Just what the world needs, more appliance and mattress stores. While appliances have historically been a reasonably good category for Sears, I don’t believe that creating stand-alone stores will be especially helpful for Sears. With legitimate concerns about their viability as a company, this concept is definitely too little, too late.

Appliances and mattresses? Really? Is that like diapers and beer, a counter-intuitive market basket pairing? For years I have wished Sears would get out of the apparel business and focus on appliances, tools, electronics (maybe) and auto. For years, it kept trying to get bigger in apparel, and then it sold off one of its most iconic brands.

Likely the most appealing part of the mattress side of the story is the absolutely insane margin available in the category. But beyond that it just doesn’t make sense. One would think with Mattress One, Mattress Firm, Target embracing Casper, Macy’s long-standing mattress business, etc. that the market would be crowded enough.

I would have preferred seeing appliances and accoutrements. But then I’m not a billionaire, so I must be missing something.

Too bad Sears didn’t do this with a “Craftsman DIY” store. Maybe they could have been Home Depot.

This is the best idea out of Sears in the last 30 years. Unfortunately, they are 30 years too late.

It is hard to imagine the scene in the Sears boardroom when they agreed on creating a standalone store focused on appliances and mattresses! On what planet did they hold this meeting? This is the retail equivalent of jumping the shark! This decision is the harbinger of the end of Sears.

It’s hard to picture anything solving the Sears problem at this point. The company just announced the closure of a mall anchor here in Milwaukee (after closing another anchor over a year ago), leaving it with just one full-line store here. I’m sure the story is being duplicated around the country, at the same time that Sears has been closing (not opening) appliance-only franchise stores.

Sears’ legitimate franchise in appliances is evaporating as it continues to shrink its footprint and sell off its key brand (like Kenmore). The appliance space is crowded with competitors, now including major investments by Amazon and J.C. Penney. And who needs another place to buy mattresses, especially given the growth of online sales?

With the parent Sears brand facing their own set of challenges in our changing and evolving retail world, a breakout appliances and mattresses concept store is not what the world needs.

Sears would be best suited to regain a sense of relevance, viability and stability before breaking out a separate operation, especially in the appliances and mattresses markets which have intense competition. The company will have to stretch itself to keep the main Sears model going, all while attempting to penetrate two very difficult categories to compete in.

In a world of Casper and crowded marketplace for appliances we all shake our heads at this news. How does the brand SEARS mean anything to anyone looking for either category? It doesn’t. As Gene said, this is about 30 years too late.

Perhaps this will open up new careers for displaced Sears associates who can now stand in front of one of these stores with those hand-held spinning banners inviting shoppers into the store. Mind you I recently saw an automated/robotic sign spinner so even this avenue is closing off.

What will Sears try next?

Sears keeps trying to re-make itself, while closing hundreds of stores and gaining a reputation as a dead man walking. At this point, the proud tradition of Sears, Roebuck (one of my former employers) is long gone. It’s hard to imagine what they could attempt that would work in this environment.

Maybe this is the path forward as traditional Sears stores are shuttered over time and the appliance and mattress store concept gets rolled out. We get a refocused company with smaller footprint and number of stores.

The main challenge for Sears will be gaining increasing foot traffic and generating the needed excitement and buzz to counter the downward spiral of their existing business.

The Sears swan dive is just getting sadder. As others have said, it makes sense for Sears to focus on appliances — if they made that decision 30 years ago. The brand is so far behind that any “catch-up” attempts will not be enough to bring them out of their death spiral. They need something revolutionary and transformative. Mattresses and appliance stores are neither of those things.

When most people think of Sears, they think of Kenmore appliances and Craftsman tools. Appliances and mattresses are successful and very profitable categories for Sears. Opening smaller footprint stores that are focused on profitable categories makes sense.

Large footprint stores with a lot of unprofitable categories have proven to be unsuccessful for Sears and if this new concept is a success, it might be the recipe to help save the retailer. The future for Sears may look a lot different — maybe no large departments stores and more niche smaller store concepts. Good luck Sears!

This is a great idea which Sears should continue, however the mattress play might not be their best alternative. Craftsman tools combined with Kenmore appliances makes more sense from a success standpoint. This might turn out to be what Sears stores of the future look like anyway.

I think it is one of the best shots they’ve got. We have a very successful similar appliance concept store here in Chicago, ABT, though they have pushed the concept further into electronics and other larger-ticket home items recently. Sears may have a stronger concept by keeping the category selection even more targeted and concentrating on breadth of selection and one-stop showrooming. Sort of a physical embodiment of Amazon, maybe.

I believe Sears can be successful with a standalone appliance and mattress store. With a national presence, they can beat any of the regional players in consumer offers. With a brand image that is strongest in appliances, they don’t have to build their franchise with consumers — maybe they need to specifically reach out to Millennials. Additionally, focusing on their strongest category allows them to develop a winning omnichannel strategy that can be a point of differentiation.

There are caveats. Sears has an image problem — from morose employees to press coverage of impending implosion — that needs to be addressed. All consumer touchpoints will be critical, especially employee training and customer service which needs to be better than the innovators in the market.

The white goods (still called that?) category is not handled well by the major DIYs. Mattresses are under-represented by the warehouse clubs and ignored by the DIYs, but a number of online retailers are attacking this space. Beyond the branding issues this represents, the more immediate issue is can the behemoth that is Sears be operationally efficient enough to make this store format work for them? While I don’t believe this is the best option for Sears, it does represent a better path forward than what they currently face. So if success is defined as keeping some doors open for as long as possible, then I see this as a success.