Sears Holdings Corp. (Hoffman, Ill.) announced that its net sales dropped 25.4 percent in the first quarter and comparable-store sales fell 10.9 percent. In total, it experienced a $303 million loss, though that number was better than expected.
The company anticipates that its online platform and member loyalty program, Shop Your Way, is one of the keys to turning the business around and, according to Women’s Wear Daily, “reinventing retailing.” To that end, the company has invested “hundreds of millions of dollars” into the program since its launch, reported Sears’ Chair and CEO Edward S. Lampert at the company’s annual meeting.
The company reports that its push behind the program is gaining traction with customers. Shop Your Way members drove 74 percent of the company’s Q1 sales, 1 percent higher than the previous year. The company hopes that by personalizing interactions and anticipating members’ needs, that engagement and retention within the program will grow and prove the program’s investment worthwhile.