Sears, Other American Store Chains Are Downsizing

 

Well known businesses across the United States are facing hard decisions about keeping their stores open.

Experts say Americans are changing the way they buy clothing and other products. They say people are making more purchases over the Internet and looking for better shopping experiences.

After years of falling sales, department store chains, like Sears, Kmart and Macy’s, are closing stores around the country. So are Abercrombie and Fitch, JCPenney and other businesses.

In February, Sears announced plans to close 150 stores it owns in the United States. That number includes more than 100 Kmart stores. The company recently said it is not sure about keeping its remaining stores open.

The Sears name remains¹ well known

Sears was established in 1893 as Sears, Roebuck & Co. It offered a catalogue that became famous all over the U.S. Americans could choose from a large number of goods pictured in the book. Shoppers would send their orders to Sears and receive products in the mail, even if they lived far from a big city.

Denise Lee Yohn wrote a book called, “What Great Brands Do.” She told VOA’s Victor Beattie that department stores have faced a difficult time in recent years because of competition from internet businesses.

“The department store category, on the whole, has been declining, even as online sales and Amazon specifically has been on the rise.”

But she added that Sears has a long history and a name that is still recognizable to many Americans.

Sears has struggled under ownership by Eddie Lampert, who operates a hedge fund. The company has had to sell some of its best-known brands, including Land’s End clothing and Craftsman² tools.

Lee Yohn said the company did not do enough to develop its online business. Sears also did not invest in the appearance of their stores, she added.

However, she thinks companies like Sears can come back to life. She said car maker³ Ford⁴ is an example of a company that was able to revive its business.

The company also must show its employees they are valued as a way to improve customer service. Otherwise, she said, Sears may not survive.

Sears is not the only nationwide business closing stores.

Macy’s Incorporated has said in recent months that it plans to close more than 60 Macy’s department stores. The move could affect thousands of jobs.

Some business experts believe the future of retail⁵ sales will be different from what traditional department stores have had to offer.

Are stores outdated⁶?

Last month, the financial research company Synchrony Financial released a report about changes in the retail sales industry.

The report said that there will likely be department stores in the future, but just not as many as there used to be. It also said stores should seek to provide more reasons for shoppers to visit.

“People are social by nature and will be drawn⁷ to gathering⁸ places to share ideas and be entertained,” the report noted⁹. “It’s not just about making money. It’s about building trust. Retailers¹⁰ who tap into this trend will be rewarded.”

The report pointed¹¹ to some new ideas linked to the future of shopping. These include stores where people shop and pay for products by themselves, so called do-it-yourself shopping.

Synchrony Financial also said that shoppers will expect stores to use their personal information to “deliver better customized products and offers.”

Many experts say stores need to better use technology in order to interest their customers.

Not all retail stores are cutting back. One example is Urban Outfitters, a company that operates about 200 stores under its own name and also the name Anthropologie. Urban Outfitters says it plans to open 15 stores across the country. The company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has not had sharp losses reported by other retail stores.

And online seller Amazon recently started to open its own stores in U.S. cities. The company that changed the way people bought things online hopes to do the same with stores focused on its own line of products.

Words in This Story

brand –n. a group of products made by a specific company under a specific name

customer –n someone who buys goods and services

trend –n. the general direction of change

hedge fund –n. an investment group that takes financial risks in order to get high returns

retail –adj. related to the business of selling products directly to customers

shopping –n. visiting places were goods are sold

department store –n. a large store that sells many different products in different areas such as clothing, toys, furniture and appliances

chain –n. many stores of the same business that appear across a state or nationwide

catalog –n. a book provided by a business that shows what products it has to offer

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 craftsman   

n.技工，精于一门工艺的匠人

参考例句：

• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
• The craftsman is working up the mass of clay into a toy figure.艺人把一团泥捏成玩具形状。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

6 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。