I totally agree with this opinion. I was a 12-year employee at Sears in the 80's - early 90's when it was at the top of its game - and we employees so strongly believed in what Sears stood for! Craftsman - "The greatest name in tools", Kenmore - "Solid as Sears", "You're in good hands with Allstate"! These trusted brands - backed by "We service what we sell" and "Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded" (which was above every door into a Sears store) - these brands practically sold themselves!

The decline of established retailers is NOT inevitable, not if they are able to re-invent themselves,  to respond to the challenges of an ever-evolving marketplace. And Sears was better positioned than most to respond to these challenges - Sears knew logistics better than most, they had trusted brands backed by strong guarantees and a motivated workforce. This is an absolute travesty brought on by ownership that is more interested in short-term returns than long-term value-building.