ShipVantage - Save on Shipping this Holiday!

Nov

20

2009

 

Talk about a great deal…has anyone heard of the new Holiday ShipVantageprogram on Sears.com? In my opinion, this has got to be one of the greatest deals – ever!

 

I was on Sears.comlooking for a new headboardfor my daughter’s bedroom when I noticed my selection was eligible for ShipVantage. With ShipVantage you can receive unlimited shipping on all mailable items to the U.S. for just $19.99 for a 60-day trial or $79 for 12 months. And yes, the headboard was flagged mailable!

 

Benefits include:

-shipping of 3.5 million items

-shipping as often as you want - unlimited free shipping

-shipping as many as you want - no minimum purchase required

  

Now, with the holidays near, this is a perfect option for me. I love shopping online, but the thing that drives me crazy is paying all the shipping charges. Just last week, I just purchased an item on a web site and then two days later I saw something else I wanted – thus, I had to pay two base shipping rates. The second item I bought was only $9.99 on sale (which was great price), but with shipping, it was $16 – nearly the same price I would have paid in store.  

 

With ShipVantage, I don’t have to worry about any of that. Shipping is free once I’ve purchased the membership, so I can place 10 $10 orders and don’t have to pay shipping each time. Also, if I want to expedite my shipping, I get a discounted rate.

 

*Membership includes unlimited FREE Standard shipping

*Expedited shipping is $.99 per item

*Premium shipping is $3.99 per item

 

As Black Friday nears (and with all the special promotions and Deals of Day on Sears.com), this is a great option for someone like me, who is a bargain shopper, looking for good buy.

 

SHC-MichelleH is a wife, mom and Sears Holdings employee who blogs about her experiences using Sears.com.

You could earn up to $75 in Sears gift cards from Manage My Home

Nov

12

2009

Manage My Home is expanding to handle everything from pets to personal electronics, and we’d love to know how you get things done. Until December 11, we’re giving away free gift cards to find out.

To receive your $25 Sears gift card, just share a video or photo presentation of how you handle one of our latest projects from three of our new categories. And you can win three times – just submit video or photos in each of the new projects and you’ll get a gift card for each one!

But hurry! We’re only giving away gift cards to the first 25 respondents in each category.

Get started!

Alex, Marketing Manager
ManageMyHome.com

Get Answers on Twitter - @ManageMyHomeBob

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. See official rules.

Cold weather meets stylish sweaters!

Nov

11

2009

Ever since I was a child, Autumn has been my favorite season.  To me, it means crisp air, pumpkins, baking cookies, and of course, cute outfits!  Why do I love autumn outfits? Two words: layering and creativity.  Pair one of a few essential pieces with well-chosen accessories and you’ll be ready for almost any occasion.  But what are “the basics” when it comes to Autumn outfits?  Sometimes I have so much fun buying new scarves, hats, and boots, I almost forget.  This year we have picked out the top 4 must-have sweater pieces for women this Autumn.   Take a look and tell us which one fits you best! 

 

A sleek v-neck:

A cozy cowl neck:

A flattering cardigan:

A sophisticated mock neck:

 

Images from top to bottom: Aprostrophe v-neck sweater, Covington Cowl Neck Cable Sweater, Covington Sport Long Sleeve Cable Cardigan, and Covington Sport soft acrylic Sweater.  

How to Choose an Artificial Christmas Tree

Nov

10

2009

Christmas trees are a big part of a family's holiday tradition. They're more than decorations-they become part of your customs and memories. That's why finding the right tree that fits your family is so important.

Buying and setting up your Christmas tree may seem a bit daunting as there are many things to consider: Price, Size, Placement, and Lighting, just to name a few…

Instead of worrying over these decisions, check out our Christmas Tree Guide to make an informed decision on your tree for this Holiday Season.

