Sears Holdings to close 120 or more Sears and Kmart stores

It should come as no surprise to anyone who shops brick and mortar stores these days that Sears Holding the parent to Sears and Kmart is planning to close 120 or more stores around the US.

Most retail competitors did fairly well this year and particularly this holiday season. Why did Sears not enjoy the same benefits of consumers going out and spending?

Simple.

Sears has no brand identity and hasn't for many years. Yours truly has written numerous times that Sears is a retail brand dinosaur that should close up and die. The brand hasn't had a positioning of note since maybe the "softer side of Sears" over a decade or more ago that helped consumers understand they were also sellers of soft goods (apparel) besides hard goods, (tools).

Sears used to be the catch all retailer one could go to, to get anything (besides food) you needed. It was America's store. They sold virtually everything. As WalMart exploded as the mega retailer of the past decade and retailing in general became more defined and brand specific, Sears lost its way. It isn't known for good pricing, service or selection or unique goods (that are consistent with its mid-America brand--Kardashian products make absolutely NO sense at Sears but don't get me started about that emperor's new clothes business). Sears exists because of inertia not because of any reason to exist and that is why I expect the brand to be out of business within two years or less. Sears is just completely out of step with the world in which we live today. Period.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli