Sears Expects Its First $5 Million Sales Day On-Line

Sears expects its on-line properties will surpass the $5 million mark for one-day sales for the first time this Thanksgiving Day weekend, indicating sites such as sears.com and landsend.com may have their busiest holiday season on record.

"Sears.com will generate 40 percent more sales this year than it did in 2002," said Bill Bass, vice president/general manager of Sears Customer Direct. "That's a testament to the value, quality and convenience customers enjoy while shopping on-line with Sears and Lands' End."

Fueling those sales will be a new twist for sears.com shoppers. For the first time, sears.com will offer post-Thanksgiving sale prices on select advertised items on Thanksgiving Day, allowing shoppers a head start on buying their holiday gifts from the comfort of home. Thanksgiving Day purchases can be shipped free of charge with a mail-in rebate.

Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday shopping season, where shoppers rise early to take advantage of sales on items that are priced to move. However, sears.com shoppers can stay in their pajamas a little later Friday, knowing their purchases can be shipped for free on most items under 70 pounds until December 18 or picked up at a Sears store.

In fact, more than 40 percent of sears.com shoppers opt to pickup their merchandise at a nearby Sears store; 55 percent prefer this option the week before Christmas. That's especially true for hot items such as refrigerators, DVD recorders and plasma televisions.

"Sears realizes how valuable time is to our customers, especially during the holidays," Bass said. "By offering these sale items a day earlier, we hope our customers make Sears and sears.com their primary shopping destination this holiday."

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) is a broadline retailer with significant service businesses. In 2002, the company's revenue was more than $41.4 billion. The company offers its wide range of apparel, home and automotive products and services to families in the U.S. through Sears stores nationwide, including approximately 870 full-line stores. Sears also offers a variety of merchandise and services through its Web sites, Sears.com and landsend.com, and a variety of specialty catalogs.

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

CONTACT: Media Contact, Willy Medina of Sears, +1-847-286-1624

Web site: http://www.sears.com/