Tips for Holiday Shopping

Nov

06

2009

This holiday, things will be a bit tight for my family; as I’m sure it will be for many families across the country. Anything I can do to make my dollars stretch, even just a little bit, will help tremendously.

Between my husband and I, we have about 25 people to buy for this year with a $750 budget. We have one daughter, seven parents, seven grandparents, seven younger siblings, and six nieces and nephews – so it’s going to take a lot of hard work and creativity.

Over the next 6-8 weeks, I’ll write about my holiday shopping journey. Hopefully, we can work together to take control of our budgets and make our dollars work harder and smarter for us. Feel free to share what you have learned over the years. We're all in this together!

 

Below are a few tips that I will be implementing into my holiday shopping routine.

 

1. Set a Budget – This is a must! I have found that if I don’t formally decide on a budget (and put it in writing), I could spend up to 2-3 times what I had unofficially intended. And, this year isn’t a good year to get off track.
2. Make a Holiday List – We don’t realize just how many special people we have in our lives until we pull out the pile of presents from the closet and start wrapping. Be careful. This could throw off our budget! Take control by deciding from the start when it’s appropriate to provide a group gift or shop just for kids.
3. Don’t Forget About Those Gifts You Bought on Sale – In January! – If you are like me, you buy things when they are on clearance and put them away for future use. This could save you money or it could cost you. Most of the time, I find that I have way too many gifts for the number of people I have to buy for, because I bought things just because they were on sale. If you do this, just be sure to add the items you already purchased to your budget document/holiday list to help you pair up those great bargains with a loved one.
4. Buy Popular Items Now – Yes, I love sales, too, but popular items will sell out quickly, so get them while you can. If you don’t want a repeat of the Cabbage Patch dilemma of the 80s, purchase those special gifts now. If you aren’t able to purchase, see if your item qualifies for Layaway. For a small fee, you put your items aside and pay a little each week until you pay it off. Check out Sears’ new Online Layaway program for added convenience.
5. Get a Christmas Club Card –Purchase a Christmas Club Card online at Sears.com or Kmart.com. It is quick and easy, and you can earn a 3 percent reward just for purchasing. 

SHC-MichelleH is a new Sears Holdings associate writing about her experiences utilizing Sears.com.

Halloween 09 Recap

Nov

03

2009

Finally getting over your candy induced belly-ache from this weekend? I know I am!  

Halloween was a big deal here at SHC, we had a costume contest in the atrium where employees could show off their style and creativity.  

Check out these great pictures:

 

 

 

 

What did you dress as? What was the best costume you saw this weekend?

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Customer Satisfaction

Oct

02

2009

What do you think about when you are asked about great customer satisfaction? 1) Were you greeted promptly? 2) Were you able to locate the products or services you were looking for? 3) Was the store neat and clean? 4) Quality of the product? I think the number one driver of customer satisfaction is often overlooked by many store managers, business owners, and service providers.

 

All of the above are valid drivers of customer satisfaction, but dedicated, knowledgeable associates are the key. Each one of us is a consumer and we all experience frustration with customer satisfaction from a store manager, business owner, or service provider on a daily basis. These frustrations usually end up driving us away from their place of business. Unfortunately, sometimes we settle for the best of the worst in satisfaction because we have no other options.

 

Imagine if your business had engaged, knowledgeable, and friendly associates! What would that do for your business? Customer surveys attempt to quantify the level of associate engagement, but that responsibility really falls directly on the associates’ supervisor or manager. Do we really spend enough time every day teaching, coaching, and training our associates? We all worry about sales and getting our assigned tasks done. But, how much energy do we put in developing our number one asset – associates?

 

Food for thought. Every business has had a great associate who decided to leave for one reason or another. When the associate leaves, there is a void, which impacts your business. The question I ask is, “Why did that associate leave? How could we have kept them on the team?” In most exit surveys, the number one reason quoted is not salary or benefits or work environment or schedule. It is “how I am treated by my immediate supervisor.” The simple answer to retain associates is to make sure you treat them with respect, listen to their ideas, and teach, coach, and train them every opportunity you get.

