Baby boomers become ticket to luring in young consumers for new Sears

Bloomberg

Just like some millennials, the new Sears is counting on a hand from their parents.
Baby boomers are the ticket to luring in the coveted group of young consumers, who are currently in the process of starting households and loading up on appliances, beds and other staples, according to Peter Boutros, the company’s chief brand officer and president of Kenmore, DieHard and Craftsman.
“They are most familiar with Sears and most loyal to Sears,” Boutros said of the baby boomer generation in a phone interview. “The boomer group typically will help their young forming families with big-ticket items.”
Sears is starting to build out its new strategy after emerging from bankruptcy protection, which was the culmination of years of market-share erosion and billions in losses. Eddie Lampert stepped down as chief executive officer with the bankruptcy but remains in control of the now-private company following the $5.2 billion acquisition of 223 Sears and 202 Kmart stores with his ESL Investments hedge fund in February.
The hard part will be winning over new shoppers after years of defections. And some of that will involve sales outside of Sears: The company is in talks with several parties to expand sales of its Kenmore appliance brand elsewhere.
This follows a 2017 agreement to sell Kenmore appliances on Amazon.com Inc in 2017. Sears is also expanding the brand into more categories such as kitchenware.
Following up on the Amazon move, Sears said that it’s expanding its line of Kenmore appliances with Amazon Dash Replenishment to some of its dishwashers, washers and driers — an appeal to consumers who have signed up for subscription service.
The company will also open three test Home & Life stores in Alaska, Louisiana and Kansas that sell appliances and mattresses.
The locations are only 10,000 to 15,000 square feet — about the size of a Walgreens.