Sears reviving something iconic for the holidays
Sears is bringing back its holiday Wish Book catalog — but with a digital update.
The struggling retailer announced it is bringing back its iconic holiday catalog (the Wish Book was last available in 2011), which will showcase holiday decorations, home furnishings, games and toys, sleepwear and intimates, apparel, appliances and more. But the catalog has been "reinvented" for 2017, and will, in addition to the classic print editions, have mobile and online versions. It will also be accessible through the Sears app.
"Our members told us they missed the Wish Book, so we had to bring it back, but in a special way that lets you share more joy wherever you are, said Kelly Cook, chief marketing officer for Sears and Kmart.
The digital version of the 120-page catalog will be interactive. As shoppers navigate through pages, they can hover over items to see pricing and descriptions. They can also add items to their own wish list by selecting a "heart" icon. The pricing is dynamically updated, so shoppers can return to the digital Wish Book throughout the holiday season to ensure they are getting the best deal, Sears said.
The catalog is not getting a mass mailing. Sears' best "members" (who are participants in the company's Shop Your Way loyalty program) will receive a limited edition printed 2017 Wish Book in the mail. Select other Shop Your Way members will receive an email inviting them to pick up a copy of the collectible keepsake at their local Sears store.
The Sears Wish Book, known as the Sears Christmas Book catalog, first came out in 1933. Featured items in the first catalog included the "Miss Pigtails" doll, a battery powered toy automobile, a Mickey Mouse watch, fruitcakes, Lionel electric trains, a five pound box of chocolates, and live singing canaries.
The struggling retailer announced it is bringing back its iconic holiday catalog (the Wish Book was last available in 2011), which will showcase holiday decorations, home furnishings, games and toys, sleepwear and intimates, apparel, appliances and more. But the catalog has been "reinvented" for 2017, and will, in addition to the classic print editions, have mobile and online versions. It will also be accessible through the Sears app.
"Our members told us they missed the Wish Book, so we had to bring it back, but in a special way that lets you share more joy wherever you are, said Kelly Cook, chief marketing officer for Sears and Kmart.
The digital version of the 120-page catalog will be interactive. As shoppers navigate through pages, they can hover over items to see pricing and descriptions. They can also add items to their own wish list by selecting a "heart" icon. The pricing is dynamically updated, so shoppers can return to the digital Wish Book throughout the holiday season to ensure they are getting the best deal, Sears said.
The catalog is not getting a mass mailing. Sears' best "members" (who are participants in the company's Shop Your Way loyalty program) will receive a limited edition printed 2017 Wish Book in the mail. Select other Shop Your Way members will receive an email inviting them to pick up a copy of the collectible keepsake at their local Sears store.
The Sears Wish Book, known as the Sears Christmas Book catalog, first came out in 1933. Featured items in the first catalog included the "Miss Pigtails" doll, a battery powered toy automobile, a Mickey Mouse watch, fruitcakes, Lionel electric trains, a five pound box of chocolates, and live singing canaries.