[Randy Gentry @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:11AM]

True.

[TrentD @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:19AM]

Translation - KMart is now HD DVD exclusive.

If you weren't so busy downplaying the news, you'd realize that K-Mart owns Sears (even though they kept the Sears Holdings name), and that this could have repercussions on Sears' shelves come the holidays.

[TrentD @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:19AM]

My comments are directed at the blogger, not you, Randy, by the way.

[Concura @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:36AM]

i don't shop at Kmart, and i rarely go to Sears

[aaron @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:38AM]

Yeah I don't know why engadget bloggers are so...stupid.

They love apple, which is a high priced, closed system that frankly, is far inferior to anything else.

Same with Blu-ray. Sony is protecting itself with blu-ray (no support for ihd aka streaming) and not looking out for the consumer. Yet Engadget has a boner for them...

I really think that they get paid from these entities...otherwise they're just plain uneducated.

[Randy Gentry @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:52AM]

Unless Martha Stewart did electronics I would not think of K-Mart as a source for purchase. Sears has a better chance for selling electronics but I do still think of tools when I think of Sears.

[C Mulvaney @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:58AM]

Correction... KMart doesn't own Sears, its the other way around. Sears owns KMart in hopes of saving a dieing business and to grow their own market share.

Also, it has nothing to do with exclusive sales to HD DVD. It was simply stated within the post. Blu-Ray players are to expensive for them to be sold in any KMart which is primarily focused on lower income families. The only KMart's left within my State are located in poor neighborhoods. Also being that Sears is the parent company, Sears sales both Blu-Ray and HD DVD and has not been exclusive to either one.

[TrentD @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:43AM]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/kmart_sears.html

I have proof for mine - K-Mart bought Sears, and renamed the entity under the Sears brand. Do you have proof for your claim? Didn't think so.

[Temple @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:49AM]

They still carry PS3s (which are by far used to play Blu-ray movies more then any other player), they also still sell Blu-ray movies.

Similar to Targets blu-ray exclusivity (they don't sell players but still sell HD-DVDs).

Regardless, this format war is incredibly stupid.

[chefgon_ign @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:50AM]

@Trent:

Yes, you are technically correct, but it was really more of a merger than a buyout. I think they agreed to have Kmart be the purchaser because it would be cheaper.

The truth of it is, Kmart has adopted all of Sear's policies, their name, their credit card, their executives, and their headquarters in Texas (Kmart's was in Michigan).

So all I'm saying is, regardless of who-bought-who, Kmart's actions have little to no effect on Sears stores. Even if the company is technically the former Kmart Corporation, the Kmart stores are no longer their priority.

[david @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:13PM]

I tend to agree with the K-Mart execs on this. K-Mart shoppers don't go there to spend $500 on any HT equipment. They attract people looking for a $27 DVD player, or a 13" TV, or socks. Sears has a large Blu-Ray endcap at most of their stores.