There are about 100 Sears stores in Mexico.
When Sears filed for bankruptcy in mid-October, it had 687 stores, though it has closed many since then. Lampert's plan is to cut the store fleet down to 425 in the US.
We visited different Sears stores in Mexico City, the first located in the prestigious World Trade Center in south-central Mexico City, where Sears and Sanborns are the main tenants.
Inside, the store had a tidy, well-kept appearance.
In another three-story location in Mexico City, we were greeted by a colorful mannequin display.
We've also visited US Sears stores in Jersey City, New Jersey, Woodbridge, New Jersey, and in the Richmond area of Virginia. At a Jersey City location, the store appeared to be in good shape at first glance as we walked in …
… but as we dug deeper, we found that some sections were a bit of a mess.
In the Jersey City, New Jersey, store, there was a small men's section on the ground level that continued on the first level …
… while in Mexico the men's section occupied a good part of the ground and first floor.
Sears Mexico's departments appeared fully stocked throughout all sections.
However, in the US, entire sections of the store in Woodbridge, New Jersey, looked empty.
The furniture and appliances department was where I found the most customers in Mexico.
Although there seemed to be more customers in Mexico than we found in the US…
…it felt like there was more staff than customers in Sears Mexico, often with multiple employees working in one department.
Sears Mexico had a strong kitchen appliances selection.
The electronic appliances department also had a good variety of products and brands…
…as well as an ample luggage section.
Everything seemed in place throughout the store in Mexico…
…but we did find a pile of bricks in the middle of the floor in Jersey City…
…and a fridge among the furniture, instead of in the appliances section.
Even during holiday sales season in Mexico, clothes and items on sale were packed in a mostly tidy fashion.
The few items in the US store's clearance department were spread out to make it seem like there were more products.
The children's section was large in Mexico, filled with an abundant variety of toys and clothes.
The children's section also took up a large section of one floor in the US…
…but Mexico Sears provided displays with a higher-scale appearance all round, even in the kid's department.
Most signs we found at a Sears in the Richmond, Virginia area were handwritten.
But in Mexico, all the signs we saw were printed or laminated throughout the store.
We also found many folding tables used for display in the US.
Whereas in Mexico, stores had all displays on sturdy tables…
…and this was consistent through every department.
Sloppy mannequin displays were left leaning against the wall rather than propped upright in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Mexican mannequins had a very different mood — they were elegantly dressed and displayed the latest collections…
…and many of them were striking lively poses.
Some of them were placed in stands with lights around them…
…and even the toddler mannequins were looking sharp.
We found accessory racks in Jersey City, New Jersey, that were half empty.
Some displays had barely anything in them at all, such as in the jewelry section…
…and this sock display in the Richmond, Virginia area.
In Mexico, racks were mostly full in areas surrounded by other racks displaying similar items.
Products were displayed in a visible effort to make them appealing.
The women's accessories department was one of the most cluttered departments in Mexico, but it was still orderly.
We even found a motorcycle section in Mexico.
Even from the outside you notice a stark contrast between some Sears US and Sears Mexico stores.
In Mexico, you get the impression that the stores are being well maintained.
Whereas your first impression at some locations in the US is one of decline ...
