May 3, 2008

Retailers look to stretch your economic-stimulus dollarsBy Daniel SuddeathNews-Tribune.net

As the Internal Revenue Service began depositing economic-stimulus checks into bank accounts this week, several area retailers were a step ahead with sales and promotional offers already in place to entice residents into their establishments.

“We were looking at what we could do to help our customers stretch their checks a little bit further — provide more value,” said Sears Holding Corp. spokeswoman Kirsten Whipple.

Sears and its sister corporations Kmart and Lands’ End are giving customers who convert their stimulus checks into gift cards at their stores an additional gift card worth 10 percent of the check amount. To be eligible, customers must use the entire amount of their rebate for the initial gift card to be spent at any of the establishments or online.

The promotion is scheduled to last from May 14 to July 19, and will only be good for paper checks.

“We set the schedule to try and make sure we would include (everyone) and give people at least two weeks to get it done,” Whipple said. “There is no expiration date on the cards.”

She added customers have flexibility with the added incentive since they can use their gift cards online.

“They can really do what they want with their checks,” Whipple said.

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