Sears Touts Smart Home, Voice Control in Upcoming Test Store Rollout
Voice-controlled connected home products are part of Sears’ image makeover, which it will test beginning Memorial Day weekend in three downsized Home & Life stores in Anchorage; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Overland Park, Kansas, the company said Thursday. The new store…
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format is based on insights from 10,000-15,000-square-foot Sears Appliances & Mattresses stores that opened two years ago in Fort Collins, Colorado; Pharr, Texas; Honolulu; and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, said the retailer. The Home & Life stores’ “power categories” -- appliances, mattresses and home services -- are those where Sears has “a real strength,” said Peter Boutros, chief brand officer for Sears and Kmart and president of Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands, in a statement. The connected home products include a “curated” assortment of smart products deemed “relevant” to customers, who will be able to learn how to set up a smart home with “reliable appliances” compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, said the company. The new stores will include a service desk where shoppers can meet with store experts to discuss how appliances will look in a full-scale kitchen. The stores, geared to the communities they serve, will have local artwork and photos, it said. In the news release, Sears juggled its long history with its plans, touting its 125-year retail record, while promoting retail trends including in-vehicle pickup, free store pickup and returns, buy-online-pickup-in-store and its social media pages. It noted in fine print that mattresses and in-vehicle pickup won’t be available in the Alaska store. Sears didn’t respond to questions Friday.