Sears going out of business?

jerry_nj · Jun 24, 2011

I saw an item on my ISP's home page going something like: "Ten brands we'll not see in 2012".

Sears was on the list.. Kmart stores are not doing much better, but may last a few more years.:fing20:

The craftsman kid · Jun 24, 2011

Wouldn't doubt it. They really had gone downhill in quality and customer service atleast in my area. My 1987 gt6000 on the other hand has always served
me good.(guess I better order my new wheelweights an sleeve hitch before 2012 lol)

Ken in NJ · Jun 24, 2011

A similar thread was posted about this a few days ago and was deleted a few hours after

Please keep political crap out of this, or this one will be deleted as well. :thanku:

jerry_nj · Jun 24, 2011

Thanks, I did a "search" before making this post, and didn't see the other thread.

I have a shed and basement full of Craftsman tools, all have been quality (well mostly) - enough at least to keep me as a customer, I just purchased my 4th Craftsman tractor, the PYT9000. I also still have two of the other three, only the LT I purchased back in 1988 has been junked.

I have no political objective, was wondering if this forecast has merit. I forget what "outfit" made the prediction, but it was made in the context that they do it every year (maybe more than once) and noted that they are not always right. The information went on to say Kmart may be around for a bit longer, but Kmart too is turning in losses, just not as big as the Sears brand.

I "grew up" on Sears, including their long gone general catalog business. I also like Montgomery Wards, both had main stores in Denver the many years ago that I lived there. MW isn't doing well either, is it? I remember Woolworths, Grants, PanAm, on and on... all gone and the loss is a sad loss in my mind as well as in my shopping habits.:crybaby:

D-Dogg · Jun 24, 2011

I think we can have a good discussion without it getting political.

I'm just old enough to remember K-Mart moving in and people fearing Sears and Penneys were doomed.

I'll bide my time. Guess I'll finally have to start buying Snap-On if they close their doors.

mxrdrver · Jun 24, 2011

I read the same article on Yahoo news. We all better stock up on parts now. Not sure how much longer we'll be able to get them.

Hugh-SS/16 · Jun 24, 2011

D-Dogg said:
I think we can have a good discussion without it getting political.

I'm just old enough to remember K-Mart moving in and people fearing Sears and Penneys were doomed.

I'll bide my time. Guess I'll finally have to start buying Snap-On if they close their doors.

lowes kobalt?

pigsitter · Jun 24, 2011

D-Dogg said:
I'll bide my time. Guess I'll finally have to start buying Snap-On if they close their doors.

Bettin if it does happen we will start seeing the craftsman tools with the actual manufacturers name on them pop up elsewhere.:thThumbsU

john9001 · Jun 24, 2011

kmart did not buy sears, kmart went bankrupt and a group of investors bought kmart and reorganized it then leveraged kmart to buy sears and renamed them selves as Sears Holdings Corp. They also hold Lands'end, OSH and The Great Indoors.

Small Fry · Jun 25, 2011

Here is the scoop, there not gone yet, it's more like a prediction from
24/7 Wall St.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43486360/ns/business-us_business

jhorwitz · Jun 25, 2011

Small Fry said:
Here is the scoop, there not gone yet, it's more like a prediction from
24/7 Wall St.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43486360/ns/business-us_business

After reading that article, my guess is that one or the other store brand might go, or that they might do something similar to years ago in Canada when the Canadian arm of Sears and the Canadian department store chain Simpsons joined and the stores were renamed Simpsons-Sears.

They would have only the one store brand to market, and would probably thin under-performing outlets. Some product brands (Craftsman???) might survive, others might go.

The plants that made our favorite tractors, etc., have gone thru multiple similar changes over the past few decades.

When I bought my tractor from the Silver Spring, MD Sears (White Oak store) in the early 1980s, there were two guys working Lawn and Garden Equipment: Both of them had been there "forever", really knew everything about their product line and accessories, and took care of their customers. A few years later, both had retired. Their replacements weren't lawn and garden folks--they were cashiers! Guys like the old guys got lost in the downhill shuffle to cut costs and be competitive with the price-point stores.

LBF · Jun 25, 2011

I find it a little hard to believe that Sears will go completely out of business. Kmart might be thrown under the bus, but then again my view on that is from the fact that every Kmart I've been in was lousy.