 

I started with Sears in 1971 as a tire installer in a small store in New Rochelle, NY where I was born and raised. A little known fact about me is that I have only received a W2 from one company, Sears! I have had many assignments and in almost every case I’ve been fortunate to work with teams that are passionate about our business and care about our associates! When I first started out as a Division Manager, I definitely had different priorities than today. I had four young children involved with lots of activities and a house to maintain on a limited budget. So, I made two requests of my boss. First was to make sure my paycheck was accurate and on-time and second was to have a flexible work schedule (so I can be a part of my children’s lives while working a 50+ hour work week). Obviously, my managers delivered and I, in turn, delivered by working extremely hard to meet or exceed Sears’ expectations.

 

If we look at each associate and take the time to understand and meet their needs, we will develop great associates who in turn will keep our customers coming back to us!

 

Please voice your opinion and leave us a comment and please support your locally owned and operated Sears stores.

About Me

My name is Jim Flynn. I am the Divisional Vice President, Operations and Process for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

   

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – New Store Openings

Oct

01

2009

This is an exciting time of year for Hometown Stores. Not only are we on the verge of the holiday selling season, but this is when new store openings hit a frenzied pace. Not sure why it happens, but every year we peak around now. If all goes according to plan, we will open an average of two stores a week from here until the end of the year. The challenges abound, but getting stores open on time and under budget is what our New Store Team does best. We know each one is special and unique to the owner and their community and we treat it that way. Despite having been involved with hundreds of store openings, the excitement, the anticipation, the anxiety…and the sound of the register ringing…is still a thrill! (Those who’ve been there know what I’m talking about.)

Working part time at Sears in Brockton, MA during high school, it would have been hard to envision where my career would take me or how the company would evolve. I’ve had the good fortune to work with incredibly talented people and live in some great places (I’ve got to tell you, Chicago is nice, but it doesn’t compare to Newport, RI or Hyannis, MA).  For the last 16 years, I’ve been involved in business development, having worked with Homelife Furniture, The Great Indoors, and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms. But growing Hometown Stores has proved to be the most exciting. With over 200 new stores opened in the last four years…obviously this is a winning format!

One thing that sets this business apart is the way we operate. The organization is lean and empowered. Team members are talented and accountable. We measure results in days- not weeks or months. New ideas are welcomed (actually required) and processes regularly reviewed and amended…change is a constant. All of this allows us to move, adapt and execute fast while ensuring a high degree of quality and consistency. When combined with the energy and enthusiasm of our owners, it doesn’t get any better for people who thrive on this sort of stuff.

 

If you’re able and can spare the time, please support locally owned and operated Sears stores.

About Me

My name is Peter Nero. I am the Director of New Stores for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC. I have two kids and have pretty much worked for Sears forever.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com \

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

  

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Take a Little Raford with You

Sep

30

2009

Most people will read this title and think to themselves, what could “take a little Raford with you” possibly mean? To me, it is personal reminder of how important the customer is in retail.  It is easy to get caught up in the daily activities or running a retail store or working for a large corporation and forget about the most important asset that any retailer has.  It is not the inventory, the store location, the land or even the brand image, it is the customer.

 

On my first trip to Northern California with my wife some years ago, we were stumbling through the Russian River valley with no real plan.  It was a fly by the seat of your pants vacation, no plans, we will figure out as we go along.   Looking for a place to stay one night, we stumbled upon a bed & breakfast with a couple of palm tress in the front yard and I said “we have to go in here”.

 

Well, needless to say,   that was my first Raford House experience and now I cannot go to California without a stay there.  The inn is always neatly kept and clean, not fancy, but not shabby by any means.   The difference that this inn has over any other in the area is the innkeepers, Rita and Dane.  Both go out of their way to make sure every guest in their home is comfortable.  They make you feel as though you are one of the family and not simply a patron who is paying to stay there.

