The retailer said on Wednesday it would offer full-service installation for tires ordered on Amazon.com, including its own DieHard brand. Customers can order tires on Amazon and then have them shipped to a Sears Auto Center where they can be installed when they bring in their car. Last year, Amazon started selling Sears’ Kenmore brand of appliances such as ovens and washing machines as well as DieHard car batteries.
The new partnership news sent Sears’ battered shares up 15 percent in late morning trading.
The move is the latest pragmatic concession by a large traditional retailer to the reality of Amazon’s strength in retail now: last month Best Buy announced a deal to sell sell televisions that run on Amazon’s new Fire TV operating system, while Kohl’s has been testing handling returns for Amazon and selling its gadgets in its stores. Bloomberg News reported that the move has led to a surge in shopper visits to Kohl’s stores. Both Best Buy and Kohl’s were among retail’s best performers on a sales growth basis during the holiday season.
All these collaborations also help Amazon which does not have a national network of stores to serve customers when they need in-person services.
