Fitness and Sports: A good first quarter

May

28

2009

    The first quarter has come and gone, with some pleasantly positive surprises. Across the Fitness and Sports business we have seen customers gravitate to value, rather than the lowest price. We have also seen our customers continuing to invest in products that will improve their quality of life - both through recreation and by improving their fitness.

It was interesting to see strong interest in our strength training equipment, as well as in our cardio / stationary bikes. The staple categories of hunting and fishing also became very busy towards the latter of the quarter, and of course, as has been widely reported, ammo sales were through the roof.

We're looking forward to the second quarter, which is traditionally mainly about camping, but also about some other outdoor categories, from bikes to baseball bats.

There will be some very amusing commercials airing over the coming months - more on this later.

Too Many Different Flash Cards

May

28

2009

I went on a vacation to Florida recently, and while packing, I had noticed I had a bunch of different memory cards, and readers I had to pack – way too much stuff.  I went to Sears to get some beach towels and found a cool memory card that did it all in one.  It had a micro SD card that I could put in my cell phone to take pictures and send to my friends right away.  Usually, once I take them, the camera on my phone freezes up, but when you put in a Micro SD, the card saves all the pictures.  This was the first time I used it.  Some of the shots of my friends came out really good, and I am glad that I had saved them on this new card.  This three in one thing came with a SD adapter so I could put the memory card from my cell phone in there and use it in my camera too.  It helped me show my photos I had taken to my friends using the bigger screen on the camera to show them.   It had 4GB of memory, so I didn’t run out of memory, and even took some videos with my camera and still had lots of space left on the card.  What’s even better, is it came with a tiny adapter, so I just plugged in the Micro SD card into the USB adapter, and downloaded my photos right away on my friends computer, and then didn’t have to send them to her later. This was so much easier to use, because I could keep everything in my purse, and didn’t have to take a big camera bag around with me

Do I Want to Buy a Netbook or a Notebook?

May

28

2009

People always seem to ask what is the difference between a netbook and a notebook? Netbooks are small, low cost, light weight computers optimized for internet based services. So what really separates a netbook?. First of all size, most common size is 10.1” and some are as small as 7” and going up to 11. Secondly, netbooks do not have a read/write DVD/Blu Ray/Cd drive in them. You can load items through downloading on the web or through USB connect but there are no drives. Also since it mainly a sharing/viewing device it continues on the Win XP or Linux platform. Intel has also changed to what is commonly known as an Atom processor which runs streaming video and content but does not really account for multi tasking. Also look out for three cell and 6 cell batteries. Netbooks are optimized to run efficiently and with a 6 cell battery you can work on your netbook over 6 hours. That is one of the most intriguing things is to have a under 4 pound device run for over 6 hours!

So bottom line if you are looking for a device to:

• Communicate (email, nstant messaging, social networking)
• Browse (surf the Web, read the news, search for information)
• Learn (homework or studying, language learning, research)
• Watch (photo viewing/sharing video streaming)
• Listening (MP3 streaming Audio)

If the above list describes you, then don’t sweat it but feel comfortable and go look at netbooks. The big choice you will have to make is what color???

Heroes at Home

May

26

2009

Join Sears in saying, THANK YOU!!
by: Courtney

We have always heard, loud and clear, from our community members, how important it is that we support our Veterans and Sears has always held a special place for those who fight for our country.

The Heroes at Home program is an initiative to improve the lives of our Veterans and their familiars. Their dedication and sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. In the effort to support these families and the cause, Sears has teamed up with the nation's leading home rehabilitation organization, Rebuilding Together, to raise over $16 million so far! Help us to continue the successof this cause!

Also, for all of our military families, we now have military log-ins on the Mysears site! This means members can submit their state as an armed forces location!

Thanks to everyone who has made this campaign so successful! We can only hope to see it grow and expand!

Courtney

Extra Savings this Memorial Day Weekend + 15% all Appliances!

