I was  Sears Store Manager for 3 years. The problem with Sears is not one thing, it is many things. Kenmore was a Whirlpool product and then became a Samsung product. The Sears people have "bastardized" the Kenmore name because of there continued need to get it made cheaper. Sadly they have done the same with Craftsman tools. While I believe Craftsman still is a good product it no longer has the perception of quality now that the hand tools are manufactured in Mexico on the cheap.

But the real reason Sears has suffered is the lack of vision. Instead of putting your money where your mouth is Fast Eddie, what we liked to call him in the stores, has tried to reap what he has not sown. Stores must move to a primarily hardline aspect with Tools, Appliances, Sporting Goods and Home Electronics being 80% of the make up of the store. The other 20% could come from creative aspects of there 80%. How about areas within the store that mimick Home Depot and Lowes, things like full sized Kitchens with there appliances and people who can design areas within the homes. They could really promote themselves as a company wanting to help local businesses within there stores with local contractors, bonded of course, who work with Sears customers. What great free press to show yourselves as the big guy helping the little guy, all the while profiting like never before. Full integration with Sears Home Services, this could also increase other areas of opportunity in the home market with AC Sales, siding and roofing, etc all paid with your Sears Card. Turn the pathetic Electronics department into something that really does compete with Best Buy. I like Best Buy but when you price them out they are routinely more expensive then almost all competitors out there.

Another aspect of where Sears could move is the Costco effect marketing. You know, where they load up a table of a particular item and when it's gone it's replaced by something completely different. Start to create a reason for people to check you out daily, weekly or monthly. Loss leaders are there for a reason, they usually turn into other sales.

Lastly, get rid of the awful pay structure that haunts this company. Sales Associates are paid less then minimum wage with a small base + comission pay structure. Your top tier people are always looking to advance and get paid more. Sears has no reward program for them. And that's a shame since it leads to your better people leaving and being replaced with inexperienced people who can't drive sales or close sales.

The Softer Side of Sears needs to be replaced with The Edgier Side of Sears.

Craftman hand tools are now being made offshore. The high quality, inexpensive, wrenches and such of previous generations are no more. Those who want USA quality will go with truck brands (Snap-On) or online stores while those who are looking for cheap crap will go to HF or whoever is cheapest.

I feel sad for passing of what Sears meant to my father and his father.

Same old song and dance with no new results.  Sears two best name sellers, Kenmore and Craftsman are more and more becoming junk.  Craftsman power equipment is now made by Poulan ( weedwhackers, chain saws and mowers) and they are poor quality.  Hand tools which used to be made in America and came with a lifetime guarantee are made in China and have the standard 90 day warranty.

Kenmore and appliances which used to be top line are made in Mexico and China now and the quality has gone downhill.  I have a 25 year ols Kenmore gas range that is twice the product the newer ones are and my 15 year old Kenmore microwave is far better than the junk they put out today.  The service department is another story and a sad story at that.  I was taught by my parents that if you want quality go to Sears, now even my 84 year old father shuns the place.

Like Jones73, I too have completely lost faith in Kenmore and Craftsman. 3 years ago I replaced a Craftsman electric hand drill that had been my father's since 1949. It's outer casing was made of 100% metal, it came in a sturdy metal box large enough to hold a box-o'- bits, a chuck, and two sanding discs, and it stood up to 2 generations of very hard use before it finally failed when I accidently dropped it and it hit the concrete driveway ----- from the roof of my garage. I, of course, went to Sears to but a replacement and came away both disappointed and empty handed. The new ones look cheap, feel flimsey, lack the same torque AND top speed, and are constructed from plastic, as is the box it comes in. I came away with the feeling it wouldn't survive a fall to the grass from waist height without the all-plastic casing cracking into pieces. 

Instead, I stopped the next time I saw a MAC Tool van at a nearby auto repair shop and bought my replacement from him. It cost more than the Crapsman, but I'll bet my son is still using it in another 30-40 years.

PS - Our independant appliance repair guy has a standing offer to buy our 19 yr old Kenmore washer/dryer from us anytime, running or not. He says noboby makes appliances the same anymore and the new junk usually goes toes-up in about 7-8 years. He have no plans to take him up on his offer for a long, long time.it