Sears Holding has developed a strategy that is part of a new marketing effort that has been put out under the theme: Life. Well spent, that will build the strengths of the Sears and Kmart core operations, helping them reach customers more effectively (Duff). Sears Holdings brands also use cross-channel and cross-format approach for their mobile marketing and commerce, which also include the integration of their new Shop Your Way and Kmart Holiday Deal of the Day campaigns.
Sears Holdings Corporation target markets for all of their brands are broken down by products offers under brand and the types of products. For Sears Holdings two retail stores Sears and Kmart both target markets consist of targeting families with children. But their main target consumer for the Sears store is female head of household. Sears market research shows that she is responsible for over 70% of our purchases. This is essential for Sears to connect with her in very compelling and relevant ways (Howard).
Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. There product strategy for their Sears and Kmart stores is they offer everything that people would need for themselves, their homes and vehicles. Sears Holdings Corporation brands are broken down into brand categories. The brand categories SHC offers are national brands, private store brands, family brands, and their individual branding.
The products both Sears and Kmart offer in their retail stores appliance, automotive & tires, tool, clothing, jewelry, toys, health and wellness. Although Sears and Kmart sell the same types of product to similar target markets they offer different brands in their stores. Sears offers brands like Apostrophe, Arrow, Canyon River Blues, Covington, Carharrtt, Dockers Lands’ End, Lee, Levi, U.S. Polo Assn., and Wrangler are some of the brands of clothing the store and the online website offers. Appliance brands Sears sells in store and online is Whirlpool, LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, GE Appliances, Mayta, Bosch, KitchenAid, Electrolux, Dyson and Kenmore are some of the many brands.
Brands that Kmart carries are Jaclyn Smith, Attention, Route 66, Basic Editions, Piper & Blue, Joe Boxer, Pink K, Passion Forever, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co., Athletech, Attention, Route 66 Basic Ediitons, Protégé, Wrangler, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co., Fruit Of The Loom, Hanes, Joe Boxer, Knightsbridge, and Rustler Islander.
Sears Holdings Corporation also has key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. Sears is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually (Sears Holdings Corporation).
Sears Holdings philosophy of managing Sears Holdings Corp. (SHC), of the 2008 restructuring into five business units (operating, support, brands, online, and real estate) and the "five key pillars" of the company's strategy: Creating lasting relationships with customers by empowering them to manage their lives; Attaining best in class productivity and efficiency; Building brands; Reinventing the company continuously through technology and innovation; Reinforcing 'The SHC Way' by living the company's values every day (Wiltham).
Sears Holding product strategy for their brands varies or is very different for each brand. The product strategy for the Sears stores follows the brands slogan “Life Well Spent- Shop your way the name you trust.” The main things Sears stores highlight are “Millions of products, Ship, pick up services, or have what you want delivered, Countless services to get the job done, Convenience, speed & choice on your terms.” The brands of merchandise you can purchase at Sears department store follow the slogan because the product offered to their customer are affordable and offer price comparison to offer their consumer the best prices. Sears also offers two consumer goods and services in their stores shopping products, and specialty products. Kmart stores also follow the store slogan Unexpected quality and unbelievable deals. Kmart also highlights their mains to shopping at their store like Kmart being “your source for prescriptions to electronics, Cosmetics to clothing for the whole family, Brands like Joe Boxer and Jaclyn Smith, and the get it all and love the receipt.” There other key proprietary like Craftsman, Kenmore, Lands’ End and other stores like The Great Indoors, and Parts Direct among many other that carry a have slogans that and highlight what their product strategy is.
Sears Holdings Brands and stores can all be classified as Business to Consumer service because SHC supplies and offers a range of many different products that are sold from the store to the customer. Sears Holdings distribution strategy uses the consumer distribution method products go from producers/ manufacturers to agent/broker to the wholesaler, to retailer then finally to the consumer.
SCH brands and store have not always maintained and continued a good long term marketing relationship with their consumers and with their brands and stores. They’ve had problems in recent years with their competitors stealing their customers like Wal-Mart, JC Penny’s, and Kohl’s. But the company has made changes to help reorganize the internal workings of Sears Holdings. The idea behind the reorganization is to drive decision-making down into the organization and to harness free-market forces to convert a centrally planned company into a more decentralized company. In effect, Sears Holdings will operate as a holding company that owns five types of businesses: operating businesses; support businesses (e.g., finance, marketing); online businesses; real estate businesses; and brand businesses. In the case of the operating and support business categories, there will be a number of business units that fall into those categories, each run by a single leader accountable for its results (Sears Holdings Chairman). Today Sears Holdings Corporation does have a great lifetime value of customers which is what makes their founding department store Sears Roebuck & Co. historic in America because they have been able to stand the test of time.
Works Cited
Duff, Mike. "Q&A: Sears Presses Case for Alternative Marketing Strategy." 18 June 2009. BNET. 12 March 2010 <http://industry.bnet.com/retail/10002491/qa-sears-presses-case-for-alernative-marketing-strategy/>.
Howard, Theresa. "Sears marketing strategy goes back to basics." 22 January 2002. USA Today. 12 March 2010 <http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2002-01-21-sears.htm>.
Sears Holdings . "About Sears Holdings." 2010. Sears Holdings. 12 March 2010 <http://www.searsholdings.com/about/>.
Sears Holdings Chairman. "Sears Holdings Chairman's Letter." Sears Holdings Corporation. 13 March 2010 <http://www.searsholdings.com/invest/archives/feb08.htm>.
Sears Holdings Corporation. "Sears Holding Brands." 2010. Sears Holdings. 12 Maech 3012 <http://www.searsholdings.com/about/brands.htm>.
Wiltham. "Sears Holdings Hurt by Sears (Home Textiles Today)." 2 March 2009. Executive Quote and Information Service : EQUIS. 16 March 2010 <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.library.berkeley.org/pqdweb?did=1656006721&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=11195&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.