Franchising, retail, business
17/04/2014
Sears and Amazon both have a problem.
The former is struggling to stay relevant in an era of online shopping and low-cost fashion. The latter excels in the digital forum, but faces limitations in terms of its physical footprint.
To solve these issues, retail expert Robin Lewis offered what he called a "win-win" solution: Amazon should acquire Sears.
"The acquisition becomes [Amazon CEO Jeff] Bezos' answer to omnichannel and the proven revenue synergy of consumers' ability to shop online and off; the convenience of proximity for pick up and returns; and facilitation of even greater delivery speed," Lewis wrote in his online newsletter, The Robin Report. "So just as Walmart's 4,500 stores double as distribution centers, so would Amazon's acquired Sears/Kmart stores."
Sears boasts more than 2,000 stores in its retail footprint, when accounting for both its Sears and Kmart nameplates. Amazon, on the other hand, only operates domestic fulfillment centers in 14 states.
Fonte: cnbc.com