Transform SR Brands LLC

Sears Holdings Corp. has received another lifeline courtesy of CEO Eddie Lampert.    The struggling retailer said it has received loan, called a secured letter of credit, for $200 million, with an option to expand the amount to as much as $500 million with the consent of lenders.  

While most retailers reduced traditional advertising spend in favor of digital sources this holiday season, Amazon made an unprecedented move to television.   This was according to the “MediaRadar Trend Report” that examined holiday advertising spend among Amazon, Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Sears, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, and J.C. Penney, between October and November 2016.    When comparing holiday ad spend by retailer, here is how the companies fared:  

Sears Holdings’ store portfolio continues to shrink.   The struggling retailer told employees on Tuesday that it will close 30 Sears and Kmart stores in early 2017, reported Business Insider.  

Hull Property Group plans to move slowly in remaking the Kingsport Town Center, delaying the recruitment of new tenants until it can re-establish the 40-year-old mall as a popular destination for shoppers.  

Sears is taking the saying, “it is better to give than to receive” to heart.   Coinciding with its “Season of Wishes” holiday campaign, the department store chain is rewarding shoppers at Sears Hometown and outlet stores who donate $5 to Make-A-Wish with a “Very Merry Santa Sale” pass for an extra discount between Dec. 15 and Dec. 24.   

Retailers and restaurants in the United States won’t get any relief in 2017 in the battle to win customers.    That’s according to Fitch Ratings' Outlook report, which says that retailers will continue to face a competitive environment in 2017 as they navigate changing customer preferences.  

Among the retail strategies employed by Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores to turn around its business, the store-within-a-store concept might rank as the most inventive.   Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores have been cropping up inside existing Ace locations around the country (and in some cases, built from the ground up as a combo store).   The latest example of this is taking place in Santa Paula, California, inside the Heritage Ace Hardware located at 568 Suite C West Main Street.  

The nation’s largest maternity clothing retailer failed to meet sales and earnings expectations in the third quarter amid changes designed to focus on its core operations.     Destination Maternity reported a net loss of $1.5 million in its fiscal third quarter.   On a per-share basis, the company said it had a loss of 11 cents. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 9 cents per share.