Sears has launched new personalized online services (Get Advice and Member Assist) that enable Shop Your Way members to ask questions and receive answers about products and services from the retailer and also other members of the loyalty/rewards program.
With the Get Advice feature, Sears customers can post a question to the Shop Your Way online community to get answers to product questions from Sears in-store associates and other members. Member Assist allows members to communicate directly with store associates at more than 400 of the company's stores nationwide.
In a release announcing its latest initiatives, Sears said it was addressing one of the top trends within retailing — connecting shoppers with a real person to get answers to questions.
"We're using technology to virtually open the doors to Sears stores across the country giving our members access to the expertise of thousands of our associates," said Leena Munjal, senior vice president, member experience and integrated retail, Sears Holdings, in a statement. "This level of interaction is another way we are integrating the digital and physical shopping experience — members can enjoy the advantage of getting great advice from the stores plus engage the vast Shop Your Way community."
![[Image: Sears Get Advice]](/public/images/discussions/17488/sears-advice-still.jpg)
Eric Jaffe, senior vice president, Shop Your Way, told The Associated Press, that Sears planned to continue fielding customer questions via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. The new programs would provide shoppers a more direct path to buy products once their questions were answered.
In a company statement, Mr. Jaffe said the Get Advice and Member Assist programs represented "social commerce at its most powerful."