Anticipating a busy holiday shopping season, Kmart and Sears have announced plans to eliminate layaway service fees and make shopping more convenient through mobile checkout and curbside pick-up.
Kmart has eliminated layaway service fees until November 17, and Sears has eliminated online and in-store layaway service fees to October 29, and November 2 to December 3. Online layaway items can be picked up at the closest Kmart or Sears store. For the first time, the stores will also provide the option for items to be shipped to a customer’s home.
Customers who use Kmart layaway this year will also be entered into The Big Layaway Giveaway special promotion. Each week from now to November 17, one customer at every Kmart store across the country will win the opportunity to have their remaining layaway balance paid off. As part of the promotion, Kmart anticipates paying off more than 13,000 layaway contracts during the holiday season.
In an effort to make holiday shopping more convenient, Sears stores throughout the country will roll out mobile point-of-sale devices. Customers paying with credit or debit cards can make a purchase right where they are standing. In addition, sales associates at 500 Sears and Kmart stores will use tablet devices to check available inventory, access product information and videos, and sell merchandise available on the company’s websites right from the selling floor.
Sears will also offer customers a five minute curbside pick-up guarantee. Customers can purchase items online, specify the store where they would like to pick up their items, and have their purchase brought to their car in five minutes or less. Customers will receive a $5 coupon if the expectation is not met.
When it comes to holiday gifts, Kmart says it will have thousands of items at budget-friendly price points of $5, $10, and $20 throughout the holidays. Kmart also released its Fab 15 toys for the holiday season. Items include the LeapFrog LeapPad 2, the Air Hogs Hover Assault by Spin Master, and Furby by Hasbro. The list also includes several items exclusive to Kmart stores, including FurReal Friends Bouncy My Happy-To-See-Me Pup by Hasbro, the Holiday Brunette Barbie 2012 Doll by Mattel, the Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze Set, and the Power Wheels Hot Wheels Dune Racer.
