There was a steady flow of customers in and out of the Lethbridge Sears Thursday as bargain hunters looked to take advantage of the first day of liquidation. The store is starting the process of selling all of its product before it closes.
On day one of the sale, though, some felt the deals were not what they expected.
“They’re not good at all actually,” one shopper told Global News. “Ten per cent off (on some items), when it says 20 to 50. I don’t know. I’m here (at the exit) with nothing.”
The better deals may be yet to come. Michael Madore teaches retail and marketing at the University of Lethbridge and believes shoppers may want to wait.
“I think what they’ll see is some reduction in prices, but the deep discounts probably won’t come until later,” Madore said. “Probably closer to the actual closing of the store.”
Sears says there isn’t a firm closing date set, but the latest the store will be open is Jan. 21.
Eventually they will shut their doors for good and according to Madore, other businesses will likely benefit, including one in particular.
“This is going to be able to provide the Bay (Hudson’s Bay) to capture some of that market share themselves,” Madore said. “Now, however, there should be other businesses that would gain some of that market share as well. Some of the smaller entities in town.”
While regulars will have to find another place to shop, some wish they didn’t have to.
“Sears, I don’t understand why they’re going under you know?” another shopper told Global News. “They’ve been a great store. I’ve shopped at them for 40 years and I’m sad to see them go.”