Richard Warren Sears 1863–1914

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WHY HE MADE HISTORY Richard Warren Sears created the mail-order and catalog company that bears his name.

As you read the biography below, think about R. W. Sears’ strategy. How did he use his

catalog to grow his business?

The Second Industrial Revolution made it possible for

companies to manufacture more products at a lower York New Collection, Granger The cost. With more goods available at lower prices, consumer demand grew. Stores opened in large cities, making it easy for people who lived there to shop for the items they wanted. But how could companies market their goods to the many Americans living in small towns and farming communities? With catalogs and mail-order businesses, Montgomery Ward and Sears and Roebuck took big-city retail to the rural communities of America. Richard Warren Sears was born in 1863. As a young man, he became famous for his ability to convince people to buy whatever he was selling. From humble beginnings selling watches part-time, Sears became the head of his own mail-order watch company. He was a millionaire before he was 30. A midwesterner, Sears retired to Iowa. However, he couldn’t seem to settle into retirement. Sears began to study Montgomery Ward’s large catalog and mail-order business. Sears set out to build his business using many of Ward’s ideas. Because Sears bought products in large quantities directly from the manufacturers, he was able to offer his customers lower prices and a large selection. But Sears’ approach to marketing and customer service are what ultimately set him apart from the competition. In 1893, with partner Alvah Curtis Roebuck, Sears produced a mail- order catalog of almost 200 pages. The next year the Sears Roebuck catalog was 500 pages and offered thousands of items, from women’s hats to farm implements. The 1908 Sears Roebuck catalog offered over 100,000 items. Sears wrote advertising and product descriptions himself. In marketing his products, Sears spoke directly to the concerns of his customers. His advertising spoke the language of midwestern small-town and farm people. People who mistrusted big-city values connected with Sears. Sears offered money-back guarantees and no-down-payment plans. He also allowed returns. If people couldn’t find what they wanted in the

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 7 The Second Industrial Revolution Name ______Class ______Date ______The Second Industrial Revolution Biography catalog, Sears tried to find and supply it for them. If customers had trouble filling out the order form, they were encouraged to simply list the items they wanted. At headquarters in Chicago, Sears employed letter-writers to keep up correspondence with his far-flung customers. The Sears and Roebuck catalog became wildly popular. In response, competitors, particularly small-town merchants, attacked Richard Sears personally, spreading rumors to tarnish the company’s image. They even held catalog burnings. When Sears clashed with a business partner in 1908, he quit the business. After retirement Sears sold his company stock. He died in 1914, a millionaire many times over. Today, the store that bears his name continues to be a force in the world of retailing.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN? 1. Explain How did Sears beat his competition in the mail-order business?

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______2. Analyze What made the Sears Roebuck catalog so popular?

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ACTIVITY Try to locate a copy of an early Sears and Roebuck catalog. Compare the early catalogs with the print and online catalogs produced by the company today. How are these current catalogs similar to the first catalogs? How are they different? Make a chart featuring specific illustrations to compare and contrast the catalogs.