May

24

2009

Can a pair of shoes really change your life?

May

21

2009

By: JuanO      

The new lunch of Kmart has introduced many new great brands: Protégé, FisherPrice, Jacklyn Smith, Craftsman and TheraShoe.

This week, we’re going to talk about the TheraShoes/Sandals. They haven’t gotten the center stage but little by little they’re becoming one of the most popular shoes at Kmart. You’re asking yourself why aren’t they getting any attention? Let’s be honest…. They’re not the coolest looking shoes. If you only look at the appearance of the shoes, you will probably never buy them, but once you find out the magic of these shoes you will fall in love with them (Ok fine, it’s not really magic, but it’s pretty close).

Since we first introduced the brand, we’ve gotten many testimonials about how these shoes have changed our customer’s lives. We had one customer write, almost in tears, thanking us for such a great product; she’s had back problems for decades and it was only until she started to wear these shoes that she lost all the pain. One customer said that the TheraShoes were the most comfortable shoes he’s ever worn. Another customer mentioned she bought them after a 14 hour shift, her back hurt, her legs were sore but once she put on the shoes, no pain.

So what are the benefits?

• Reduce Heel Impact, Pressure and Shock

• Lower Painful Heel Spurs

• Lessen Shock to the Spine and Lower Back

• Improve Lower Extremity Comfort

These shoes didn’t just come out of thin air, similar technologies have been around for years. What makes the TheraShoes/Sandals stand out is the price. Our competitors are charging more than $100, who can blame them? Customers are willing to pay that much for the benefits that come with the shoe.

How much are they at Kmart? We’re selling our TheraShoes at 34.99 and our TheraSandals at 9.99

Don’t let the outside appearance scare you away; it’s how they make you feel that counts

Feel the TheraShoe Experience!

Have some monkeys jumping on that bed? You need a NEW mattress!

May

20

2009

Test Your Air Conditioner IQ!

May

18

2009

    By: Ian

Did you know...

• New air conditioners use up to 40% less electricity than older models.
• The average home loses 15-25% of cooling and heating through leaking ducts. Repair leaks by finding and sealing them in ductwork throughout your attic.
• If your air conditioner is on the way out, buy an ENERGY STAR® Kenmore air conditioner and save up to 10% on energy bills
• A unit that is too large will not run long enough to reduce humidity and instead of feeling comfortable, the air will feel cold and clammy at the normal thermostat setting. On the other hand, you should also avoid purchasing too small of a unit. An insufficiently sized unit will run constantly on hot days and still won't be able to cool the area adequately.
• Sears carries a broad assortment of air conditioners including: Single room; Multi room; Large capacity; Slider/Casement; Heat and Cool; Thru-the-Wall and Portable
• A dusty filter reduces air flow. Examine your unit's air filters once a month and clean or replace filters when necessary. Keeping your filters clean can cut energy consumption 5% to 15%.
• All room air conditioners bear bright yellow EnergyGuide labels which provide information on energy efficiency. EnergyGuide labels are mandated by Congress as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. The label displays an energy efficiency rating (EER) in large black numbers. The higher the rating, the more efficient the appliance. Units with an EER of 9.0 or above are considered very efficient. To help you compare units, a range for competing room air conditioners of the same cooling capacity is printed on the EnergyGuide label below the EER.

 

Green Initiatives Don’t Just End after April…

May

18

2009

    By: Sterling

 

April showers lead to May flowers – or so all of us hope in Chicago!  As we head into summer, I hope that all of the Earth-friendly habits we’ve picked up will carry into the rest of the year.