Even if Sears and Kmart both go under, has anyone noticed that Craftsman tools are no longer being sold at just Sears stores? Kmart started selling them back when those investors took over and Summit Racing has started selling Craftsman tools.

Although I've become a little picky about what tools I buy anymore. So far I haven't bought any Kobalt tools from Lowes. Come to think of it, I don't have any Husky tools from Home Depot other than a toolbox handsaw (and it's a real piece of junk, impossible to cut straight with - so it's my beater saw and pipe saw).

I've pretty much given up on buying Craftsman ratchets. I have two OLD ones that are pretty decent, but the three newer ones I have are junk. Very sloppy ratcheting mechanism. I still use and abuse 'em, but I recently purchased a Duralast 1/4" drive set from Autozone along with their ratcheting wrenches. Surprisingly the stuff from Autozone seems decent quality and the ratcheting mechanisms feel about as good as (dare I say it) Snap-On. Plus they carry a lifetime warranty.

glenn27 · Jun 25, 2011

pigsitter said:
Bettin if it does happen we will start seeing the craftsman tools with the actual manufacturers name on them pop up elsewhere.:thThumbsU

********

Already have--There's a nut/bolt outfit around now called Fastenall--selling Craftsman tools--I haven't actually looked inside a store to see if they stock them--or you have to order from a catalog....

Actually--the quality is already gone from the Craftsman brand...
just my personal observation-- a few week ago, when working on my neighbor's riding mower--i had to go back and pick up some more tools to take off a deck spindle...an OLD 3/4 box end wrench
(my dad's--from the 50's) was heavier and just fit better in my hand than a newer, same size wrench of recent purchase.:thThumbsU

And I know it's all about cost cutting--meeting the budget , etc...but where does it stop? and then you ask about US becoming a 'throw-away" society??

Food for thought....
glenn

APinNY · Jun 25, 2011

They started tightening the belt 5 years ago when I was working there. I thought the end was near back then. It's surprising they have lasted this long. I don't think they are ready to shut down just yet, after reading that Lampert is hinting around that he is looking to move the huge corporate office out of Illinois. He is apparently looking for some tax breaks.

qlty · Jun 25, 2011

I see that ACE Hardware now sells some Craftsman tools and who knows what is next?JC Higgns and Dunlap were once sold by Sears OOPS I'm showing my age.

LBF · Jun 25, 2011

glenn27 said:
********

Already have--There's a nut/bolt outfit around now called Fastenall--selling Craftsman tools--I haven't actually looked inside a store to see if they stock them--or you have to order from a catalog....

Actually--the quality is already gone from the Craftsman brand...
just my personal observation-- a few week ago, when working on my neighbor's riding mower--i had to go back and pick up some more tools to take off a deck spindle...an OLD 3/4 box end wrench
(my dad's--from the 50's) was heavier and just fit better in my hand than a newer, same size wrench of recent purchase.:thThumbsU

And I know it's all about cost cutting--meeting the budget , etc...but where does it stop? and then you ask about US becoming a 'throw-away" society??

Food for thought....
glenn

None of the Fastenal stores around here seem to stock any Craftsman tools, it all has to be ordered in. They do have a scattering of some other branded stuff in stock (Dewalt and Ryobi IIRC).

And yes, sadly we have become a throw-away society. Everyone seems to whine about how the quality of things just isn't there like it used to be, but everyone wants things cheaper and faster. Well, like the old saw goes.... You can have it fast and good, but it will not be cheap; You can have it fast and cheap, but it will not be good; and You can have it good and reasonably priced, but it will not be fast.

I work construction and I'm getting really tired of trying to explain to people that I do quality work - true quality work - and that I carry business insurance and licenses that Joe Blow the laid-off office worker doesn't, which is why my price is X amount higher than his. It's sad to see so many people that don't have a clue what quality is, but if you want to charge them to do quality work, they scream that you're ripping them off.

I could go on a whole long rant but I think I'll restrain myself for the moment....

ubber_gearhead99 · Jun 25, 2011

LBF said:
Although I've become a little picky about what tools I buy anymore. So far I haven't bought any Kobalt tools from Lowes. Come to think of it, I don't have any Husky tools from Home Depot other than a toolbox handsaw (and it's a real piece of junk, impossible to cut straight with - so it's my beater saw and pipe saw).

