HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- In another visible example of the integration between Sears and Kmart, Sears Holdings Corp. today announced the introduction of DieHard batteries in nearly 1,400 Kmart stores nationwide. DieHard batteries are already sold in 870 Sears full-line stores, Sears Auto Centers and through a limited number of Sears Hardware, Sears Dealer and Orchard Supply Hardware stores. With the rollout to Kmart, the DieHard brand is now available at more than 2,500 locations in the U.S.
"DieHard batteries, legendary for their performance, are America's most preferred auto battery," said Rick Sawyer, vice president of Sears Automotive. "The expansion of the DieHard brand to Kmart stores makes it even more convenient for customers to shop for an auto battery. Now consumers can select from the complete assortment of DieHard batteries in a self-service shopping environment in Kmart stores," Sawyer said. Pricing at Kmart stores will be consistent with the everyday low pricing of DieHard batteries found at Sears and Sears Auto Centers.
The DieHard brand captured the imagination of the American public when Sears began airing its famous "Frozen Lake" ad campaign in the 1970s. The ad documented DieHard's starting power by starting a car that had been parked on a frozen lake in International Falls, Minn. from January through March and then started on the first try in April.
DieHard automotive batteries come with either a 72- or 100-month limited warranty. For the nearest DieHard location, dial 1-800-DIEHARD for the Sears and Kmart locations that carry DieHard.
In addition to DieHard, Sears' Kenmore brand of home appliances and the other top five appliance brands currently available at Sears, are also being sold at 90 Kmart stores. Originally introduced to Kmart stores in May 2005, appliances were expanded to 20 Kmart locations in October and to 90 in November. Markets where appliances are sold in select Kmart stores include: Albuquerque; Atlanta; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Denver; El Paso; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Pittsburgh; Phoenix and Portland, Ore.
During the holiday shopping season, a limited selection of Craftsman tools is also offered in nearly 1400 Kmart stores and on http://www.kmart.com/ . The full Craftsman product assortment will be available after the holidays in 13 Kmart stores that carry home appliances. Select Kmart stores that currently carry home appliances also now carry a limited assortment of Craftsman products in a 57.5 linear foot display. The addition of the nation's leading tool brand compliments Kmart's existing significant offering of automotive, home improvement and lawn and garden products.
About Kmart
Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation , is a mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Thalia Sodi, Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Martha Stewart Everyday and Route 66. For more information visit the company's website at http://www.kmart.com/ or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at http://www.searsholdings.com/ .
About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation , is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 870 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through http://sears.com/ , http://landsend.com/ , and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 14 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at http://www.sears.com/ or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at http://www.searsholdings.com/ .
DieHard Facts
-- Consumers rank DieHard overwhelmingly as "America's Most Preferred
Automotive Battery" according to a 2005 Ominibus Consumer Survey. Over
29% of consumers polled in an unaided survey mentioned DieHard
compared to its two nearest competitors, which garnered mentions only
6% and 5% of the time, respectively.
-- DieHard will celebrate its 40th anniversary as a battery brand in
2007.
-- In the past decade, Sears extended the DieHard brand to other
categories including battery chargers, booster cables, consumer
alkaline batteries, work boots for men and most recently, to batteries
for Craftsman cordless drills.
-- Sears revolutionized the automotive batter replacement category in
1967 with the introduction of DieHard -- a tough, thin-walled
translucent plastic case 50% thinner than conventional black, rubber-
type battery enclosures. The result: bigger plates, more acid and
extra starting power. More than nine years of research and development
was conducted prior to the launch of DieHard in 1967.
-- In 1970 DieHard batteries were used in sets of three to provide the
36-volt starting power for most of the 33 cars entered in the
Indianapolis 500.
-- More than 200 million DieHard automotive batteries have been sold
since 1967.
-- In 1983, Sears introduced the first DieHard Motorcycle battery, tough
enough for select Harley-Davidson Motorcycles.
-- In 2004, about one fourth of the transactions in Sears Automotive
Department included a DieHard battery in the sale.
-- The name DieHard is derived from its unfailing operation over several
million miles on test vehicles at high and low speeds in varying
climates at high and low altitudes. Not a single failure was reported
in over 26,000 starts in temperatures ranging from sub-zero to more
than 100 degrees.
-- In 2005, DieHard Gold batteries were introduced as an after-market
part for certain Hyundai auto models. Sears is the only after-market
retailer to carry a battery fitment for these Hyundai vehicles.
Previously, all Hyundai owners had to visit a Hyundai dealer for a
replacement battery.
-- In addition to its legendary performance as an auto battery, DieHard
has batteries to power motorcycles, boats, golf carts, garden
tractors, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft and
various mobility equipment for the handicapped. DieHard "AAA", "AA",
"C", "D" and 9-volt alkaline batteries are also available at Sears.