In the morning, Rita makes one of the best breakfasts that you will have and Dane is always there to greet the guests and to talk about what plans they may have for the day before he heads off to work.   He makes sure everyone has directions to where they are going and points out the best place to stop for lunch, wine or if you want to canoe on the Russian River.  The thing that stands out the most to me is this: Before Dane leaves and the guests head out on their daily adventures, Dane gathers Rita in front of the fireplace, thanks everyone for spending part of their vacation with them, wishes everyone a great day full of fun and exploration, and for those who have to leave and go home to make sure and “take a little Raford with you” wherever you go.

 

All departing guests are given a special gift when they leave. It is not a 10% off coupon for your next stay or a bottle of wine; it is a large bear hug from Dane.  Many people have probably read Jack Mitchell’s book, “Hug Your Customer”.  I would venture to say that Dane has not read Jack’s book nor did he go to business school to learn the theories of customer satisfaction and the best methods for customer retention.   It is the simply the theory of making a personal connection with every customer and making them feel special.  It is as simple as thanking every customer who decides to walk through your door, even if they are not buying, and make them feel as though they are the most important asset that you have. Help all of your customers “take a little Raford with them” as they leave your store.

 

I would like to hear about a customer service experience that was above and beyond what you expected.  Please reply to this blog post and let me know about your experience

About Me

 

My name is Jon Phillips. I am the Director of Field Business Development for the Sears Hometown Stores. I look forward to hearing about your great customer service experiences.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

    

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Holiday Shopping Tips

Sep

29

2009

Is it really too early to think about the holidays? Many of us would say “yes” it is. But, reality hits. The temperature in Chicago drops from 75 degrees to 54 degrees with 25 miles per hour wind gusts, my girls ask about Halloween costumes, my parents want to know Thanksgiving plans and now the holiday season is closer than I realize.

 

I ask myself how can I make holiday shopping easier and save myself the stress and anxiety of picking up last minute gifts.  We all know it is never fun picking a gift from the holiday gift leftovers. So, I gave myself the task of planning early and in my research I found some great tips.

 

First, make a list. I know it sounds so simple since 82% of us are doing it today and it is the easiest way to get started.

 

Second, set a budget (and don’t forget to save your change). In a time when many of us are being careful with our spending it is important to set a budget and see value in the budget. 

Then I realized there is a great budgeting tool available to me and everyone else this holiday season.  Why didn’t I think of this sooner?  It is the  Sears Christmas Club Card.  You can find the card at any Sears Hometown Store and it pays me back.  I can start saving today and place money on the card weekly either by stopping in the store or on-line plus Sears will pay me a 3% reward on the money I save.  Now I know I am way too busy when I didn’t think of this sooner. I will be starting my savings today.

Another great tip is to get the “easy” gifts out of the way early with Sears Layaway. My grandma always said it was the smartest way to shop. Gifts to the paper boy, teachers, and your boss don’t need to come out of your holiday budget for the family. So how can I do that without breaking the bank? First, my $500 holiday budget is now 3% higher (thank you Christmas Club Card savings program). Second, because Sears Hometown Stores has layaway, I can pick out all the gifts I need, pay for them over an 8 week timeframe, and have them just when I need them. Look out Will (he’s my boss), your Craftsman hammerhead (the hottest gift in tool innovation) is going on layaway today. 

  

The most important holiday tip is to enjoy the season, family and time together.  I know it all sounds so simple but every now and then a few tips can help make the holidays easier.  When you are shopping and working on your holiday lists, please stop by your local retailers and share your favorite tip.  We would love to hear your feedback at Sears Hometown Stores.

About Me

My name is Keri Durkin and I am the Division Vice President for Merchandising, Planning and Assorting for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC. I am excited to see how far my budget will take me this holiday season.

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com