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Sears Takes the Guesswork Out of Getting Campus Ready

Sears Creates the 'Campus Ready' Program to Help Tech-Savvy Students Make a
                        Smooth Transition to College

    HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Heading off to college
is never easy, even for the children of the millennium. Today, to help
ensure that the newest crop of college students - and their parents - have
a seamless transition, Sears is launching the "Campus Ready" digital
program that builds on the retailer's commitment to improving each stage of
Americans' lives by providing quality services, products and solutions.

    The Campus Ready platform leverages the company's robust online
capabilities through three integrated tools, all available on Facebook:
Campus Gift Getter, Roommate Matchup, and the Dorm Room Designer. All of
the tools are available at http://www.facebook.com/campusready or
http://www.sears.com/campus and are designed to help college students with
everything from planning and preparing their new dorm room with the latest
"must haves" and college essentials.

    "Our Campus Ready program allows Sears to connect directly with
students as they plan to go off to college," said Don Hamblen, chief
marketing officer, Sears. "We began by developing the Campus Gift Getter
and transitioned into our Roommate Matchup and Dorm Room Designer
applications. These applications allow students to get to know their new
roommates and furnish their dorm room with their collective style in an
affordable manner. The combination of these tools will help to prepare
students as they enter the next stage of their life."

    Sears' Campus Gift Getter is set up in a similar fashion to a bridal or
baby registry. Graduates can log on to Facebook to register and select
their wish list, whether for dormitory or day-to-day living. Once
registered, family and friends of the graduates can access the registry
online, review selections and purchase items on the graduate's wish lists.
Users have the option to purchase individual items from the registry or
contribute to a larger ticket item via "GiveTogether," Sears'
newly-launched group gift-giving concept. "GiveTogether" connects gift
givers and recipients by pooling the resources of a group enabling them to
make special, "big ticket" purchases.

    "The Campus Gift Getter allows Sears to connect with graduates on a
personal level and enables their families and friends to help fulfill their
wishes and takes the uncertainty out of selecting the right graduation gift
for the dorm room," said Hamblen. "This registry is a great way to ensure
that after four years of hard work, the graduates can get exactly what they
want and need in an easy, efficient and affordable way."

    When entering college, students are also challenged by the transition
from bedroom to dorm room. Thanks to Sears' new Dorm Room Designer tool,
transitioning to smaller spaces does not have to be as daunting. This
unique tool connects roommates and provides a forum for them to collaborate
on the design of their new home, purchase items online and pick them up at
the store nearest school.

    Sears is also teaming up with Ty Pennington, the television home
makeover authority, to weigh-in with his tips for optimal dorm room design.
Starting in July, through the Dorm Room Designer tool, Ty will share his
ideas on how to create the ideal dorm setting with a three-dimensional dorm
room design. Whether new roommates design their room independently or
utilize Ty's tips, they will have an opportunity to create a room that
reflects their combined personal styles.

    Being campus ready extends beyond having a great dorm room design. To
ensure that all aspects of collegiate life are covered, Sears has also
incorporated easy-to-navigate tools on their Web site, including:



 >
    --  Shop by dorm room: Complete dorm rooms for design inspiration.
    --  Interactive checklist: The authoritative list on college essentials. The
        interactive checklist allows students and parents to plan for their
        college needs and ease any anxiety about leaving home for the first
        time.
    --  Shop by need: Brings all relevant categories into one place for easy
        shopping based on user needs. For instance, shop "sleeping"
        and find everything you need from bedding to alarm clocks.  This section
        also includes everything from quick dorm room recipes to studying and
        cleaning tips.
    --  Money sense: Helps ensure college students have information on how to
        budget, sensible credit card use and dealing with the unexpected.

    --  Fill my closet: With a wardrobe checklist, top trends and clothes
        storage at their fingertips, students can have wardrobes as put together
        as their dorm rooms.
    Additionally, the Roommate Matchup tool helps introduce students to one
another before college begins. After identifying their new roommates at
campus orientation, the students can use the Facebook tools to gain insight
into their new living situation. An interactive survey helps take the
guesswork out of living with their new roommate by providing personal
compatibility results and visual product suggestions. All product
suggestions are automatically added to the virtual dorm room for
consideration. Then, roommates can see what their ultimate dorm room looks
like and they can prepare for the big move to campus.

    To find out more about Sears Campus Ready program, visit
http://www.sears.com/campus.

    About Sears Holdings Corporation

    Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fifth largest broadline
retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in
the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance
retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics
and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include
Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including
such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well
as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday
products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart. We are the
nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million
service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through
its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.
For more information, visit Sears Holdings' Web site at
http://www.searsholdings.com.


SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation





 

 
Web site: http://www.searsholdings.com

 http://www.sears.com/campus http://www.facebook.com/campusready

  

 
CONTACT: Shannelle Armstrong of Sears Holdings, +1-847-286-0715,
 shannelle.armstrong@searshc.com; or Carolyn Goldberg of Euro RSCG
 Worldwide PR, +1-212-367-6947, carolyn.goldberg@eurorscg.com