7 companies on the ropes in 2012

A sputtering economy makes the coming year that much tougher for companies struggling with changing technologies, fickle consumers and their own mistakes. Consider the plights of Sears, Barnes & Noble and these others.

By Michael Brush, MSN Money

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35Comments
Currly
Apr 8, 2012 10:40AM
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It is very simple!!! STOP all of the foreign product flooding our country. And put the legal citizens of the greatest country on this planet back to work!!! The fat cats are getting rich on all of the foreign

produces. Our government sends BILLIONS of dollars in so called Aid to all of these foreign countries!! But the people of this country are in DEEP TROUBLE!!! Their is so much wrong with this picture!! When well the American People going to wake up. There is so many businesses closing in my small town we have 50 % empty shore fronts. Just look around!!!

The next time you go to the store. Look on the back and see ware it is made. THINK ABOUT IT!!! I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT!! Every time you buy a foreign product YOU PUT A NEIGHBOR OUT OF A JOB!!!!! Well I could go on for hours But the American people ARE NOT AWAKE YET!!!   DON'T ASK WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING  -  TELL THEM WHAT TO DO

kcb3a
Mar 14, 2012 12:29AM
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If Sears is so bad, Then why is there stock (SHLD) going Up Up & up? I don't get it? I'm surprised they are still around this long. Why is it going UP??
Ancord
Mar 13, 2012 10:59PM
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Customer experience at Barnes and Nobles in San Jose is terrible. I told the Store Manager about their employees and "Barnes and Nobles will close its stores before 2013." She laughed and walked away.

kingo2s
Mar 13, 2012 9:43PM
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jss67

     For the most part I would agree with you, but this is my problem, I have been in retail for over 25 years and I have seen all of the changes. Here is the problem I have run into. The most my company pays is 7.64 per hour(min wage) for that amount of money it is not worth their effort to break a sweat. I lost more people to unemployment this past year because why work when you can make the same amount sitting around. Also now most companies do not hire full time to save expenses from the gov. I will agree that the work ethic of this younger generation leaves something to be desired, but we have nobody to blame but ourselves

64cars
Mar 13, 2012 9:23PM
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The share holders rule the roost. CEO is buying 40 million dollar home?
jss67
Mar 13, 2012 9:15PM
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I dont think its the stores problem, its the peoplewho are employed by the store.  People just dont care about anything anymore.  They dont care about showing up for work, dont care the quality of work they do, dont care about helping someone with a problem.  All they want to do is txt and talk on there cell phone.  I think cell phones should be outlawed in the work place.  As an employer it is hard to find anyone who wants to do anything.  We have been in busness since 1970 and in todays age nobody takes pride in anything they do.  I wish i could find somebody under the age of 45 that wants to work.  Us old schoolers are the last of a dying breed.  Look at how hard our parents worked and look at how lazy our kids are.  10 years from now we are all going to be in big trouble.
shortytee
Mar 13, 2012 8:19PM
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WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS BAD WE NO LONGER NEED KMART!!!!sad to said. I bought my huspand a Dickies pants for valentine days didn't fit need a biger size when to oakland location with the receipt to exchange the pants I was told that the store was closing we need a manager approvel I wait for the manager to come I explain to him what happen he told me go and get your size I did when back to customer service to do the exchange. the employee there is given me a hard time that we can not do the exchange because is more money I said I paid the different the pants that I bought was $22.00 and know I have to paid $24.00 she said no. I said please call the manager, same manager come over and said he can not help ME....How you want me do not be upset I told him that was the reason they are closing ... Where is CUSTOMER SERVICE and make more money for the company.......
nomoresears
Mar 13, 2012 6:50PM
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I worked at Sears during the last Christmas season. Sears is no longer interested in customer service. All they are interested in is pushing their rewards program and their extended warranty programs and their credit cards. You are required to sign up at least 30% of your customers for their rewards program. If you don't you are written up. It depends on how many people you sign up for their programs as to whether or not you can keep your job after the season. On a lot of returns it will take a supervisor approval to complete transaction, not a problem if you could find a supervisor. I have had customers waiting 10-20 minutes just for the approval. WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS BAD WE NO LONGER NEED SEARS.
hemi challenger
Mar 13, 2012 5:49PM
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  Is there any reason to go to Sears and K Mart anymore?? Not only a lousy shopping experience but other places do it better(Home Depot,Wal mart,Target,Meijer) to name a few...
pdlenter
Mar 13, 2012 1:20PM
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Pimping for ZAGG shorts.  Pathetic
george davis
Mar 13, 2012 1:11PM
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We, as a society asked for it. We wanted cheaper products and by god we got them made out of cheap material. We did this to our ALMIGHTY selves.
PJ900
Mar 13, 2012 11:37AM
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For the comment on who makes Kenmore, it depends on who had the bid for contract at the time.
See: http://www.appliance​411.com/parts/sears.​shtml


cathy collins (chatty in newmexico)
Mar 13, 2012 9:38AM
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my KENMORE WASHER AND DRYER IS 27 YRS OLD I JUST KEPT RENEWING MY WARRANTY YES! I PAID FOR THE APPLIANCE MANY TIMES OVER,BUT LOOK HOW LONG IT HAS WORKED ONLY HAD A HOUSE CALL ONCE. CROSS MY FINGERS I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE IF SEARS CLOSES YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO BUY NEXT.

MAYBE WAL-MART WILL GET SMART AND CARRY NAME BRAND PRODUCTS AND WE REALLY WILL HAVE ONE STOP SHOPPING IF IT COMES TO THAT.

oteymus
Mar 13, 2012 9:11AM
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I remember when Sears decided to drop its catalog sales. I did a lot of business using the retail "Bible". I couldn't believe that Sears would drop its retail forte and try to compete with Wal-mart on its own terms.  I said to anyone that would listen, that Sears should drop its retail stores and provide catalog sales exclusively. I predicted that Sears would ultimately fail.
refiman
Mar 13, 2012 5:44AM
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One person commented 'we asked for this' and I say not, we did not ask for poor service, inferior products and very little assistance in the sales department.  I stopped buying American cars in the 70's because the quality when compared to foreign manufacturers was just not there.  The retail industry now is a big 'Catch 22' and I feel most big box stores will auger in and crash and burn.  Folks just are not spending money like they used to, the 20% or so doing well are not enough to support the needs of stores designed to sell for 200 million and more.  My forecast for USA is continued foreclosures, un-employment rises and empty strip malls and malls going belly-up.  So, stop buying all things you don't need, tear up the credit cards except for one and size down in everyway you can.  Empire is dying and there is no respirator. 
Thompson girl
Mar 5, 2012 9:35AM
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Tried to purchase a little 5 cubic foot freezer at Sears. Cost was $119.00 but they wanted $75 to deliver it! I left, when to the local appliance store where the same freezer made by GE cost me $109.00 and was delivered free! Also next day delivery while this Sears catalog store only delivers one day a week. Will never shop there again. And the Kenmore refrigerator I purchased there two years ago is a piece of junk.
kenneth (grey at home dad)
Feb 16, 2012 9:56AM
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Just a short note. Try to avoid getting a display model TV,  unless it is a real fantastic deal.

A display TV has been playing from the time the lights are flipped on, untill everyone has left at night. So the TV might be 1yr old, but it has had a few years of use.

Ken,  

 

kenneth (grey at home dad)
Feb 16, 2012 9:28AM
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Hey  2cars, I did 37yrs. at Sears, repairing the stuff we sold. 

Nothing is the way it use to be.  Try to get help in the plumbing dept. at Home Depot.

And a lot of the stock is in wrong bin boxes.

  I tried to get cutting oil for my pipe threader, there was no one in dept. I couldn't find it with pipe material, I was then sent to Hardware, which referred me back to plumbing. It wasn't an emergency, so I tried another Home depot, got the same runaround.  And no  Satisfaction Guarantee.

Later I stopped at plumbing supply, of course they had it.

 

So you are back to two cars, It sounds like the kids have left the nest.  wish I was at that stage. We now have tree cars, soon it will be four.

I Still have an 18 & 16yr. old's at home, I'ts not exactly what I expected my retirement to be, but stuff happens.  Ken,   

  

Michele McAlister
Feb 16, 2012 9:17AM
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I can't believe Barnes & Noble is on the ropes. When doing a comparison on the e-readers the Nook Color is the best out of all the e-readers. I will have my Nook Color for one year in May and haven't had a single problem. It may cost $50 more, but not having any problems is well worth it. I would recommend the Nook Color to anyone. I hope Barnes & Noble will do better this year I actually like it.
vikings27
Feb 16, 2012 8:50AM
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It's no wonder Kodak will be going under.  They used to be the best all around but they have gone to a bunch of cheap crap in the past five years. (For an instance): I purchased their all in one package about 3 or 4 years ago and I had to call them to replace the print head 3 times right off the bat.  It still did not work and to this day it is sitting there not producing pictures.  I use it to make a copy once in a while. I have purchased a new lexmark printer which I am hooking  up shortly. Sorry Kodak but I am through with you.
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