Sears outlets change appliance strategy
Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores is rearranging its appliance retail strategy to better speak to customers and their changing priorities.
The retailer said that brand name, quality and appearance are now more important than ever, and through a refresh of its product assortment, merchandising, fixtures, signage and floor associate training, the company hopes to capitalize on this shift.
The move comes after the companyannounced a 7.7% comp-store sales declinein the fourth quarter.
"With improved selling floors and enhanced technologies, our customers will have a shopping experience unmatched by any of our competitors," said president and CEO Bruce Johnson.
The refresh will occur in two phases, beginning with 51 Sears Hometown Stores this March (with grand reopening celebrations taking place April 23-25).
The new store design will have appliances taking up more than half the space, featuring more brands and an updated look. There will also be three kitchen vignettes to showcase complete appliance suites from multiple brands in a limited amount of floor space.
Additionally, a special section for laundry products will help customers compare and contrast various appliances.
"This wasn't just a change in how the store is laid out. We started more fundamentally by considering the needs of our customers, what we want to stand for and what it means to be America's Appliance Experts," said COO Will Powell. "We rethought the buying process from end-to-end and created a very unique and positive experience for our customers. America's Appliance Experts incorporates all aspects of the customer experience, taking into account everything from comprehensive training on our brands to in store display and the use of technology in the sales process."
There will also be a touch-screen kiosk on-site, giving customers the option of searching on their own or having the guidance of a salesperson.
Sales associates will receive brand-specific selling certifications, as well as tablet computers to better assist customers.
"We are one of the first national retailers in rural America to integrate tablets into the sales process," said John Sessoms, DVP, merchandising & assorting. "In some of our smaller square footage stores, we are unable to showcase the entire assortment of merchandise, so having this technology enables our associates and customers to view the wide range of products that we have available."
The 51 stores set for the initial stage of the rollout process are located in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Texas and Vermont.