Decline and Fall
I grew up with S.S. Kresge, Zayres, and Jordan Marsh, department stores conveniently located just a bus and a subway ride away. They're all gone now, lost in the dust of the ages.
Nothing lasts forever, not even big glittering department stores with display windows and stacks of merchandise. The business pages tell me that J.C. Penney will probably be the next to fall, with the venerable Sears following shortly thereafter.
I just went to Sears last weekend to buy a Kenmore vacuum cleaner. Our last Kenmore vacuum goes back to before we were married, so I guess it's time. I bought the vacuum, some bags for it, and a spare HEPA filter. At the register, against my better judgement, they persuaded me to give them my email address.
Today, I received my first email from Sears, thanking me for my purchase. And "Here's even more: 3 offers, picked just for you."
A Kenmore vacuum cleaner. A HEPA filter. And vacuum cleaner bags.
Below that, they had even more. "Items suggested by your last purchase."
Vacuum cleaner bags. Another Kenmore vacuum. And Hoover filters.
Further down, "Picked to pair with what you recently bought.”
Another Kenmore vacuum. A bare floor brush for Kenmore canister vacuums. Eureka vacuum cleaner bags. And a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
Still further down in the same email: "Finds by shoppers in the same market.”
Three brands of steam iron and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner bags.
And finally "Hits among shoppers like you.”
Yet another vacuum cleaner and three brands of steam iron.
Fifteen minutes later, another email arrived. Sears is having a sale!
I'm going to miss Sears...
Nothing lasts forever, not even big glittering department stores with display windows and stacks of merchandise. The business pages tell me that J.C. Penney will probably be the next to fall, with the venerable Sears following shortly thereafter.
I just went to Sears last weekend to buy a Kenmore vacuum cleaner. Our last Kenmore vacuum goes back to before we were married, so I guess it's time. I bought the vacuum, some bags for it, and a spare HEPA filter. At the register, against my better judgement, they persuaded me to give them my email address.
Today, I received my first email from Sears, thanking me for my purchase. And "Here's even more: 3 offers, picked just for you."
A Kenmore vacuum cleaner. A HEPA filter. And vacuum cleaner bags.
Below that, they had even more. "Items suggested by your last purchase."
Vacuum cleaner bags. Another Kenmore vacuum. And Hoover filters.
Further down, "Picked to pair with what you recently bought.”
Another Kenmore vacuum. A bare floor brush for Kenmore canister vacuums. Eureka vacuum cleaner bags. And a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
Still further down in the same email: "Finds by shoppers in the same market.”
Three brands of steam iron and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner bags.
And finally "Hits among shoppers like you.”
Yet another vacuum cleaner and three brands of steam iron.
Fifteen minutes later, another email arrived. Sears is having a sale!
I'm going to miss Sears...