Kenmore, Craftsman blow up at Kmart

Kmart continues to build its stock of Sears private labels as the home department, including vacuums and other floor care products, expands the presence of Kenmore and Craftsman.

In a New York City store, recently, Kenmore vacuums took their place in a home department that already includes the label in segments as diverse as microwave ovens and cookware. In floor care, the store offers two models, the Kenmore Progressive Upright, with noted features including a high-efficiency HEPA filter, electronic dirt sensor, electronic full bag alert and two-speed brush roll, and the Kenmore Quick Clean bagless upright including micro filtration and four-height adjustment.

The Kenmore models are interspersed among a branded assortment that includes Bissell, Dirt Devil and Eureka models. Kmart also offers an endcap featuring two Dyson products, the DC07 Slim at $399.99 and the DC18 at $469.99.

Not far away in hardware, Kmart offers Craftsman wet/dry vacs in two-, six-, nine- and 12-gallon capacities. Merchandised nearby are accessories including a five-piece car cleaning kit that comes complete with an 11-and-a-quarter-inch hose and assorted brushes/tools.

Sears Holdings introduced Kenmore vacuums into Kmart two years ago, said Gary Daddio, small appliances and floor care buyer for Kmart. Canister models hit store shelves followed, last year, by uprights. Today, a standard stock of Kenmore vacuums is offered throughout the Kmart chain.

In the context of marketing and merchandising, the Kenmore label is incorporated on the same terms as the national brands that are mounted around it and will be presented in a similar manner. “We have two uprights and two canisters in all stores, and they will be promoted as we do national brands,” Daddio said.

On the other side of the equation, Craftsman began to appear at Kmart stores beginning in September 2006. Sears Holdings tested the brand in 120 Kmart stores during 2005 and the Father’s Day selling season in 2006. Kmart buyer Dave Blankenship said the Craftsman wet/dry vacs line also hit stores in September 2006.

He added that the current presentation will hold through the holidays. “We will maintain the same assortment in Kmart stores through the end of the year. The assortment going forward will be reviewed, but there are no definite plans to expand the Kmart assortment yet,” said Blankenship.

Sears Holdings has been more closely associating Kmart and its core mid-tier appliance brands. That became particularly apparent a year ago when Kmart’s Woodstock, Ill., store debuted the first of the chain’s complete home appliance departments. Sears Holdings immediately slated 200 Kmart stores for the appliance addition in a national rollout.

Kmart appliance departments carry the top eight brands in major home appliances, Sears Holdings noted, including Kenmore, Maytag, Frigidaire, Amana, GE and Whirlpool. The departments provide Kmart customers access to product categories that have traditionally been available at Sears, but not the discounter.

Now Kmart customers can shop for refrigeration, including compact refrigerators and freezers, as well as dishwashers, washers and dryers, and ovens and ranges, including micro-hood combination units. The small appliance part of the rollout includes the Kenmore vacuum range and new Kenmore counter-top small appliances.

Many of the products offered in the new appliance departments fall under Kmart’s “Take it Home Today” program. Additionally, Sears policies such as Price Match Guarantee and protection agreements are extended to Kmart, which also provides professional installation and delivery through Sears Home Services.