First, let me say, I am not a basher, I am not here to talk about all the things Sears has screwed up.
I do realize though that the future looks bleak for a brand I have looked up to all my life, so I wanted to share some opinions that won’t cost you anything.
Days of traditional department stores are over, Target and Wal Mart have their markets and Sears is loosing business right and left. I am sure many marketing people have told you this already.
When times are tough, do you continue to try and be everything for everyone? or do you focus down on less and try to be successful at a smaller number of things. Pick a market and use all of your resources to go after it.
Seems to me there are 3 options here.
1) Appliances.
2) clothing
3) Man stuff.
I won’t comment on options 1 and 2, what I am here to talk about is option 3. With the traction Sears has over the years with the Craftsman brand, and selling other tools, why isn’t Sears focused on being the tool version of Bass Pro Shops? Bass Pro has made its mark by being a key place where men go to shop for hunting related items. Sears could be this for tools and garage related items.
People also go to Bass Pro with questions, how do I do this or that. They also go there to shoot their gun or bow to test it, make it better, etc. Sears could be this same place. Employ the right people and customers could come in and ask how, or could bring tools in for repair or testing.
While on that subject, with all the advances in small home machines, why isn’t there a craftsman 3D printer? Why isn’t there a craftsman desktop CNC machine? (seems to be the compucarve machine did pretty well through Sears and this would be a good next step) Sears could convert some of the store to “maker spaces” and help teach and train people on how to make things themselves. (if you have not heard of maker spaces, look it up, one of the biggest trends in many cities)
You post many videos on your youtube channels with guys building things. Your Christmas commercials were about building things, follow this through, make a commitment. Become the place where people who are interested in tools go to look at them, try them out, and buy them. Be the place where people go to learn how to make things, build things, and fix things.
This is what I call opportunity, and if I worked for Sears, I would be standing there telling everyone there. Since I don’t, this is my best way to pass along the note.
I, for one, will be very sad the day Sears goes under, and i fear it will not be long now
A true Craftsman fan
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