Sears completes phase 1 of Lands' End rollout

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/11/2003 3:02:00 PM

Hoffman Estates, IL — Sears this month is completing Lands' End sets in 401 stores — nearly half of the retailer's 870-store base. The rollout of home is proceeding at a slightly slower pace, with Lands' End home departments available in about 370 stores, according to the retailer.

Sears, which acquired the cataloger in June 2002, began testing Lands' End apparel and home last November in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford/New Haven, CT, Los Angeles, Madison, WI, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, NC, and San Francisco. Sears tested two presentations: Lands' End merchandise integrated into category assortments and Lands' End displayed in a shop concept. Store research found that customers preferred the latter, Sears said.

In addition, about 60 percent of Sears' core hardlines customers — defined as those who shop the store for major appliances, electronics or hardware — said they would be more likely to shop Sears for apparel in the Lands' End line.

The home assortment includes combed cotton towels priced from $4 to $20, reversible rugs at $42, rugby stripe beach towels and beach blankets at $16 to $39, and other home fashions.

As of this month, Lands' End has been expanded into an additional 23 stores: Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY; Baltimore; Cincinnati; Cleveland, Columbus, OH; Dallas/Ft. Worth; Denver; Detroit; Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI; Harrisburg/York/Lancaster/Lebanon, PA; Honolulu; Houston; Las Vegas; Miami; Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL; Phoenix; Providence/New Bedford, RI; Sacramento/Stockton; San Diego, Tampa/St. Petersburg; Washington; West Palm Beach/Ft. Pierce/Vero Beach, FL; Wilkes Barre/Scranton, PA; and Puerto Rico.