Sears Keeps Americans Lawns and Pockets Green

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- With the economy changing Americans' spending habits, consumers are looking for ways to keep the green in their wallets and lawns this summer. With lawn care costs averaging $40 per week, per half acre – or $1,120 for weekly maintenance from April through October(1) – it is no surprise that homeowners are looking for more affordable options. In fact, within the past year, approximately six in 10 Americans who used landscaping or lawn mowing services cut back or stopped use completely, according to a July 2009 Mintel study(2), preferring to do the job themselves. Seeing more consumers shift towards do-it-yourself lawn care, Sears and the Sears Blue Lawn & Garden Crew™ are putting the green back in Americans' wallets and yards with SearsYardGuru.com and the Craftsman Value Guarantee.

Developed to help homeowners find the right product at the best value, the Sears Yard Guru, available at www.SearsYardGuru.com, is a unique online shopping tool that gives product recommendations and allows customers to compare Sears' robust offering of products and brands, to those of other national home improvement retailers. Adding a layer of assurance, the Craftsman Value Guarantee will also help reinforce consumers' purchasing decisions, guaranteeing that Craftsman tractors and mowers purchased at Sears will have the most features for your money.

"Consumers are no longer just shopping for the best price, they are also looking for value and convenience in the form of customer service, product selection and more," said John Froman, president, Lawn & Garden for Sears Holdings. "Shopping tools such as SearsYardGuru.com make it easier for customers to find exactly what they want and need, without having to compromise, while helping make yard work more affordable – and perhaps, even more enjoyable."  

The Sears Yard Guru allows customers to compare the prices and features of the Sears tractor and mower assortment, which includes brands such as Craftsman, Husqvarna, Yard Man, Yard Machines and Snapper, against those of other national home improvement retailers. Starting with a simple consultation, customers are asked to answer a short series of questions about the size and terrain of their lawn, feature preferences and usage plans, and the Sears Yard Guru will create a customized recommendation of the models that are right for their needs. Consumers can also compare Sears' products against the competition, review product features and prices against other retailers and brands – searching by product requirements or specific model number.

Craftsman products sold at Sears will also be backed by the Craftsman Value Guarantee. With the Craftsman Value Guarantee, customers are assured that Craftsman Tractors and Mowers provide the most features for their money – guaranteed. If a customer finds the same or lower price on a tractor or mower with the same or more features currently available for sale at a national home improvement retailer, excluding online-only offers and retailers, Sears will match the price and give them a gift card by mail.

For more information on the Craftsman Value Guarantee or how Sears' Lawn & Garden products stack up to the competition, visit SearsYardGuru.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, home 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' Web site at www.searsholdings.com.

(1) "Nine Ways to Save Big on Outdoor Chores," Ladies Home Journal, July 2009

(2) Mintel study "Economizing in the Home: DIY Retail-U.S.," July 2009

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation