# Sears no longer selling printers, is this nationwide? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525 "2016-01-28T23:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/1 "2016-01-28T23:07:00Z")
A friend recently gave me a Sears gift card. I went to my local Sears and tried to buy ink for my printer. They only had a few color cartridges on clearance, and I needed black. I asked a salesman, and he told me that they don’t sell printers anymore. Is this a national thing or was it just here? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/2 "2016-01-28T23:30:19Z")
They don’t sell anything anymore at my local Sears. It’s just another abandoned space in a shell of a mall. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/3 "2016-01-28T23:32:18Z")
[Sears.com](http://Sears.com) lists all sorts of printers and ink cartridges - Canon, HP, Brother… It’s probably just your store. The one here quit carrying dinnerware five or six years ago, but you can still buy plates and bowls online. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/4 "2016-01-28T23:32:38Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > They don’t sell anything anymore at my local Sears. It’s just another abandoned space in a shell of a mall. I think our local Sears is officially still open, but this description works nonetheless ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/5 "2016-01-28T23:59:46Z")
I’m wondering about the friend who gave a Sears gift card. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/6 "2016-01-29T00:35:54Z")
I think the one by us still sells a few televisions but got rid of any computer related stuff or gaming related stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/7 "2016-01-29T01:47:02Z")
This is timely because I stopped by Sears today while I was at the mall to see if they had a battery for my key fob. Their electronics section was about as big as my living room but possibly with fewer actual electronics. I was kind of shocked at first but not that surprised after I thought about it. Edited to add: they didn’t even have ANY batteries in their electronics section. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/8 "2016-01-29T02:32:13Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > [Sears.com](http://Sears.com) lists all sorts of printers and ink cartridges - Canon, HP, Brother… > > It’s probably just your store. The one here quit carrying dinnerware five or six years ago, but you can still buy plates and bowls online. It’s the incredible shrinking department store. Sears is eliminating hard goods department by department – automotive, appliances, electronics, etc. Around here, all the stores have eliminated all furniture except for mattresses, and it’s only a matter or time. Eventually, the few Sears stores that will be left will sell only clothes. There will be Sears hardware stores, Sears appliance stores, and everything else will be online. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/9 "2016-01-29T04:55:57Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > This is timely because I stopped by Sears today while I was at the mall to see if they had a battery for my key fob. Their electronics section was about as big as my living room but possibly with fewer actual electronics. I was kind of shocked at first but not that surprised after I thought about it. > > Edited to add: they didn’t even have ANY batteries in their electronics section. Silly, you go to Radio Shack for batteries. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/10 "2016-01-29T04:56:24Z")
I believe they still have the program where you can order anything online, have it shipped for free to your local store, and pick it up there. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/11 "2016-01-29T13:33:36Z")
Sears and K-Mart have the same owners. Which pretty much tells you all you need to know, really. They just started a new round of store closings, but they’re trying to do it quietly. You’ll read about your local store closing it in your local news, but there haven’t been any official company announcements, so the national news sources haven’t noticed yet. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/12 "2016-01-29T14:24:07Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > I went to my local Sears and tried to buy ink for my printer. Wait, What? Sears stores still exist? Truthfully, I don’t even know how far I would have to travel to find one. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/13 "2016-01-29T14:42:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m wondering about the friend who gave a Sears gift card. Maybe they were selling $100 Sears Gift Cards for $19.99. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/14 "2016-01-29T14:49:03Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > It’s the incredible shrinking department store. Sears is eliminating hard goods department by department – automotive Automotive? Really? That’s the one thing I’ve used Sears for in the past decade or two: getting new batteries or tires at their Auto Center. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/15 "2016-01-29T15:40:07Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > the national news sources haven’t noticed yet. It’s not news, it’s documentary. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/16 "2016-01-29T15:54:39Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I think the one by us still sells a few televisions but got rid of any computer related stuff or gaming related stuff. Meh, computers and printers are fads. TV is forever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/17 "2016-01-29T18:43:53Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I think our local Sears is officially still open, but this description works nonetheless The only difference between anopen Sears and a closed one is whether the escalators still work. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sears-no-longer-selling-printers-is-this-nationwide/744525/18 "2016-01-31T14:55:31Z")
I went to college in a small town. Its Sears store was a catalog store - the only things in it were a few larger more expensive items that one might want to see up close before ordering, like a stove, washer, dryer, etc. It had booths where you could flip through their various catalogs. If you saw something you wanted you placed an order for it and the clerk would call you when it came in. I think Sears is going to end up back there again, just with the Internet and home delivery filling in some of the pieces.