Here’s a few of our favorite energy-saving tips, from our Sears livegreener website and others:

• Consider your microwave for cooking needs – now that some microwaves can grill, bake, fry and brown, you can use considerably less energy than firing up that stove or oven.
• You can trick your toilet into using less water by filling a plastic bottle with pebbles and putting it into the tank, away from any operating parts.
• Do you keep your computer on at night because you hate booting it up in the morning?  Scheduling an automatic turn-on time would save you tons of electricity.  PC World shows you how here.
• Use your dishwasher more often!  Full loads in an Energy Star qualified dishwasher can save you much more water than hand-washing.  If you must hand wash, try using a tub so that you don’t keep the water running.
• Try an energy audit to figure out where the energy is going in your home – the Sears Blue Climate Crew can help!

Here at Sears corporate headquarters, we might not be running loads of laundry in our cubicles, but we’re also doing our part:

• We’re working on phasing out PVC packaging and products and encouraging our vendors to do the same.
• We’ve rolled out a reusable bag program in both Sears and Kmart.
• We’ve looked at ways to reduce our use of paper in circulars– from re-evaluating our paper sizes to using Internet distribution.

We’re also reducing the use of paper in our offices.  Many of our printers are set on double-sided default; I have two recycling bins in my cubicle!  Also, we used to pass out circulars every week to every associate in the building, now they are placed in a central location so we can pick them up if need be.  Last year, we recycled 215 tons of office paper!

Do you have any great energy-saving tips? Feel free to share!

This Isn’t Your Father’s Microwave...

May

18

2009

    By: Simmer Down

 

I will always remember my dad trying to bring technology into the house.  My father was so caught up in technology and having industry firsts, I thought he was going to change our family's last name to Jones. 

 

One of my favorite memories was when he bought the family’s first microwave. It literally took three people to carry the thing in and half the counter-space to display it.  We sat in awe as we witnessed our first cup of hot chocolate come to a boil- that’s about all we could figure out the microwave to do!  Every time my mom tried to use it we’d hear, “Chuck!  This thing isn’t working!” as a charred block lay inside the microwave. 

 

Well, it’s not the 80’s anymore and a lot has changed in the world of microwaves.  In many households the location of the microwave has gone from the countertop to above the range and that’s what I want to tell you about…

 

Here are the top ten things you should know about new over-the-range microwave technology:

1)       Sensor cooking automatically adjusts the cooking time based on moisture/humidity levels.  This will take the guess work out of timing your microwave popcorn.    

2)       One touch cooking will cook your favorite foods without entering a time or using menus.  Want to reheat your coffee, hit the beverage button…that’s it.

3)       Even glide-plus turntray combines the benefits of a traditional turntable with the side to side motion of the even-glide.  A great feature for casserole dishes that don’t evenly heat in a traditional microwave.

4)       Hidden Vents- Have you cleaned the vent on your over-the-range microwave lately?  Then you know how much gunk can accumulate.  The hidden vents make it easier to clean and provide a sleek, stylish appearance.

5)       Soften and melt cycles are like having a personal sous chef in the kitchen.  This feature melts butter and other delicate sauces without scorching them.

6)       Powerful Ventilation- Over-the-range microwaves aren't just for microwaving anymore…these microwaves come with powerful blower fans that can filter any exhaust coming from your cooktop surface.

7)       EZ Select Dial Control – Do you hate having to enter the time, lbs, and type of food into microwave controls?  Use the EZ select dial control to help navigate easily and quickly through multiple  options.

8)       Halogen lights under the microwave provide better lighting while cooking.  It’s nice to see what you are actually cooking and can help you get food to the perfect color and temperature.

9)       Convection cooking- Just like convection found in a freestanding range, convection cooking in a microwave uses a fan to evenly circulate heated air throughout the microwave.  With a convection microwave you are basically turning the microwave into another usable oven. 

10)   Favorite cycle- Personalize your microwave to customized cooking cycles and eliminate the guesswork.  You can even show your kids how to use the cycle for things like making cookies.

 

  

As you can see, a lot has changed since the dark ages when over-the-range microwaves first arrived in our households.  Visit sears.com to see which of the over 150 different models may work best for you when you’re looking for a new microwave!