I've pretty much given up on buying Craftsman ratchets. I have two OLD ones that are pretty decent, but the three newer ones I have are junk. Very sloppy ratcheting mechanism. I still use and abuse 'em, but I recently purchased a Duralast 1/4" drive set from Autozone along with their ratcheting wrenches. Surprisingly the stuff from Autozone seems decent quality and the ratcheting mechanisms feel about as good as (dare I say it) Snap-On. Plus they carry a lifetime warranty.

Surprisingly my husky ratchet set, and my husky box wrenches are great tools and have a lifetime satisfaction warranty saying if they break you can get new ones through the depot. the only bad think so far is some bad chrome and I messed up one box end on a stuck bolt (abusing the tool).

Tractor-Holic · Jun 25, 2011

The "best" 3/8" ratchet I have at the moment,is a "Husky" I found lying in the street near a scrapyard!...the Craftsman ones do SUCK,I bought a set of those Sears "suitcase" tool sets with all 3 sizes of ratchets & sockets a few years ago,and the ratchets skipped and felt "stripped" right out of the box,on their first use!--took them back to sears,and they wanted to hand me a "rebuilt" one from a drawer,and I said "no thanks--I'll take a refund instead ,and buy GOOD ratchets somewhere eose--but they said they can only EXCHANGE defective tools under warranty,NOT give cash refunds--(I suppose if they did,everyone would buy flea market Craftsman tools used and try returning them!)..

.so I asked if I could get NEW ratchets ,and the guy says "only if yours are not rebuildable,the head or handle has to be broken"...so I said "see you in an hour--they'll BE broken allright"!....took them home ,put them in my vise and whaled on them with my 18 lb sledge,then took the peices back,and got my "new" ratchets,which felt as sloppy s the junk ones did,plus they have fragile plastic levers to change the directoin,that always get caught on something and snap off...I hate them!..the only decent ratchets I have from Sears are OLD ones Ive had since 1977,and one 1/2" one that has a fine tooth action and a smooth handle...

I went to Home Depot to check their ratchets out,but the "Husky" ones they now sell are not like the "good" one I found,now they are chins crap too,and feel like they will strip under one hard use...Lowes "Kobalt" ones seem decent,if I need another ratchet I'll buy one at Lowes,there is a store 1/4 mile from my house--they all have lifetime warranty,but thats no good if their "lifetime" is a few uses and you must trot back to the store and hope you can get another one without a hassle!..

I was told when Home Depot first put stores here,they were taking Craftsman and a few other brands of tools that were defective and would give you a Husky,in hopes of gaining customers--wish I heard that sooner,I'd have swapped my ratchets in a heartbeat,back when they sold "good" Husky ones!..

I dont think I'd miss Sears much if they did go Kaput....my old tractors from Sears,I cant get that many parts for them from Sears anyway,and I never buy much of anything else at their stores ...

St.Bernard · Jun 25, 2011

My guess is sears will be gone but as posted before Craftsman tools will carry on through other companies.Making it easier to get the tools but I believe warrantee will suffer. Example of such is we use to have Craftsmans repair center next to sears for warrant and parts now its gone and all items are sent out to another location for this service. After my new craftsman lit my lawn on fire, I wanted it fixed and they wanted to send it away for months to be repaired,,lol The days of old are gone, long live John Deere

Fcubman · Jun 25, 2011

I have a socket set suitcase with ¼", ⅜", and ½" sets I got from an Ace Hardware store a few years ago. It's pretty decent quality, lifetime guarantee. I don't know who actually made it, but I use it a lot, and like it. I also have a bunch of old Craftsman and Husky tools, and even some old Billings & Spencer wrenches. (Now I'm really dating myself…)

Sears going out of business?

jerry_nj

The craftsman kid

Ken in NJ

jerry_nj

D-Dogg

mxrdrver

Hugh-SS/16

pigsitter

john9001

Small Fry

jhorwitz

LBF

glenn27

APinNY

qlty

LBF

ubber_gearhead99

Tractor-Holic

St.Bernard

Fcubman

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