Just three months after acquiring catalog powerhouse Lands’ End, Sears, Roebuck, and Co. has spun off a catalog of its own. In September the department store giant mailed a 40-page catalog of fine jewelry and watches.
The new catalog capitalizes on the increasing popularity of jewelry in Sears stores. Sears’s annual sales in the fine jewelry and watches category have grown in mostly double digits during the past four years. The book, which is also being made available at Sears retail jewelry counters, is mailing to “millions” of customers as well as to prospects, says spokesperson Ann Woolman. A second drop, with a different cover, will mail this month, with a thrid drop, featuring yet another cover, scheduled for November.
Most of the merchandise in the 8″ x 10.5″ book is available in Sears stores. “This is our first catalog in which we’ve focused on store offerings,” Woolman says. “Integration between our retail, Web, and catalog channels is an important way to create synergy, allowing our time-starved customers to shop any way they wish, and the catalog serves as a catalyst for growth.” Sears research shows that customers who shop Sears in all three channels spend three times more on average with the company and visit the stores about three times more than those who shop only at the stores.
Although some of the 1,000 items in the catalog cost as little as $19.99, a majority of products are upscale jewelry offerings, running as much as $2,000. “Sears is an industry leader in fine diamonds, and it’s a strong category for us,” Woolman says.