KMart offering assistance to unemployed Michigan residents

[Drew Dowdell]

Kmart is offering assistance to
Michigan residents who have lost their jobs.

Being a good corporate citizen, Kmart has created their Smart Assist program to lend a hand to the devastated economy in Michigan. They are offering recipients of Michigan unemployment benefits an additional 20% off store branded grocery and drug store merchandise for up to six months. Over 1,000 products qualify for the discount. To be eligible, customers must present valid ID and a state-issued unemployment benefits confirmation.

Interested participants can find more information here.

[Camino LS6]

This is how it should be, voluntary action rather than government mandated "relief".

Nice to see such an example in these crappy times.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Nice!

All of the coasties will smirk though since "Kay Mart" isn't a trendy place to shop any more.

[Croc]

All of the coasties will smirk though since "Kay Mart" isn't a trendy place to shop any more.

Huh?

[Drew Dowdell]

Kmart was ever a trendy place to shop?

I go there when they have their double coupon up to $2.00 days to save money using coupons over $1.00.

[Robert Hall]

Nice!

All of the coasties will smirk though since "Kay Mart" isn't a trendy place to shop any more.

Was it ever 'trendy'? Always seemed downscale to me.

[Blake Noble]

This only serves to further distance myself from Wal-Mart. K-Mart does deserve praise for such a move, although it isn't on a nationwide scale.

[Justin Bimmer]

I remember going to K-Mart as a kid and begging for an icee and popcorn.

[Bimmer325]

Nice!

All of the coasties will smirk though since "Kay Mart" isn't a trendy place to shop any more.

This "coasty" says: K-Mart was never a trendy place to shop.

[Intrepidation]

I agree, as far as those types of stores go, Target has always been the "trendiest" but more importantly, the cleanest and best organized.

Nice thing K-Mart is doing though.

[FAPTurbo]

I doubt people who are unemployed and making ends meet really give a sh*t about what people think is "trendy", anyways. God, I hate that word.

[Intrepidation]

I doubt people who are unemployed and making ends meet really give a sh*t about what people think is "trendy", anyways. God, I hate that word.

Agreed.

[Croc]

Anything is better than Walmart, but Target is the big box discount retailer that focused on style--I wouldn't say it's "trendy," but their clothes are of higher quality cotton, better-fitted, decent style...I've gotten compliments on things I've bought at Target. And for $15 or less.

K-Mart is a non-entity to me. I wouldn't know where to find one if my life depended on it. I know they offer layaway, which I don't approve of, and now this...it seems for a company that has been in and out of bankruptcy over the last few years that they may be a financial risk. Seems like good PR for a company that just needs to really move some inventory.

[Satty]

K Mart has always been where you go when Wal-Mart is too expensive and classy. That said, its a nice move by the company.

[PurdueGuy]

Anything is better than Walmart,

Someone's never shopped at Big Lots. lol

[aaaantoine]

Someone's never shopped at Big Lots. lol

True.

1. Big Lots' selection is not so great.

2. They're a liquidation store, so their stuff is either going to be not so much in demand or ... old food.

[Croc]

Big Lots...hmmm...I don't know if I've even been inside a Kmart before. I think I may have, once, but I know I've never been inside a Big Lots store. No idea where one even is.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Croc

[Intrepidation]

Big Lots is an interesting store. Some of the deals they have are very good, such as on furniture. I saw a really nice desk there that would have cost $300+ at Staples for $100. I've also seen very nice solid wood bedroom furniture.

But I've also seem some really weird, and really cheap stuff. For example, they have some weird off brand toy series that are remolds of old Beast Wars Transformers toys. I also saw this line of ultra cheap rippoffs of Zoids there.

[SAmadei]

Big Lots is like Value City was. Unfortunately, Value City recently went out of business.

As DF mentioned, hit or miss... some great stuff... some real junk. But that what liquidators are about.

We have never had a Big Lots stick around locally... but when we did have one, it was always neater than Value City... Value Citys would turn into mad houses with stuff thrown all over since much of the clientele they attract don't know how to act responsible in public.

Nothing wrong with KMart... some stores are dismal and look like the '70s incarnate... but the merchandise isn't bad. Its a good place to get stuff like spatulas... who the hell needs a Neiman Marcus $70 mother of pearl Spatula when a Kmart one will do. Also, in some east coast big cities, KMart is the place to go since Walmart didn't get a foot in town... for example... there isn't a Walmart for miles near NYC, but there are a dozen KMarts.

[daves87rs]

I like the fact that K mart has craftsman tools..

They do have great prices on toddler clothes though.....and they hold up well too.

[Croc]

I like the fact that K mart has craftsman tools..

Isn't Kmart now owned by Sears? Or a few years back something was going on between the two. That's why.

[Robert Hall]

Isn't Kmart now owned by Sears? Or a few years back something was going on between the two. That's why.

Ya, or the other way around. or 'merger of equals'. There are also some hybrid stores--'Sears Essentials' that really look like a KMart inside but w/ Sears appliances and tools.

