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Tag: Kmart

  • Cyber Monday 2014: Sears and Kmart

    Sears and Kmart’s Cyber Week deals start Sunday, Nov. 30 at midnight, and run until Saturday, Dec. 6 at 11:59 p.m.

    Sears has been losing money and closing department stores as of late, and the multinational department store chain based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, also owns Kmart, which has likewise been losing money. During the three months before November 2, Sears saw losses of $534 million, or $5.03 per share. A year earlier, the company lost $498 million, or $4.70 per share, in the same time frame.

    The two sister companies interchangeably allow free in-store pick-up at any of the remaining 1,800 Sears or Kmart locations nationwide. Shipping is free for orders at $59 or more.

    Notable Sears Deals include:

    – A Kenmore 25 cu. ft. side-by side stainless steel refrigerator for $819.99
    – A Kenmore high-efficiency top-load washer and dryer for $449.88 each
    – A Samsung Bagless Upright Vacuum with Motion Sync Design for $174.99
    – A Samsung 60″ 1080p 240Hz Ultra Slim 3D LED Full HD Smart TV for $1299.99
    – A Samsung 55″ Class 1080p LED Smart HDTV for $799.99

    Notable Kmart deals include:

    – A Sanyo 50″ Class 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV $429.99
    – An RCA 46″ LED TV for $349.99
    – A Westinghouse LED 39″ HDTV 1080p 120Hz for $249.99
    – 50 percent off Hasbro games
    – A Craftsman 42 piece 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch Drive Bit and Torx Bit Socket Wrench Set for $29.99
    – Up to 40 percent off Joe Boxer apparel for the family plus save 15 to 25 percent off with code CYBER25

    Some Sears Black Friday 2013 mayhem:

    Hedge fund billionaire Eddie Lampert, chairman and CEO of Sears, has shifted the focus of the company toward building upon its ‘Shop Your Way’ program, which caters to loyal customers. Under-performing stores are being shut down, including the location at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. At present, the ‘Shop Your Way’ members-only program accounts for 70% of Sears sales, up from 65% last year.

    “The focus is less on selling products and just running stores,” Lampert said. “But serving members first.” During the last quarter, revenue fell 7% to $8.27 billion, mostly due to fewer Sears and Kmart stores in operation. Still, revenue at the stores still open, which indicates a retailer’s health, fell 3.1%.

  • Adam Levine Launches Women’s Clothing Line at Kmart

    Adam Levine has been doing much more than just singing lately. More specifically, the Maroon 5 frontrunner-turned businessman is making gratuitous strides with a number of other business ventures. However, right now it’s all about fashion.

    On Tuesday, Apr. 8, Sears Holdings officially announced the Grammy award-winning singer’s new women’s clothing line to be sold in Kmart department stores. The company’s press release specified that the 2014 Adam Levine Spring and Summer Collection would be launching on Thursday, Apr. 10.

    The summer collection, which has items priced from $12.99 to $29.99, “features floral adorned kimono tops, colorful twill shorts, crocheted bralettes and an assortment of denim,” and “unique pieces, including a demure lacy sheer blouse and a perfect summer Aztec maxi dress.”

    Levine even shared his perspective on the best aspects about creating a women’s fashion line and why it appealed to him.

    “The best thing about designing a women’s collection is that I was able to create pieces that I would like to see a woman wear,” said Levine. “I was thrilled with how the men’s collection turned out, and it’s been a really cool process working with the Kmart design team to replicate that simple yet sophisticated style for a woman.”

    Bernt Ullmann, president of Sears Holdings’ Shop Your Way Brands, also weighed in with remarks about the new fashion line. “We are excited about taking our relationship with Adam to the next level. His effortless, cool approach to dressing is perfect for expanding his brand universe into women’s wear. Now all his female fans can be part of the lifestyle.”

    Levine’s clothing collection will be available at 500 Kmart store locations across the country. The collection will also be available for Shop Your Way (SYW) members online. Fans can follow Levine at www.ShopYourWay.com/AdamLevine for exclusive details about clothing items and accessories for the fashion line.

    Image via Adam Levine, Facebook

  • Adam Levine Launches Women’s Fashion Line At Kmart

    Pop star, matinee idol, sexiest man alive and, talent judge. Now, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine can add women’s fashion designer to his resume. The 35-year-old rock star recently launched an affordable collection for gals at Kmart.

    Levine suggests that females go back to the basics when picking out a wardrobe, “Don’t over think things. I always go back to the idea that style should be effortless. I think that’s the most important tip.”

    The best part of Levine’s fashion line may just be the price. A shopper can purchase anything from crop tops to sundresses, and pay just $12.99 to $29.99. The line also includes accessories that run $6.99 to $29.99. The summer collection “features floral adorned kimono tops, colorful twill shorts, crocheted braceletts and an assortment of denim as well as unique pieces, including a demure lacy sheer blouse and a perfect summer Aztec maxi dress.”

    And where did Levine get the inspiration for the fashion line? It’s simply based on what he likes, “The best thing about designing a women’s collection is that I was able to create pieces that I would like to see a woman wear.” He added, “It’s been a really cool process working … to replicate that simple yet sophisticated style for a woman.”

    This isn’t the first foray into fashion for Levine. He also launched a men’s line for Kmart last October. The line is described as “cool, classic clothes for every day.”

    The Levine fashion line is available at 500 Kmart locations and at their online site ShopYourWay.com.

    Image via Adam Levine, Twitter

  • Day After Christmas Sales Grow

    Day After Christmas Sales Grow

    It’s no Black Friday, but the day after Christmas is what many shoppers call the 2nd busiest shopping day of the year. Some will have gift cards to spend while others are returning those gifts that just didn’t quite work. Whatever reason gets you out and inside of a store doesn’t matter – you’re a potential buyer now. And retailers are trying their best to cram in as many more sales before the new year comes as they can.

    Forget the old days where you just went with your grandmother to shop for deals on Christmas decorations for next year. Retail giants and small businesses alike are offering deep discounts and giveaways just to get you in the door. They want you to get out that $50 gift card and end up spending $150 because you just can’t pass up that sale. Plus, who wants to pack it all up again? I don’t like putting my own Christmas trinkets up, let alone an entire store full of them.

    Big box stores such as Walmart offer discounts ranging from 25-50%; Kmart gives their “Shop Your Way” members 50 cents off per gallon of gas; Target even has all of their toys marked at 50% off.

    Department stores like Macy’s and JC Penney’s do a buy one get one free sale and $10 coupons.Kohl’s stands out by telling shoppers that if they spend over $100 they’ll be privy to a 20% off discount throughout the majority of the entire store.

    And don’t forget to stop in and see your local small businesses. Many times these retailers will not have copious amounts of floor space in their buildings and use this day to display a big CLEARANCE SIGN in hopes that shoppers will clear out all of the old merchandise.

    (image)

    It really doesn’t matter WHERE you shop, only WHEN. So get to whatever store you have a gift card to and enjoy their selection of sales the day after Christmas. And don’t snatch up ALL of the super cheap Christmas decor – there’s enough for everyone.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kmart Returns To “Ship My Pants” Just In Time For The Holidays

    Earlier this year, Kmart surprised everyone with a new advertising campaign called “Ship my pants.” I won’t go into detail as you presumably know about the infamous, and frankly wonderful, advertising campaign already. What’s important today is that the same ad is back, but with a decidedly more festive twist.

    Kmart introduced the world to a new ad today called “Ship My Trousers.” I don’t want to spoil anything, but here’s the official description:

    A brand new Christmas classic from Kmart. Ship My Pants meets Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Sure to be a holiday favorite for the ages.

    With this latest holiday ad from Kmart, we can make two observations. The first is that the “ship my ____” joke is still funny. The second is that Kmart is absolutely killing it this holiday season with its advertising. It all started with the Mistlefinger – a creepy, yet heartwarming, tale of a disembodied finger that hangs from the ceiling and buys presents for the kids. The second – “Show your Joe” – received a lot of negative backlash for a rather innocuous rendition of Jingle Bells. It’s like those people had never seen See Spot Run.

    It doesn’t matter if you find it offensive or funny though as these ads are doing their job. We’re talking about them and so are you. Kmart as a brand is entering the public consciousness after what feels like years of obscurity in the shadow of bigger rivals like Walmart, Target and Myers. While I don’t see myself shopping at Kmart anytime soon, these ads may just be enough to at least get people shopping at Kmart’s online store.

    [Image: Kmart/YouTube]

  • Sears Black Friday Doorbusters Online

    Sears Black Friday Doorbusters Online

    Sears, which has been losing money and closing department stores as of late, has posted an ad for Black Friday doorbuster deals.

    Sears, the multinational department store chain based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, also owns Kmart, which has likewise been losing money. During the three months before November 2, Sears saw losses of $534 million, or $5.03 per share. A year earlier, the company lost $498 million, or $4.70 per share, in the same time frame.

    While Sears urges consumers to create a profile to log in to see upcoming Black Friday deals on their website, a few members-only doorbusters are online. Sears notes that members can “beat the crowd,” and many of the online Black Friday deals include free shipping.

