. Sears Holdings (Kmart's parent company) is promoting and selling gifts and decorations in the heat of summer. But is this Christmas "creep" of the highest order or smart marketing?
There's a reason why the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It's the traditional start of the winter holiday shopping season, and the day when retailers expect to move from red to black -- from losing money to being profitable.
Not all retailers lose money the remaining 10 months of the year. But for those that are struggling, the holidays are do or die. And Sears and Kmart are struggling.
After emerging from bankruptcy, Kmart acquired Sears in late 2004, and neither retailer has been able to grow top line sales. The kind where goods sold to customers increases as opposed to improving the bottom line by cutting costs and closing stores. If a retailer can only make money by eliminating overhead, then it's not much of a retailer.
Under the direction of Eddie Lampert, Sears and Kmart have tried so many things to stimulate business it's impossible to list them here. New store formats, selling Kenmore appliances at Kmart, giant supercenter-like Sears stores, apparel lines from so-called celebrities. Not much has worked, at least not well. Except for the resurrection of an oldie but goodie, layaway.
Last year, Kmart heavily promoted its layaway program during the holidays and hard hit shoppers took advantage. Sears soon followed and both retailers benefited from the program. Christmas Lane seems to capitalize on last year's success, letting customers select holiday merchandise and begin making layaway payments well in advance.
Right now, Christmas Lane is strictly online, so we'll be spared the lights and music in stores. At least until after Back to School season is wrapped up. Then it's all Christmas, all the time.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-09-2009 @ 4:50PM
Donovan said...
If I see or hear anything that has to do with Christmas in any store, prior to November I'm walkin out.
A few stores in my area already have Holloween crap on display.
The stores put these displays out so early. That by the time the Holiday's are here. People are so sick of looking at all the crap on display for so long, consumers loose interest in buying Holiday items.
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7-10-2009 @ 5:12AM
koko said...
http://www.wholesalediy.com
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7-10-2009 @ 5:40AM
Amy said...
For some free moneysaving and moneymaking tips including FREEBIES visit http://www.ManyMoneySavers.com
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7-10-2009 @ 8:21AM
Mike said...
Boycott them! Make it backfire on them!!!
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7-10-2009 @ 9:58AM
randy said...
you my not agree with their sales tactics, but to boycott them for exploring a way to save their business, for shame
7-10-2009 @ 10:51AM
renee said...
I LOVE SEARS, I DIDNT MAKE AVAIL OF THE LAYAWAY PROGRAM BUT I SAW THEY WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME WHEN MY STOVE AND FREEZER WENT OUT THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER. THEY DELIVERED THE DAY BEFORE SO MY FAMILY WOULDNT DO WITHOUT. I SHOP THEM FIRST NOW.
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7-10-2009 @ 11:06AM
Louida said...
For freebies and cash back on online purchases come check out http://EarningFreeMoney.com
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7-10-2009 @ 11:57AM
Phil said...
I remember K Mart was the first retail idiot to be open on Thanksgiving Day. I stopped shopping at K Mart when they pulled this stunt. Can't give their people the day off! Hope they croak! They have junk anyway, and I see the parking lot at the KMart by me is empty!!! YEAH!
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7-10-2009 @ 12:11PM
Steven said...
Money grab paly, thats all this is, I with boycotting this corporate greed, christmas is a joke anyway.
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7-10-2009 @ 12:15PM
babsie said...
SO IS HOBBY LOBBY
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7-10-2009 @ 12:53PM
Deanna said...
Okay, it's probably just me but I adore Christmas and this article made me smile and surf over to the shop. And start thinking about my Christmas list for family & friends.
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7-11-2009 @ 12:24AM
JOSEPH E. HUERTA said...
SEARS IS GOING DOWN HILL DEEPER. EXAMPLE....I PURCHASED A T.V. STORE NO. 02398 (TWIN PEAKS MALL) LONGMONT, CO. ON 6/25/09. SALESPERSON WENT OTECK IFHE HAD IN STOCK. DID NOT HAVE THE SAMSUNG MODEL SAM -LN22B3 FLAT SCREEN WITH HD. WAS THEN TOLD THAT IT WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE STORE ON JULY 17, 2009. A TOTAL OF 22 DAYS BEFORE I CAN PICK IT UP AT THE STORE (IF IT WAS SHIPPED FROM WHERE-EVER).
ON JULY 9, 2009 I WENT IN AND ASK FOR THE MANAGER. EXPLAIN TO HER WHY DO IHAVE TO WAIT 22 DASY TO RECEIVE MY T.V.
THE USUAL "I'M SORRY FOR YOUR INCONVIENANCE. WE DO NOT HAVE THE ROOM IN THE STORE TO HAVE STOCK ON HAND FOR A CUSTOMER NOR DOES THE WAREHOUSE HAVE THE ROOM.
I TOLD HER IT WAS UNSATISFACORY AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IF I WANTED TO BUY IT VIA A CATALOG I WOULD HAVE WENT TO PENNY'S. SHE SHOWED NO INTEREST ONLY TO SAY SEARS IS SORRY. SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT I TOLD HER. THE PROBLME NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I WENT AN BOUGHT THE SAME T.V FOR THE SAME PRICE (BEST BUY WILL MATCH THE PRICE AS WELL AS COSCO. WAKE UP SEARS...THE STORY 02398 WILL SOON BE CLOSED. ONCE CANNOT EVEN FIND A CASHIER TO BE WAITED ON TO BUY THEIR SELECTION. AT THE TIME THREE CUSTOMER WERE IN LINE AND NO ONE AT THE CASH REGISTER.
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7-10-2009 @ 3:50PM
Jill said...
Mike I fully agree with you. Boycott them, buyer beware read the fine print on your layaway slips. They will not refund your money even with a reciept after a year. I lost $400, was not able to get back to the store in a timely manner. Now no one I know will shop there. As we all know word of mouth goes very far.
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7-10-2009 @ 5:17PM
Randy said...
You were returning something AFTER A YEAR!
7-10-2009 @ 4:55PM
Amber said...
Why don't we celebrate the only person who really understands our place in this universe? Darwin
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7-10-2009 @ 4:55PM
Virginia said...
SEARS IS HAVING A MICHAEL JACKSON SALE...............BOYS PANTS HALF OFF.
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7-10-2009 @ 6:35PM
Daveon said...
Well I for one, still enjoy the quality of Sears and the Layaway plan, for some families is the only way they can provide a Christmas at all for thier children and families, especially in this economy. I say way to go K-mart & Sears. It is nice to know that you are out there for those who may have been laid off this year. Your making a statement here, I do not believe it is greed I think it is a smart move to show you are still one of Americas favorite places to shop. and Mike I'm sure you own some craftsman tools that are from Sears Right??
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9-15-2009 @ 12:21AM
Black Friday Sears said...
People always feel glad and excitement about black friday shopping. They can buy anything with big discount. They also do plan for Christmas preparation.
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