Department store chain Sears announced this week that it will offer full service tire installation through Amazon.com. The company says the service will begin in a couple weeks and will start with forty-seven Sears Auto Center locations in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Sears will subsequently roll the service at out to its more than 400 Sears Auto Center locations nationwide.
Sears touted the new offering as a convenient way for customers to shop for, purchase and have new tires installed on their cars. “With this collaboration, Sears Auto will become the first nationwide auto service center to offer Amazon.com customers the convenient Ship-to-Store tire solution integrated into the Amazon.com checkout process, which is easy and convenient,” the company said in a statement.
“Amazon customers simply select their tires, the Sears Auto location and their preferred date and time for the tire installation. Sears Auto Centers then contacts them to confirm their appointment,” the statement added.
The process starts with a customer buying a set of tires and checking a box that says they want the tires delivered and installed at a Sears Auto Center near them. Customers then choose between three appointment times. The auto center chosen will then set the closest available time slot to that choice.
Customers will be charged a service fee, which Sears says will cover installation, balancing, overall car evaluation, a road safety test and other precautionary steps. Sears carries its own tire brand, DieHard, but the company says all tires purchased through Amazon will be available for installation at an Auto Center.
“Amazon.com customers can expect terrific performance and reliability from DieHard tires and professional installation from Sears Auto Centers,” Tom Park, President of Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to expand our assortment of this iconic brand to include passenger tires on Amazon.com.”
The news comes only a year after Amazon and Sears announced a partnership to sell Kenmore appliances on the online retail giant’s platform. Sears stock shot up 25% after last week’s announcement.
“Amazon is always innovating on behalf of customers and, in addition to fast shipping options, Ship-To-Store offers an added layer of convenience…Note that the installation is paid for during checkout,” an Amazon spokesperson told ITN in a statement.
“Amazon offers thousands of tires from brands like Goodyear, Carlisle, Michelin, and more. In addition, Amazon provides free in-store bike assembly and a broad array of in-home services such as house cleaning and TV wall-mounting.”
According to financial statements Sears is facing a stiff decline in sales with the company due to reach $1 billion in debt by the end of this year. Sears’ stock price is down 70% from where it was just last year. The company is looking to monetize other assets as well.
“We’re still not where we need to be, and Sears continues to face significant challenges in a tough retail environment,” Sears CEO Eddie Lambert said in a blogpost before a shareholders’ meeting. “The reality is transformation is an ongoing process and we are not done. I still firmly believe that, together, we can transform this company.”
Photo by Mike Kalasnick via Flickr