K-Mart :: essays research papers

K-MartKmart is the 3 brush get through retailer in the United States behind Wal-Mart and Target. Kmart sells name brand and esoteric labelmerchandise, mostly to slump and mid - income families. It has more than 1,800 stores and currently employs more than 220,000 associates in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and owns an e-tailer BlueLight.com. As of Jan.30, 2002,Kmart had 124 Kmart Supercenters that immix a full grocery, deli, bakery, video rental and 24 hour/seven-days-a-week availableness along with the general merchandise selection of a Kmart discount store. A core strength for the company continues to be the expansion of Kmart Exclusive brands such as Martha Stewart Everyday, Sesame Street, Jaclyn Smith, Kathy Ireland, and Route 66. These brands-nationally available only at Kmart- pee progressively added to their assortments.Despite that, the company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection on January 22, 2002, after a year in which its fina ncial performance declined from humble to bleak. The filing came a day after Kmarts major food distri barelyor, Fleming Cos., verbalise it had cut bump off most shipments to Kmart because the discounter failed to make its regular every week payment for deliveries. Fleming said Kmart, its largest customer, owed $78 million. This bankruptcy filing let Kmart unloosen itself of unprofitable stores and shrink the payroll. The company has closed 284 unprofitable stores and laid off about 22,000 workers to pare costs. Kmart stores have fallen as consumers have slowed their pass and as rivals like Wal-Mart Stores and Target have tried to siphon off Kmarts customers.In this paper, I will try to suggest well-nigh solutions to improve Kmart as a company as a strong and help increase its sales.First of all, Kmart needs to improve its marketing technigues. The difficulty that its facing right now is decreasing sales. What I figure it should do is lower the prices. It will definitely c oax more customers. For example, the rationalness that one of Kmarts biggest competitors, Wal-Mart is doing so well is because Wal-Martis known for its very low prices. Also, I think that Kmart should increase eye-capturing advertising. Not only should they increase the advertising, but they should try to appeal to different kind of customers. Kmart should make sure that its advertisements attract not only middle-aged population-mostly housewives, but it ought to attract more hipper/jr. consumers. In addition, it needs to providebetter quality of items. One briny reason why Target is a