Kmart to open 6am on Thanksgiving, Sears at 6pm

Sears and Kmart announced holiday plans this morning, and of course, the big news is their Black Friday store hours. Kmart Sears Black Friday Hours 2014“This holiday season is all about giving more to our members and because many like to start shopping well before Black Friday, we’re excited to open our doors early on Thanksgiving and offer other early access opportunities for them to shop and save,” said Leena Munjal, senior vice president, Sears Holdings, adding “I’d also like to especially thank our seasonal associates and those who have volunteered to share part of the day serving our members on Thanksgiving.” Kmart will open its doors at 6am on Thanksgiving, the earliest hours we've seen yet from from a major Black Friday retailer. Stores will be open for 42 hours straight, from 6am through to midnight on Black Friday. Sears, on the other hand, will open later at 6pm – which seems restrained compared to Kmart - and also will remain open through Friday midnight. Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Bon-Ton also have announced 6pm start times for their Black Friday sales.

We also now have more details about Sears Holdings’ plans for giving Shop Your Way members early access to Black Friday deals. Sears Family & Friends event will run in stores from 6-9pm this Sunday 11/9. If a 3 hour in-store-only sale isn't quite the Black Friday early access you were hoping for, online shoppers also will have a chance to score deals at Black Friday prices beginning Saturday 11/8 at 6pm Central Time through Tuesday 11/11 at 9am Central Time. It’s not clear if the same deals will be available at both events, but our guess is that the answer is going to be mostly no given the timing variance. For both sales, select items will be sold at their Black Friday prices, with an additional 5-15% Family & Friends discount.

Kmart is also bringing back “No Money Down Layaway”, available today through 11/15 online and in-store.

Here's the full Press release:

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For Shop Your Way members and customers looking to get a head start on holiday shopping, Sears and Kmart stores will open on Thanksgiving Day.* Members and customers can shop Black Friday deals at Sears earlier than ever – starting at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Kmart, continuing a 23-year tradition as a destination for early-bird shopping and last-minute entertaining needs on Thanksgiving, will open for 42 hours straight, from 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving to midnight on Black Friday.
Holiday Hours on Thanksgiving and Black Friday:
Sears:  Open from 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27 to close of business on Friday, Nov. 28
Kmart:  Open from 6 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27 to midnight on Friday, Nov. 28
"With so many integrated retail options available – from Free Store Pickup to Pay In-Store to In-Vehicle Pickup – members will enjoy more convenient ways to shop Sears and Kmart Black Friday doorbuster deals how or when they choose," said Leena Munjal, senior vice president, Sears Holdings. "This holiday season is all about giving more to our members and because many like to start shopping well before Black Friday, we're excited to open our doors early on Thanksgiving and offer other early access opportunities for them to shop and save. I'd also like to especially thank our seasonal associates and those who have volunteered to share part of the day serving our members on Thanksgiving."
Other timely holiday shopping initiatives include:
Sears Family & Friends Event to Offer Early Black Friday Shopping Opportunity
On Sunday, Nov. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m., more than two weeks before Black Friday, Sears Family & Friends event will feature a selection of Black Friday deals. The select items, including apparel, appliances, tools and footwear, will be available at Black Friday pricing plus the additional 5 to 15 percent Sears Family & Friends event discount, making it one of the best savings opportunities of the holiday season. Additional Black Friday and Sears Family & Friends discount items will be available online at sears.com from Saturday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. CT until Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. CT.
Kmart Brings Back No Money Down Layaway
After receiving an overwhelming response from Shop Your Way members, Kmart is bringing back No Money Down Layaway to help shoppers manage budgets this holiday season. Kmart No Money Down Layaway is available now through Nov. 15 both online and in-store. Shoppers can put virtually anything on layaway with no minimum purchase required. Plus, members will receive 5 percent off toys, sporting goods, jewelry and home items.
Shop Online – Ship for Free
For shoppers at sears.com or kmart.com, choosing Free Store Pickup means zero shipping costs and orders are ready in five minutes upon the customer's arrival. Plus, earlier this year Sears and Kmart introduced a unique online/in-store collaboration to allow pick up of sears.com or kmart.com orders at any of each other's stores – more than 1,800 locations nationwide. Sears and Kmart offer free ship-to-home this holiday season on any online purchase of $59 or more and, as always, Shop Your Way MAX members receive free two-day shipping on more than one million items.
Shop Your Way members can look forward to getting a preview of each store's Thanksgiving and Black Friday deals at searslocalad.com or kmartlocalad.com. Plus, Sears Marketplace features endless aisles of more than 100 million items now available, making Sears one of the largest marketplaces on the web.
Follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook about Sears holiday at #MoreMerry, Kmart at #MoreChristmas, and Shop Your Way at #MembersFirst.
*Sears and Kmart stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Puerto Rico will not be open on Thanksgiving Day, per their respective state laws. Stores in Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts will open at 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 28. Puerto Rico stores will open at midnight on Nov. 28. In addition, stores in some jurisdictions may have different hours of operation if required by local law.