Sears and Kmart Offer Customers a Chance to Earn Money With Holiday Savings Program

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears and Kmart are encouraging customers to activate their Christmas Club cards before Oct. 31 in order to receive a three percent reward – up to a maximum of $100 – based on their balance as of Nov. 15. The Christmas Club card helps customers avoid incurring credit card interest or debt on holiday purchases. Customers can use their cards to make purchases across all Sears and Kmart platforms in-store and online as well as paying off their layaway purchases.

Many consumers may not realize, but there is still time left to plan ahead and avoid last minute splurging. According to a recent survey* conducted by Sears and Kmart, 67 percent of Americans feel guilty they are not saving enough money.

"The holidays are fast approaching and we know that many Americans feel guilty they haven't begun saving or haven't saved enough so far," said Susan Ehrlich, president, Financial Services, Sears Holdings. "With the Christmas Club card program, customers still have time to save and receive a reward on their balances as of Nov. 15, by activating their Christmas Club cards before the end of this month."

To activate cards or add additional value at any time, customers can visit any Sears or Kmart store location, or online at www.sears.com/christmasclub or www.kmart.com/christmasclub.

Customers can start their Christmas Club cards with as little as $5 and they can add value as often as they want at any one of Sears Holdings' approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores or online. Customers can also transfer the balance left over from their 2009 red Christmas Club cards to the new 2010 gold Christmas Club card if they participated in or received cards as gifts from last year's program. Only balances on the gold 2010 Christmas Club cards earn the three percent reward.

"The Christmas Club card is a great way to save for everything from stocking stuffers to new jeans or those big ticket must-have items, such as 3-D TVs," said Ehrlich. "Sears and Kmart are constantly working to improve the shopping experience for our customers and with programs like the Christmas Club card, our shoppers are able to buy items that they many not have normally considered."

As with all Sears and Kmart gift cards, there are no fees associated with the Christmas Club card and the value on the card will not expire. Cash or credit refunds are not allowed except where required by law. All Sears and Kmart Christmas Club cards can be redeemed at Sears, Kmart, Lands' End and The Great Indoors store locations, as well as online at www.sears.com, www.kmart.com, www.mygofer.com, www.landsend.com and www.thegreatindoors.com.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at www.searsholdings.com.

About Kelton Research

Kelton Research is a full service market research consultancy with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Kelton serves as a strategic partner to both Fortune 500 corporations and smaller companies, utilizing a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to drive tactical recommendations for clients. For more information about Kelton's services, please visit www.keltonresearch.com

Methodological Notes on the Sears/Kmart Holiday Survey

The Sears/Kmart Holiday Survey was conducted by Kelton Research Aug. 3 - 7, 2010 using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

* An online survey of 1,000 Nationally Representative Americans ages 18 and older, conducted by Kelton Research between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7, 2010.

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation