Land's End in the Deep End
On Tuesday 14 May 2002, Sears announced their purchase of mail-order clothing giant Land's End. The Dodgeville, WI-based clothier is now slated to play a pivotal role in Sears' turnaround as a clothing retailer.
Or will it?
Land's End fans read their catalogs religiously, and order new polos, oxfords, and khakis on a regular basis. Preppy to a fault, Land's End is almost a staple item among a decidedly upper-income group of conservative dressers. But now Sears wants to take the well-known Land's End name and start selling those products in Sears stores by fall 2002.
As far as brands go, Land's End is solid, almost legendary. It bespeaks quality and tradition. Sears, on the other hand, means washers and dryers, auto batteries, and tools. Clothing is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Sears.
Maybe it was all those times my parents took me to Sears in the 1960s and 1970s. Maybe it was all those nondescript, utilitarian clothes they bought for my brother and me. Whatever it was, I've not gone to Sears to buy clothes in many years. Call me disrespectful, but when I think of Sears clothing, I think of my dear elderly aunt.
And thus I think there is great risk in this endeavor. While Sears certainly thinks they have lassoed a winner, I'm not sure that the Land's End name will continue to mean anything to its legions of fans. Yes, the Land's End catalog business will remain, as will their fabled outlet store. But Land's End clothing will also become a cornerstone at Sears.
But I think that the mass merchandising of Land's End will also spell "The End" of its cult status. Whereas you had to take a little effort to buy from Land's End, it takes no effort to mander down to your nearby Sears to see the pinpoint oxfords right down the aisle from the Craftsman display.
The types of people that buy Land's End are not Sears shoppers. For Sears to think that they can simply transfer this brand loyalty to their store is, in my opinion, shortsighted. While I understand Sears' desire to improve their position in retailing, I think they would be better server by keeping the two operations completely separate. Dillution of the good Land's End name is bound to occur, and the shining star that Sears bought may wind up being a black hole.
©2002 R. Nicholas Gerlich
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