Describe how some of the trends mentioned in the textbook are affecting sears.

Answer: Students may mention many things, but especially the changing economy. The downturn in the economy makes consumers more price conscious thereby putting Sears at a price disadvantage. Students may also mention changing demographics. Today’s families are increasingly dual income earners making them more time starved and more apt to appreciate the convenience offered by big box discounters. Also, Sears has been unable to connect with younger consumers who prefer different types of communication (i. e., Facebook and Twitter) than their parents or grandparents did. Finally, the growing popularity of online shopping represents significant technological change.