Sears and Kmart like the idea of Mygofer

[Ilovthevu']

In the newspaper, Sears and Kmart are thinking of this new concept about people ordering online, and picking up their merchandise, or people going through a drive-thru, or have the order to brought to their cars.

"It's functioning more as a warehouse." There is one right now that is open in Joliet.

I think that part of this is a stupid idea. Yes, I believe it's great to order online, and go to pick up your thing at the store to make sure they have your product. Wal-Mart has been doing this already with site-to-store option. There are many times when they offer more online, and they don't have it in the store. Than, you have to pay the outrageous shipping costs, and than you don't want the item online. So, this has been a great idea since Wal-Mart has been doing it. Why isn't Target doing this too?

However, what I don't like about this is that it doesn't sound like you can actually go in the store, and look for things. Let's say I don't know what I want, and I just want to shop in the store, and not online. If I need shoes, I want to actually look at the shoes, and try them on. Some shoes are smaller than others, and feel different than other shoes.

By not letting people shop for their things in the store, they might loose a lot more money. There are some people that want to get cereal in a store, and that's all they really wanted. Well, maybe you see a dvd in the Kmart, and you get that on the way out. Doing this drive-thru thing, you are only going to get the cereal, and leave.

[rct2wizard360]

I could see this more as just being a quick option for some people, but definitely not going to replace the stores itself. According to what you said, they just like the idea, not something that could replace a store.

I mean the idea for most people ordering online, is they can just run in and run out and get what they wanted, but to the "average" American, that wastes time in it's own. So why not make it even MORE convenient to just pick up your ordered items and never leave your car?

But replacing the stores? Not so much.
Keep in mind, the majority of Sears locations are attached to malls, as most of the standalone stores fail. Honestly, most people probably don't even take a look at Sears when it comes to clothing and similar retail items. Sears probably makes more off their appliances and tools. Most people wont just go ordering refrigerators and lawnmowers online. They need to see the product, and get more information about it from a pushy salesmen. People also use Sears for car maintenance as well.

I don't have any comments for K-Mart, those stores are practically ghost towns.

But on the note of them losing money, this would save on a lot of operating costs.
Think about it...

-They'd get rid of the stores first off, and replace them with almost a small shop type of ordeal. Maybe as big as your average McDonalds?
-I go online, order a DVD player.
-The DVD player get's shipped out from the Kmart/Sears warehouse, to that little McDonald's size pick-up store.
-The pick-up store gives me a call when its in.
-I pull up to the drive-thru, or even have the option of going to a counter inside if it's a larger item.
-The one or two employee's working at the store go onto the computer, look up the location of my item, and bring it up to the counter for me.

Now look at how much they just saved.
-The operating costs of a large department store.
-No big fancy shelves or ad's in the pick-up store, after all, it's JUST a pick-up store.
-Only paying one or two employees to work there. Compared to the hundred or so people that work at their stores now.

It's just a thought.
But frankly I don't see this happening, and they'll just go with the Wal-Mart route.

[monsterfan99]

^^ The reason Target does not do this is because Amazon.com runs their site.

Amazon.com tried a few years ago (want to say 3-5 years ago) to do in store shopping and pick ups at their warehouses. Problem was, everyone had to pay tax and the prices were higher.

The problem with online shipping for me is food and clothes only. Amazon.com is solving the food issue with their grocery program where they ship it to you every month or so with free shipping and 15% off. I do, however, see a ton of specialy business still ready to closes due to the switch to online shopping.

[[jonrev]]

The concept is nothing new really. Before internets, JCPenney had catalog stores (they might still have them). There was one by Walmart in Round Lake Beach; my mom and my grandparents would always order something from the catalog, drop the order off and pay there, then in a short while (within a week or so) go back and their stuff was there to be picked up.

This was back when the Penneys at Lakehurst Mall had already closed and the next nearest Penneys was 11 miles away at Hawthorn Center, and the outlet store at Gurnee Mills was (and still is) a dump. It was much easier for them. The catalog store closed about 4 or 5 years ago.

I believe you could also do the same thing at Service Merchandise, they had catalogs that you could order out of then drive to the store and go straight to the counter as opposed to wandering around the store with the slip first.

