Sears Canada (1952-2017)

[freshcutgrass]

Does Sears still own the rights to the Simpsons brand name?

Sears bought the trademark to the name "Simpsons" from HBC in 2001 (10 years after the name was retired).

HBC bought Simpsons, not Simpson-Sears....a separate entity. Simpson-Sears became Sears Canada and had nothing to do with Simpsons after HBC acquired it (federal competition laws).

 

[gabe]

So bummed out about this.

We bought all our appliances from Sears. Solid stuff. Knowledgeable salespeople who could help you decide on what you needed, and what you didn't, and could even get you a deal. With all my Sears points I was able to buy a Dyson Animal Vacuum.

It's like losing Zeller's was for me. I used to rely on it for certain items, much better than Canadian Tire or WalMart. Now gone.

Last week I went into the nearest target out of desperation because I had to get something I used to get at Zeller's. The only retailers that sell this item now are Target and WalMart, both of which i avoid and despise. Anyway, when i got to the Target, they had an empty display wall where my item was supposed to be. An entire wall. Empty. Really P7ssed me off.

I got a few appliance from Sears too. You're right about the staff. You won't find that kind of service at Future Shop. The staff there are absolutely clueless. They know their video games and computers, but kitchen appliances are totally out of their league.

We are so limited when it comes to full sized department stores around here. Nordstrom is just a big clothing store.

Buffalo has...Macy's, Bon Ton, JC Penny, Kohl's as well as Sears.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

gabe:

They don't even know their computers - just look at the sh*t units and sh*t components they sell.

AoD

 

[gabe]

gabe:

They don't even know their computers - just look at the sh*t units and sh*t components they sell.

AoD

LOL i haven't checked their computers out in years. Over the summer I did buy a dehumidifier at future shop. The guy in the appliance section stood there playing around on his phone ignoring me. it wasn't until i was walking to the cash with the bulky box that i could barley hang on to he decided to help me. I knew he just wanted my commission, so i just brushed him off saying i don't want his help. He looked liked he was about to kill me when i said that

You have to work if you want my commission, I'm not just going to give it to you. I have seen them do that before. Customers walking around with a box and the Future Shop guy playing Xbox says "hey i can ring that in for you"

I haven't bought clothing from Sears in a while. They don't have the quality brands like The Bay. Ever since The Bay acquired Lord & Taylor i have noticed a big improvements in their mens section.

 

[ShonTron]

If you want to find the saddest place in Toronto, go check out the remaining pieces of unsold furnitue in the former children's department on the third floor.

 

[Skeezix]

LOL i haven't checked their computers out in years. Over the summer I did buy a dehumidifier at future shop. The guy in the appliance section stood there playing around on his phone ignoring me. it wasn't until i was walking to the cash with the bulky box that i could barley hang on to he decided to help me. I knew he just wanted my commission, so i just brushed him off saying i don't want his help. He looked liked he was about to kill me when i said that

You have to work if you want my commission, I'm not just going to give it to you. I have seen them do that before. Customers walking around with a box and the Future Shop guy playing Xbox says "hey i can ring that in for you"

The irony of this is that Best Buy kept Future Shop as a separate banner because it had a sales staff who worked on commission and would therefore be the place where people who needed additional assistance would go (versus Best Buy with its minimum-wage earning staff).

 

[Skeezix]

I haven't bought clothing from Sears in a while. They don't have the quality brands like The Bay. Ever since The Bay acquired Lord & Taylor i have noticed a big improvements in their mens section.

Night and day, especially on the casual wear side. They could do a bit more with office wear.

We used to shop at Sears exclusively for appliances. Then they totally screwed up delivery of a dryer and they were assholes about it. Since then we've been quite happy buying appliances at Hudson's Bay.

 

[retailestate]

Night and day, especially on the casual wear side. They could do a bit more with office wear.

We used to shop at Sears exclusively for appliances. Then they totally screwed up delivery of a dryer and they were assholes about it. Since then we've been quite happy buying appliances at Hudson's Bay.

Sears has been outsourcing its furniture delivery over the past few years and it has gone from passable to brutal. I know someone who used to work at Sears HQ and even they stopped buying stuff there because the delivery was such a lousy experience.

 

[PinkLucy]

I stopped shopping at Sears a few years ago because the stores were a mess, staff were useless and quality was crap. They've brought this on themselves.

 

[syn]

LOL i haven't checked their computers out in years. Over the summer I did buy a dehumidifier at future shop. The guy in the appliance section stood there playing around on his phone ignoring me. it wasn't until i was walking to the cash with the bulky box that i could barley hang on to he decided to help me. I knew he just wanted my commission, so i just brushed him off saying i don't want his help. He looked liked he was about to kill me when i said that

You have to work if you want my commission, I'm not just going to give it to you. I have seen them do that before. Customers walking around with a box and the Future Shop guy playing Xbox says "hey i can ring that in for you"

I haven't bought clothing from Sears in a while. They don't have the quality brands like The Bay. Ever since The Bay acquired Lord & Taylor i have noticed a big improvements in their mens section.

Future Shop employees stopped receiving sales commissions years ago.

The only thing sales people at both Future Shop and Best Buy make commissions on are the extended warranties.

 

[soundmuseum]

If you want to find the saddest place in Toronto, go check out the remaining pieces of unsold furnitue in the former children's department on the third floor.

I particularly liked the sofa being sold that had a huge slash in the cushion, with the stuffing coming out of it. I wonder who's going to buy that!

 

[gabe]

Future Shop employees stopped receiving sales commissions years ago.

The only thing sales people at both Future Shop and Best Buy make commissions on are the extended warranties.

Future Shop still has commission model. But they have made cuts to the commission forcing staff to sell warranties and installs to make up pay cuts. Plus they have hired more non commission sales people which i believable are just part time minimum wage jobs.

Extended warranties are just a gimmick. Future Shop, Best Buy, Staples are terrible for shoving those down your throat.

 

[Skeezix]

Well this doesn't sound hopeful. Sales at existing stores continue to drop. The only "good" news is that asset stripping led to good dividends (i.e. funds were not reinvested in the company). And the go-forward strategy seems to be dump the previous efforts to have more modern stores with more fashionable goods , in favour of trying to find "the right balance of price, quality and service" (i.e. trying to sell largely the same stuff out of unrenovated stores with fewer staff). Management seems to think that offering more attractive products in modern stores at competitive prices means "moving upscale" -- although the competitors that are handing Sears its lunch have shown that to not necessarily be true. Not sure if retreating to suburban and rural markets, and then treating your customers like yokels, is a winning strategy. Time will tell.

Sears Canada hoping to woo back customers
After shuttering a number of flagship urban stores, Sears Canada plans to win fans in rural areas and suburbs.
Toronto Star, 23 April 2014

 

[Skeezix]

Things don't sound much better in today's news. Sears will continue to weigh selling more of its valuable real estate, although it has no concrete plans at present. So, presumably more dividends, fewer decent locations. Management seems to believe in a fictional "pragmatist" shopper, who is not interested in nicer stores, wants fashion "basics" and yet is still willing to "pay a little more" - presumably this pragmatist shopper is also not interested in competitors with nicer stores, better product and better prices.

Embattled Sears Canada ‘open’ to more real estate sales
The Globe and Mail, Marina Strauss, 24 April 2014

 

[bAuHaUs]

I like the Amazon play to purchase the entire thing from Lampert. Turn all of their real estate into fulfillment centres and once and for all retire the SEARS name.