The company rots from the head. It's one of the most hideously run operations imaginable.

Sears and Kmart to close up to 120 stores on poor sales

The company spends the least possible on maintaining the stores. Walk in and you think you're back in the 1950's. They are understaffed and often poorly staffed.

The company is CEO'd by a real estate maven. At least that's what they said when he took over. But, when it comes to running a retail operation well, he's a real estate maven.

I go to the local Sears for obscure hand tools of which they still carry a few but, more then the competitors. For that they are just fine. But, over the summer we purchased a washer and then a dryer from Sears. Fortunately, I had all the details about the models I wanted and their advertised discount price. Otherwise, it would have been like buying a car without the window sticker and no model you wanted.

The delivery personnel are so bound by silly rules, you must buy a new power cable from them even if you have the proper cord on hand or they won't install the dryer. If the dryer installation is the least bit unconventional they throw up their hands and have to call for authorization.

Fortunately for me the washer installers were a bit more knowledgable and gave me no trouble when I had them put special for washing machine vibration reducing pads under the machine. It's verboten you know.

Sears has a points system you can use redeem for future savings but it's so complicated that it's not worth the bother for the pennies you save...and I mean it's really pennies.

If it weren't for tools I wouldn't even step through the door again. An American icon brought low by incompetence. The shareholders should throw this management team out on it's behind with no parachutes of any kind. The Board of Directors is equally culpable.

The only consolation is that the free market will take care of getting rid of the losers. Government never does.