[balthazar]

The program is decent since it's private industry sponsored rather than gov issued.

But I wonder if shifting some manufacturing jobs there might not pay off x-fold over this....

>>"I agree, as far as those types of stores go, Target has always been the "trendiest"..."<<

Shall we thusly dub it the 'Trendiest of the Decidely Non-trendy' ?? :wink:

Edited August 22, 2009 by balthazar

[Croc]

I'll just dub Target the best of the big-box discount stores. They also have GREAT private label snacks, and got on the organic movement before any of the others did.

[regfootball]

i thought i had heard that they were going to try a new concept store for sears that was like a great big sears K mart mix store. the mother of all big box stores.

Kmart i have soft spot for. My grandma always took ws there (and Pamida) when we were little. i used to buy all my 45's there. and she'd always buy us candy and snacks. the blue light specials were fun and yes, Icees and popcorn and stuff.

I miss my Grandma.

Walmart for sure took over for Kmart, but there is a sinister / rogue feel to walmart that just feels almost anti human.

Kmart simply didn't keep pace with change.....sort of like GM.

I think Kmart could have some brand equity left, but it would take a major repositioning and a serious marketing effort and lots of capital investment.

If Sears didn't have tools and appliances, they would be out of business too.

[Croc]

If Kmart wants to succeed, they should position themselves as the anti-Walmart. By that I mean right now, the two are perceived very similarly, except Walmart is cheaper.

Kmart should take advantage of the ill will toward Walmart and position themselves as the "ethical" Walmart...i.e. treating employees well, being a good corporate neighbor to towns, partnering with civic organizations so towns would WANT a Kmart in over a Walmart, no slave labor merchandise, etc.

This charity they're doing in MI could be a good brand for them if they grow it. Target is the stylish, "premium" low-cost retailer, Walmart is the evil cheap one, and Kmart could be the "ethical" choice.

Basically...give people a reason to say, "No, I prefer to shop at Kmart." Add some snob appeal.

[Croc]

If Sears didn't have tools and appliances Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, they would be out of business too.

Fixed.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Croc

[Drew Dowdell]

na, there are still some old schoolers out there.

My dad only buys Craftsman tools.

Mom only buys Kenmore. She bought a GE stove 7 years ago that gave her problems and I STILL hear about that damn thing and how she should have bought a Kenmore.

[bobo]

Sears and KMart have been in trouble for a while. They aren't very relevant anymore. Kenmore appliances are made by various manufacturers such as Whirlpool and Maytag, and there's nothing special about them other than it's convenient going to Sears.

[Robert Hall]

I don't think I've been in a regular Sears since about 2000...I think I bought a battery at one in Colorado Springs. When I need tools, I go to the neighborhood Ace or Home Depot.

[Intrepidation]

I only go to Sears for tools and only if they're Made in USA. If the Craftsman tools are made in China (which there is an increasing amount of) they I get them elsewhere. If I'm going to be stuck buying from China (I have never seen a cordless drill made in USA) I'm not going to be paying the premium just for the Craftsman name.

[regfootball]

sears and k mart need to redo their stores, and upgrade their merchandise, and then makeover their marketing, and.......

its easier for them to coast. here is the deal. sears has prime real estate in many malls. sears did not opt to go big box. sears is waiting to see how this shakes out. if sears vacates a mall, they basically give up market share. the mall loses a tenant and has no one else to put in there. to some degree macy's is the same deal.

it really is in sears best interest to not be a big box store, yet to make over their concept it would prob require them to do so. sears keeps soft goods sales up by being in a mall, but if they were big box, their automotive and hardware sales and appliance sales would go up.

target and walmart will forever be diametrically opposed in the minds of many consumers, although target for me is a default choice. positioning Kmart as the anti walmart is tough since target is already there. But the lack of great store sites now is Kmarts biggest problem. Walmart and Target have all the real estate locked up for discount stores. Plus both have grocery in many locations. Furthermore, the costcos and sams have hit the discount retailer industry hard as well.

I can't see any scenario that can revive Kmart, but I'd love to see them try and I think Sears could be the only ones who could do it. It will go the way of Monkey Wards, etc. unfortunately. Mainly because Walmart got aggressive and moved in on all the small town Kmarts.

I for one would like to see malls become vibrant again.

Anything that would take down Walmart i could get on board with.

Edited August 24, 2009 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

I can't see any scenario that can revive Kmart, but I'd love to see them try and I think Sears could be the only ones who could do it. It will go the way of Monkey Wards, etc. unfortunately. Mainly because Walmart got aggressive and moved in on all the small town Kmarts.

I remember 25 years ago, the area in Ohio I grew up in had a Sears, KMart, a Rink's, a Hill's, a Montgomery Ward's, a TG&Y, a Hart's, a Fisher's Big Wheel, Quality Farm & Fleet and a couple others...in 3 towns with 5-12k people, in a county w/ about 75k. \

Wal-Mart showed up 15 years ago.

Today, population is a bit more, but all those stores are gone. Wal-Mart is all that is there, even the Sears closed in the mall last year.

Rob

Edited August 24, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar