Keep Kmart open

I like to go to kmart for a different variety of products...love Martha Stewart and Sears stuff!!!  Also, I can get in an out quicker than going to the huge wal-mart super store parking lot...ugh!

I also like that it is easier and more convienent to shop at Kmart than other huge mega stores like Wal-Mart.  If i am in a hurry, its easier to shop at Kmart rather than fighting the parking and crowds at a huge mega store. Also, these huge stores are not that environmently friendly when you factor in how much energy is wasted in heating, cooling, and electricty.  I think Wal-mart has overbuilt these monsters and is going to pay the price in the future. Also, the items Kmart sells have improved in quality and selction since the merger with Sears.  I would rather spend an extra dollar or two for quality rather than having something break or fade in a month and need to waste my time returning it. Thanks Walmart.  One area that has improved greatly is the selection of clothing, bedding, furnture, tools, and home fashions.   It is department store quality at a Kmart price which is nice. I was at JCPenney the other day and saw an exact same shirt for $19.99 which was $9.00 at Kmart.  I like stocking up when its 50% of and during clearance sales.  All, Kmart needs to do is to continue their remodling program and freshen up the stores a little to remain competitive.  I think i read somewhere that they have completed 300 so far.  People like newness and cleaniness, when shopping.  An improved distribution network would also benefit with better in stock levels of popular items such as electornics and DVDs as well. 

As I've said many a times, Kmart has a lot of memories for me.  However, besides those I do like the fact that Kmart seems to keep a good staff and there is assistance available when I need it.  My father is disabled and in a wheelchair and it means a lot to me when they offer to help us to the car with our purchases or will make sure to wave us over to an open checkout to accomodate his wheelchair. 

The prices are comparable too.  Numerous studies done by various organizations have shown that Wal-Mart prices are no better than other retailers, and when you factor in sales and promotions, other retailers (like Kmart) are often cheaper. 

Finally, its the quality of the merchandise.  The Kmart stuff just looks better.  Sometimes you want something different and unique -- and Kmart offers that!

I do agree on the remodeling though, a lot of the stores are showing their age and I think this is why Kmart gets such a bad reputation.  People like to shop in stores that are bright and vibrant and have a good atmosphere to them.  I know it's tough in these difficult economic times to spend the money, but an investment now could pay great dividends in the future.

One great store. If they where to close I wouldnt turn no where else. They have better deals then Walmart, Target. Been a loyal shopper for many years.

Love our Kmart store they are the only ones that provide Lay away,which saved our Christmas.

Layaway is the RIGHT way to spend for Christmas.  Growing up all of our Christmas came form Kmart layaway.  Hopefully the positive experiences that people had this year will lead to a ressurection of layaway. 

I would love -- hint, hint -- to see Sears expand layaway to appliances.

 

I agree, Layaway saved our Christmas also. I see allot of stores copying this in the future due to the economy.

Oh yeah... I would like to see the expansion of adding appliances to layaway.  In fact, our store here did have applicances before Sears came on board...could you bring it back?

I also did my shopping at Kmart and it was great to see the layaway back also. It helped alot with my big family that keeps growing. Including Grandchildren.

I find most employees to be friendly.

I spent a lot of time on this survey.

Thanks for this survey.

Have a pleasant day to all KMart employees.

Have a happy shopping day at KMart is my motto.

I prefer Kmart over WalMart & Target for numerous reasons. It is A LOT quicker & easier to get in & out of that either WalMart or Target. Kmart here has a HUGE parking lot (I love it!),The staff is so much easier to find when you need help, The  people who shop at Kmart are kinder because they aren't being pushed around & trampled by eachother because of a store that is laid out in a rediculous fashion. My favorite reason for Kmart is the layaway program. I have a family on a budget & layaway is a quality that my family values at Kmart.

There are a few things I think Kmart could do to help out the customers & in the lomg run make their store more popular. Update the carts (I know the cost would be extream but slowly & surely) The current carts are too bulky & I prefer plastic carts over metal ones they are lighter & easier to manuver.

