Sears now sells more than tools: trying travel
Chicago suburb-based Sears, which made layaway vacations popular, has launched a travel website offering vacation and leisure travel packages. These include flights, hotels, cruises and even car rentals.
And yes, travelers can put their vacations on hold through a layaway program, says the Chicago Tribune. Credit cards can also be used.
At Sears, even vacations can be put on layaway.
The service, set to kick off Wednesday, also allows consumers to put their vacations on hold and pay them off gradually or purchase prepaid vacation packages that can be financed over time. Customers can also buy vacations using Sears credit cards.
"The travel endeavor marks Sears’ second technology offering in less than a year. In April, the company entered what it called the ‘big data’ business, selling its proprietary data management and analytics services to other companies," said the Tribune.
To jump-start the venture, Sears is offering about 100 select vacation packages starting at $399 until July 31, the company said in a statement.
Some analysts said delving into online travel is "a stretch for Sears," the newspaper added.
Current competitors in travel include such long-established giants as Expedia and AAA.
By David Wilkening
David
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