Sears and Kids

It has long been my belief that toy departments draw children and children draw parents. Therefore, any retailer who takes out or downsizes (pay attention here Wal-Mart) a toy department runs the risk of losing the family shopper. Sears took theirs out in the 90’s and subsequently lost women and kids and became a destination for men. Since then, Sears’s revenues have been in a steady decline as the kids drove their families elsewhere.

It was with this in mind that I came upon an article in the Star Ledger, a New Jersey paper, entitled “Sears hopes toy sales can reverse its slide.” Obviously, Sears finally figured out that they need the kids back to get their parents back in the stores. 

The article laid out Sears plans and I like a lot of what the chain isdoing: Computer kiosks so parents can place orders for home delivery with free shipping, carpeted floors so kids will sit down and play and exclusives picking up on the Sears Craftsman and Kenmore brands. 

What concerns me, however, is this statement by their Chief Marketing Officer: “… a key to the success of the shops will be having both the name brands parents are looking for as well as exclusives only found at Sears.” That sounds exactly like the strategy employed by Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Target. Please, Sears, give the consumer something different.  Yes, have the brands but make the toy shopping experience memorable by building out the department with products that surprise and delight; in other words, products that you didn’t see on television.

We have too much “me too” in this industry. Let’s hope Sears, like Barnes & Noble, decides to bring us a different shopping experience. Who knows, if they do they may just become a retailing force once again.