Retail Trinity: Sears, Wards, SuperKmart BKs - Glaring Red Flag??

[OC Investor2]

That "Holy Trinty" has been on the ropes for 20 years. None of them is relevant anymore - MW does'nt even exist. The Holy Trinity has been replace by the todays One true retail god - Wal-Mart, and a pantheon of lesser gods - Target, Costco & all the national Big Box retailers. Just as A&P was eclipsed, Sears was eclipsed, Someday Wally world Target and the rest will fall by the wayside to be replaced by the new retailer leaders. Its the circle of business life.

[justhere]

Originally Posted by OC Investor2

That "Holy Trinty" has been on the ropes for 20 years. None of them is relevant anymore - MW does'nt even exist. The Holy Trinity has been replace by the todays One true retail god - Wal-Mart, and a pantheon of lesser gods - Target, Costco & all the national Big Box retailers. Just as A&P was eclipsed, Sears was eclipsed, Someday Wally world Target and the rest will fall by the wayside to be replaced by the new retailer leaders. Its the circle of business life.

Its funny one would initially think Sears as one of the Retail Trinity is not relevant, but Sears survived the Great Depression and unique to most department stores it started out as a mail order business, so imho, it is a golden standard for Walmart, Target, Costco to at least consider. Sears & Roebuck lasted until at least the '90s and quite arguably, it was one of the biggest and most profitable retailers in America (1100 stores). We all know there are very few department stores that last these days for 100 years!

I also think as Chet mentioned, a company needs healthy pruning so-to-speak to avoid extinction; keep the name strong, the brand strong, avoid bad press and monitor your IT closely and keep it up-to-date. Trying to introduce IT to Sears who Chet mentions used hand scanners and probably Wang Servers (omg), if at all, must have been brutal in their efforts to be modern but not too modern.

These other stores, Costco and Target are me-too stores, they copy the likes of other small dinosaurs and I agree with you, will likely go the way of the Dodo bird.

My curiosity centered on Walmart because they seem to have learned a lil' bit from the Retail Trinity at 40 years old and are keeping afloat with 3500 stores, a strong internet presence and not seeming to be at all itimidated by IT. In one day, they sold $1.25 billion dollars worth of product.

Some of the points that rubber brought up, I hadn't even considered but really those points are especially critical to the bottom line in this 21st century.

[texdav]

A&P went under after the from one of the owners losing most of his money in other business adventures. I worked for them as a kid and saw them slowly go to pot in that money not was put back in the business.I thnik taht costco will survive and even grow. Target thought basically sells the same products at higher prices and from what i see mosty looee-loos shop there. never see huge orders at the checkouts like at wal-mart and other discounters.

[justhere]

Originally Posted by texdav

A&P went under after the from one of the owners losing most of his money in other business adventures. I worked for them as a kid and saw them slowly go to pot in that money not was put back in the business.I thnik taht costco will survive and even grow. Target thought basically sells the same products at higher prices and from what i see mosty looee-loos shop there. never see huge orders at the checkouts like at wal-mart and other discounters.

I remember A&P too! A&P had plaid green stamps.