Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2023
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Journalism
First Advisor
Deborah Hall
Second Advisor
Robert Magee
Third Advisor
Christopher Newman
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Once America’s largest mass merchandiser, Sears is a name that remains recognizable for many people. Throughout our country’s history, the U.S. retail industry has often shifted alongside its country’s major historical events. However, one major corporation who once mirrored the ebbs and flows of the United States economy slowly faded out of the minds of the American consumer. This thesis seeks to answer if Sears’ fall from grace was a direct reflection of American consumer trends.
Secondary data was gathered through books accessed from the university library, newspaper articles, scholarly journals, and online news sources, as well as the company’s online database. Primary data was gathered via an online sample survey created using Qualtrics to gain insight regarding the potential effects of the Sears’ catalog on past consumers’ perceptions of the brand. Survey results conclude that the discontinuation of the Sears catalog directly affected the customer’s view of the brand. Former customers predominantly chose Amazon.com as their primary replacement to Sears due to convenience and availability of products. Additionally, the Christmas Wish Book catalog played a large role in Sears’ customers’ loyalty to the brand and remains nostalgic in the minds of consumers.
Recommended Citation
Burnett, Savannah, "What Happens When a Company's Marketing Strategy No Longer Mirrors the Shopping Trends of the American Consumer: A Case Study of Sears, Roebuck and Company" (2023). Honors Theses. 3008.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3008
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