    Notable electronics deals include:

    – a Mach Speed X-Treme 7″ Tablet w/ Android 4.0 for $39.99
    – a Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop PC 1.6GHz Processor 15.6″ Display for $299.99
    – an RCA 42″ Class 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV for $299.99
    – a Vivitar DVR 508HD Digital Video Recorder for $24.99
    – an LG Optimus Dynamic™ L38C CDMA Pre-Paid Mobile Phone for $39.99

    Hedge fund billionaire Eddie Lampert, chairman and CEO of Sears, has shifted the focus of the company toward building upon its ‘Shop Your Way’ program, which caters to loyal customers. Under-performing stores are being shut down, including the location at the Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. At present, the ‘Shop Your Way’ members-only program accounts for 70% of Sears sales, up from 65% last year.

    “The focus is less on selling products and just running stores,” Lampert said. “But serving members first.” During the last quarter, revenue fell 7% to $8.27 billion, mostly due to fewer Sears and Kmart stores in operation. Still, revenue at the stores still open, which indicates a retailer’s health, fell 3.1%.

    In related news, below is a clip of enthusiastic consumers, hoping to achieve Black Friday shopping success:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBk32OUxCnU

    Of course, all of the biggest retailers offer big Black Friday deals, though one should be careful while traversing the ravenous crowds that have been known to swarm doorbusting retail fixtures.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Kmart “Jingle Balls” Commercial Controversy

    Kmart is sure to have the most entertaining and controversial commercial of the holiday season. The Joe Boxer ad, which was released this week, has been nicknamed “Jingle Balls”, and shows six men shaking their (well you know) to the sound of the Christmas classic, “Jingle Bells”.

    The “Show your Joe” ad starts very innocently with six very handsome men standing behind a table ringing bells. The controversy begins when they move out from behind the table and begin shaking their hips.

    While some have found the commercial truly offensive, many others have commented that the commercial is “hilarious” and “the best of the season”. Kmart’s Facebook and Twitter profiles have been bombarded with both good and bad comments.

    “Kmart exec’s – you’ve taken Kmart to a whole new Smut level, with your junk jingle,” said
    Jon- Karen Arthur. Another Facebook user wrote, “No… I believe that sickening commercial is horribly inappropriate for a “family oriented” store. It is not being a “hater” to expect common decency in a tv commercial. I choose moral uprightness..So I am boycotting Kmart this Christmas and invite others to do the same.”

    What do you think about Kmart’s “Show your Joe” commercial? Leave your comments below.

    Image via Twitter

  • People Are Outraged at Kmart’s Plan to Remain Open All Thanksgiving Day

    Mega retailers being open for part of Thanksgiving Day is nothing new, but usually stores close for a few hours so employees can get in a little guaranteed family time. Kmart added a twist in their Thanksgiving/Black Friday plans this year when they announced plans to stay open 41 hours straight, starting at 6 AM on Thanksgiving Day, November 28. And guess what? People are mad.

    Some Twitter users are calling for shoppers to boycott Kmart for opening all Thanksgiving Day, which may just happen unintentionally as Kmart saw a 5.5 percent drop in sales in the first 9 months of the year. Check out some of the angry tweets Kmart has received below.

    Will you do any of your holiday shopping on Thanksgiving Day? Respond below.

    In all fairness, Kmart won’t be the only store that will open on Thanksgiving this year, and some 24-hour Walmart stores reportedly stay open all day on Thanksgiving to avoid some of the Black Friday chaos. Even Macy’s announced that they will open on Thanksgiving for the first time this year at 8 PM.

    After receiving hundreds of angry tweets directed their way, Kmart responded on their Twitter page with the following:

    Naturally, this was met with a lot of snarky responses.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • How Did Everybody Miss Kmart’s Mistlefinger Ad?

    Kmart won the Internet in April with a new ad campaign that focused on one phrase, “Ship my pants.” It blew up overnight and became a viral sensation. The store did it again a month later with “Big Gas Savings.” Now it’s latest ad is out, and it unfortunately went ignored.

    To advertise the start of the holiday shopping season and Kmart’s layaway program, the retailer has a new ad out called “Mistlefinger.” In it, we get a festive, yet creepy, disembodied hand performing a number of questionable actions, including, but not limited to, squirting water on a woman’s face, shaking a shake weight and wagging his finger in a suggestive way to children.

    In short, it’s absolutely brilliant:

    While it may not be as immediately hilarious as “Ship my pants” or “Big gas savings,” the Mistlefinger should go down in history as one of the most clever holiday shopping ads ever made. It at least deserves more than the paltry 667 views it currently has. After all, it’s almost the holidays, and what better way to share the holiday spirit than giving your loved ones the mistlefinger.

    [Image: Kmart/YouTube]

  • Kmart’s ‘Big Gas Savings’ Ad May Make You Ship Your Pants

    Kmart is killing it with the ads as of late. Last month, the retailer came out of left field and dropped a contender for funniest ad of year with “Ship My Pants.”

