Kmart Challenges You.

[Beefcake]

In the past I always wrote K-mart off like Walmart. Hell I can't remember the last time I went there. But I have been seeing new adds in random magazines where they are trying to look more "Stylish". They even go as far as to issue a challenge. I forget there words exactly. There new slogan is "Money can't buy style" So what do you say guys? Have they changed or are they the same with new marketing?


http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/c_10151_1...othing_Men%27s

[MagM]

...this is in their dress shirt section:

http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_046B033630060001P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3& blockType=G3


I will not accept this challenge.

[LesserBlackDog]

In the town where I grew up, there was originally only a K-Mart and a Wal-Mart next to each other. The K-Mart was always filthy, poorly-stocked, and poorly-lit. Then eventually a Target moved in. These days, you go to Target for whatever you need, you go to Wal-Mart if Target doesn't have it, and you just don't go to K-Mart. Period. But maybe that's just the management at that particular K-Mart store.


In any case, I will wait to hear what other people think before I try it out myself. I don't even think my current town has a K-Mart.

[Beefcake]

Let me clear it up. My post was not pro K-mart. I actually wanted to pass judgment and see if they made any changes or if there the same old generic crap.

[LesserBlackDog]

I know, I know... I'm just sayin', I don't really want to be the one who does the groundwork on this particular case. :-) I'll wait for the pleasantly surprised reviews, if there are any.

[jason_carreira]

I dunno... Reading dappered, putthison, etc. and going thrifting has ruined cheaply made clothes for me. I look at everything differently and inspect seams, linings, and material content tags. I don't think I could deal with K-mart for clothes.

[YackoYak]

Agree with Jason. I think you can thrift for cheaper than K-mart and end up with better quality.


The fit on the dress shirts and sweaters is off - one big rectangle. The dress shirts are $18 on sale from $25. I just bought some trim-fit Neiman Marcus shirts off lastcall.com for $31 shipped. While that is almost 2x the cost, I would argue it's more than 2x the shirt.


EDIT: Agree on Target before Walmart and K-mart.

[Cannon]

@BenR Same exact situation here. Target is the go-to store.


Not a fan of K-Mart, though I know they have caused stirrings since they started advertising in Vogue towards women.

[Ben]

I never go to Kmart either. they might be trying to rebrand themselves, but IMO, they are a dying company with crappy clothing.

[LesserBlackDog]

As an aside, let's keep in mind that a store "upgrading" their style for women doesn't necessarily mean they have done so for men. Since they've been advertising in Vogue, it sounds like this may be the case here. I'm guessing the vast majority of men who shop at K-Mart don't do it for the clothes. The women who shop there are likely on a tight budget and buying clothes for their families. The target demographic for this new rebranding campaign is probably women without a lot of disposable cash (particularly those whose budgets have been downsized by the recession) who still want to look fashionable and buy "cute" clothes. So I wouldn't necessarily count on a lot of big changes happening in the men's section just yet, particularly as far as things like fit are concerned.

[BigFatDynamo]

Not sure about their rebranding fellas, but I do know they're advertising in GQ and/or Esquire. The model in their ad is a young african-american male sporting a layered casual look, sort of in the vein of Street Etiquette, but not nearly as cool.