Get a few more people on registers. That doesn't mean they have to stand around & do nothing. Make them in charge of keeping an area close to the registers (or the register aisals neat & appealing. If there are more than 2 people in line hop on their register so the customer doesn't have to wait too long.

RUN those double coupon days every 2nd or 3rd weekend. NO ONE else does double coupons in my area. If people became aware of a double coupon schedule I'm sure they'd flock to Kmart that weekend to stock up on the items they have coupons for.

In my town WalMart has tried to run Kmart out of here. PLEASE don't leave I know you could become a serious threat to WalMart if a few things were done. I had 2 Kamrts here one on opposite sides of town. One of the stores is closing up & becoming some kind of Sears store with a (Drive Up Area?) So I'm down to 1 but it's closer to my house & Walmart. Stay competative Kmart, Fix up a couple things, make some changes & You'll be back on a roll!!!

gbiffle16racegrl said…

IIn my town WalMart has tried to run Kmart out of here. PLEASE don't leave I know you could become a serious threat to WalMart if a few things were done.

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I know how you feel.  Wal-Mart succesfully ran Kmart out of my town and they raised the prices the moment they closed the doors.  They even ran a story on the local news about this and Wal-Mart management refused to speak with the reporter.  Pathetic.

Wal-Mart is no savior; if anything they are a death knell for the retail community and consumers.

 

I agree with you rstinnett, that Wal-mart has caused the death and bankruptcy of many major companies in this country, not only on the retail side, but also on the supplier side as well.  When Sam was running the company he touted his made in America campaign, however after his death they became greedy and run by money hungry executives who forced the suppliers to either move their companies overseas to supply them at a cheaper price or close their doors.  As a case in point, look at the company of Pillowtex, which Wal-mart forced into bankrupcty because they would not move their operations overseas to manufacture their blankets and pillows.  As a result, they lost their Walmart account and were forced into bankruptcy and thousands of hard working Southern folks lost their jobs.  Did Wal-mart care? No, they just found another supplier that was willing to move there production to China to supply them at the price they wanted.  I would be very leery of Wal-mart and its influence on the government and Obama.  I was watching PBS last week and in an interview with Lee Scott the CEO of Wal-Mart, he stated that he would more than welcome the opportunity to work with the Obama presidency on healthcare reform.  Read between the lines and it is more like this, Wal-mart does not want healthcare for all Americans because as they world's largest company, they would have to pay billions in increased taxes to the government to subsize this, thus meaning less green for them and hurting their bottom line. In fact, the myth that they give more back to the community and states is false as well.  Wal-mart only gives back a tiny portion of its revenue to the communities that they are located in and then touts it up in the local newspaper to look good.  They are known for skirting taxes on both the local and statewide level while driving up the need for programs such as Medicaid because they do not provide adequete healthcare to their employees.  This in fact costs the taxpayers more in the long run through higher local, state, and federal taxes on all levels.  Does Wal-mart care? No, they would rather just keep on building their humgo stores until they reach total domination at the expense of hard working taxpayers. in fact, they were caught during the presidential race telling their employees to vote repubilcan or else its their job and were one of the largest contributors to the Republican party.  Very interesting if you ask me that a company could have so much control of our lives, but people don't think about this when they go there to but their supposidly cheap products.  How much more of this country are we going to lose to Wal-Mart?

 

Well in the word now with all the big box stores out there, Wal-Mart, Target.etc. K-Mart needs to keep up with them if they want to make it. I have been in the Florence,SC store only once and to tell the truth it wasnt that nice of a trip. Sure it was clean and all, but not many items, lots missing on the shelfs. But i may give them a 2nd chance, might have been restocking or something.

sickofsc said…
 Sure it was clean and all, but not many items, lots missing on the shelfs.

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yea they are pushing on the cleaning again at a time when we have no hours to get the normal stuff done and aren't getting any merch in. while i wouldn't want to shop somewhere that looks like a landfill i can forgive a little grime if they have what i came in looking for and someone to help me find it and get it rung up within a reasonable amount of time

For those of you who don't know, Wal-Mart axed 800 people yesterday.  Seems like everyone is cutting back.