    Like that ad, Kmart’s new ad “Big Gas Saving” makes use of a language trick to make the innocent sound a bit salty. Man, those sure are some big gas savings.

    The “Ship My Pants” ad currently boasts over 17.3 million views on YouTube. I think you can call that a massive success for any ad. With the new spot, Kmart has created another winner.

    Check it out:

    With “Ship My Pants,” Kmart saw a lot of social media support, mostly thanks a well-advertised Twitter hashtag. This time, people are continuing the trend of hashtagging their delight with the ad:

  • ‘Ship My Pants’ Ad Seems To Be Working For Kmart

    Earlier this week, we looked at a new Kmart ad entitled, “Ship My Pants”. It pretty much came out of left-field. I don’t think anyone would’ve expected an ad like this from Kmart, and perhaps that’s the point. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a moment:

    Done? Go ahead, watch it again.

    Yeah, that Kmart ad has almost ten million YouTube views. Ten MILLION. A Kmart ad. It hasn’t even been up a week yet.

    Naturally, it’s generating a lot of buzz in social media. Here are some recent tweets (about 30 more have come in since I started writing this a few minutes ago):

    Kmart itself seems to be having a blast with it:

    Whether all of the social buzz leads to more people going to Kmart and having things shipped remains to be seen.

  • Kmart Ad Will Make You Ship Bricks

    This new ad from Kmart is guaranteed to give you the giggles. Sure, it’s the 8-year-old kid who just farted in church giggles, but it’s ok to give in to your immaturity once in a while, right?

    Kmart is advertising that you can ship things right from the store. That means you can ship your pants. While standing in Kmart. So many people have shipped their pants standing in Kmart, that they all join in to make it known.

    YES! I SHIP MY PANTS JUST NOW!

    I think you can see where this is going.

    Not only did Kmart create one of the best ads of 2013 so far, but they also were able to create a ton of social media buzz with the Twitter hashtag #shipmypants

    Well played, Kmart.

  • Sears and Kmart Launch Movie Download Service

    Sears has launched a new online movie download service called Alphaline Entertainment. It lets customers of Sears and Kmart download movies the day they’re released on TV. 

    The offering comes with a multi-year agreement with Sonic Solutions, which involves Sonic’s RoxioNow platform to extend its reach. RoxioNow powers digital services for retailers, cable operators, manufacturers, etc. Sonic Solutions and Sears are working together to embed the RoxioNow services into various devices, such as Blu-ray players, mobile phones, and TVs. 

    "Collaborating with Sonic provides a great opportunity for Sears and Kmart to launch digital services for customers seeking even faster access to the latest in home entertainment experiences," said Karen Austin, President of Consumer Electronics for Sears and Kmart. "We’ll continue to increase the reach and flexibility of the Alphaline Entertainment service by providing consumers on-demand access to the latest entertainment from a range of home and mobile electronics."

    Alphaline Entertainment launches

    "The Sears launch represents an important milestone for Sonic, with another RoxioNow-powered storefront now open for business," said Mark Ely, President of Strategy, Sonic Solutions. "We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Sears and bringing Alphaline Entertainment to consumers through a broad range of connected devices."

    Clearly, the service will compete with services from Amazon and iTunes, but may also have some impact services like Netflix (which may be getting ready for some big expansion). It could even compete with Google TV, because consumers may be forced to decide whether they want a Blu-ray player that supports this or one that comes with Google TV. 

    Either way, it’s clear that connected devices and services that utilize them are going to be big business in 2011, and it’s gong to be an increasingly interesting space to watch.

  • Sears And Kmart Ready Online Movie Service

    Sonic Solutions said today it has entered into an agreement with Sears to provide consumers access to entertainment on a range of Internet connected devices including TVs, Blu-ray players, and mobile phones.

    Under the multi-year agreement, Sears has licensed Sonic Solutions’ RoxioNow platform, which will power digital entertainment delivery services for both Sears and Kmart. The new services will launch later this year and will be promoted at retail stores nationwide.

    Karen-Austin-Sears "Teaming up with Sonic is a great opportunity for Sears and Kmart to quickly establish a position in digital video entertainment, and offer another great service to our customers," said Karen Austin, President of Home Electronics for Sears Holdings.

    "With direct access to so many movies and TV shows from a broad range of devices, our customers will have the ability to obtain the latest high-quality entertainment virtually anywhere, anytime."

    The new entertainment service will offer a range of updated movies and TV shows for rent or purchase, including new releases often on the same day DVDs become available at retail stores. Sonic and Sears will embed the service on a network of devices including portable media players, Blu-ray players, mobile phones, and high-definition televisions.