[Ilovthevu']

Oh, there is a store open in Joliet right now. They said they are going to opening one very soon in Lockport. These two locations were Kmarts. Sorry, for the unclaification. If you go to the Mygofer website, http://www.mygofer.com/shc/s/mgh_10152_10108 it says with locations that they are probably going to convert the one in Rockford, Bloomingdale, and one in Chicago also.

Here is a link to the news story about Joliet. I didn't want to link it because usually these links don't last too long (maybe a couple days, and than they are gone).
http://www.specialtyretail.com/news/200 ... _in_joliet

This store doesn't sound to me like a Service Merchandise. You can't shop for things in the store (go in the aisles). I have never been in a stand alone JcPenney's that just had a catalog thing. I of course have been in JcPenney's that has clothes in the store, and than a catalog area in the store.

[w00dland]

By not letting people shop for their things in the store, they might loose a lot more money.

You havn't followed the Sears Holdings Company for awhile have you? They are SO good at losing money.

[Galvan]

HAHA! I used to work at the store at 2700 Plainfield RD.

SCREW YOU K-MART!

[[jonrev]]

By not letting people shop for their things in the store, they might loose a lot more money.

You havn't followed the Sears Holdings Company for awhile have you? They are SO good at losing money.

Yeah the Trib and the Herald were both saying last fall that if Sears/Kmart did bad over the holidays that it would be the same scenario that put the final nail in the coffin for Wards. I'm hoping things work, I rather like Kmart.

[Chitown]

I believe the only reason K-Mart still exists right now is because of the merger with Sears. If both of these companies were still separate entities, K-Mart would have already been in the liquidation process.

[w00dland]

By not letting people shop for their things in the store, they might loose a lot more money.

You havn't followed the Sears Holdings Company for awhile have you? They are SO good at losing money.

Yeah the Trib and the Herald were both saying last fall that if Sears/Kmart did bad over the holidays that it would be the same scenario that put the final nail in the coffin for Wards. I'm hoping things work, I rather like Kmart.

You rather like your products falling apart within two weeks?

And Chitown is right, K-mart is generally a loser of money. Sooner or later they will pull a Steve and Barry's.

[[jonrev]]

Most of the time whenever I go to Kmart it's to buy stuff that I'm familiar with, but Kmart has it cheaper. I don't buy store brands or crap that they assemble, etc. anyway because I know it will be done half-assed. We quit buying bicycles there because of that.

Also, stuff that falls apart in two weeks? I have a Kmart-brand radio that still works like new, and it was made in the early-mid 70s. I listen to it whenever I'm working on my car.

[Ilovthevu']

I think Kmart's downfall is that they have certain things on sale, and than they never have them. They also have higher price things than Target, and Wal-Mart. Their is too much competition, and Kmart isn't doing much to help them survive. The Kmarts I go to have been empty for many, many years. It's not just because of now, they are doing bad.

[w00dland]

^The business plan is to put certain items on sale with prices so low people HAVE to come into the store, but they only have about 5 of the thing in stock so it runs out immediately, but then you have customers in the store....they are unhappy....but they are in the store.

And Jon, thats sweet that the radio still works after 30 some years, but the fact is Kmart carries brands that are made with really poor quality, after working at the customer service desk for half a year and seeing how many of the items broke after 2 uses I don't purchase much at that store.

[Chitown]

Also, stuff that falls apart in two weeks? I have a Kmart-brand radio that still works like new, and it was made in the early-mid 70s. I listen to it whenever I'm working on my car.

You are comparing the K-Mart we see today to the K-Mart that I grew up with and was happy with. That radio I believe was made of high quality back in the 70's because K-Mart was thriving especially in the northern states.

They are a shell of themselves today unfortunately. They got b*tch slapped by Walmart and Target.

[Ilovthevu']

Name brands aren't always all that. I went to Best Buy before, and bought a cd player that was manufactured by Venturer which isn't a name brand whatsoever. The cost was much cheaper than the other ones. The tape player is fine now, but the cd player is messed up now. Well, this was 11 years ago, and the cd player just started acting up last year so it lasted a long time.

Kmart has name brands so I don't really understand why they are so bad. They have Sony, Emerson, Magnavox, Sylvania, Panasonic, Phillips, Toshiba, and so on. I don't even think they have there own brand with electronics. They only have there own brand for clothes, and shoes though.

Maybe, it's something else you don't like about the store? Maybe, it's pricing, selection, or not having the stuff on sale in the store?