Blue Light Special In Craftsman Tools

When I heard the news today that K-Mart was buying Sears, I thought, WHAT? That's kind of like MC Hammer buying Donald Trump, isn't it? To see two formerly huge names in retail get together in an attempt to survive/compete with other, more successful retailers was somewhat alarming.

The "synergies", to use a buzzword, don't seem to be there, other than both are retailers. K-mart was, of course, the Wal-Mart of its day, where you went for cheap day to day purchases and Sears was where you went to buy well made inexpensive clothes and long lasting big ticket items. Crossbranding would seem to create serious issues for the most valuable parts of the Sears brand, Kenmore Appliances and Craftsman tools, both of which are associated with high quality. Assuming that K-Mart slaps either name on cheap garbage, the value of these names will diminish greatly.

Additionally, I can't imagine K-mart having much to add to the Sears line, except maybe Martha Stewart's name (which they already had in paint), assuming that name still has value. With Sears trying to pick up its image in recent years, adding a retailer whose name is synonymous with both bankruptcy and "blue light" specials won't suddenly bring shoppers through the doors.

Of course, I hope I'm wrong. As a kid who loved the Sears catalog and has fond memories of trips to both stores in my childhood, I want to see both succeed. Maybe combining forces will give both a needed shot in the arm.