Content about Cook County, Illinois

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has launched a service that it said would offer a simple, cost-effective way for businesses to manage storage, picking, packing and shipping of customer orders from Sears Marketplace and other places a merchant sells products.

Fulfilled By Sears allows merchants to market and sell to members of the company's Shop Your Way Rewards program. Sears said members of the program buy and spend more and recently exceeded 60% of Sears transactions and sales.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is collecting donations for the March of Dimes Foundation for the 30th year in a row, the mass merchandise retailer said Monday.

Kmart said that since 1983, it had raised more than $106 million for the non-profit group, which is focused on the needs of mothers and infants, including $8 million last year.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is distributing extra points to members of its loyalty program to mitigate the effects of high living costs, the retailer said Friday.

The mass merchandise retail chain said it would distribute more than $150 million worth of points to Shop Your Way Rewards members across the country, allowing them to redeem the extra points through March 7 on such items as groceries, clothing, electronics and home goods.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart's comps declined 3.7% for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2012, while parent company Sears Holdings' integrated online business grew by 25% for the quarter and 17% for the year, Sears Holdings said Thursday.

Sears' U.S. stores, on the other hand, posted a 0.8% increase in comps for the fourth quarter and a 1.4% decrease for the year, while the company's Canadian stores saw comps decline by 3.8% for the quarter and 5.6% for the year.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings, the parent company of mass merchandiser Kmart, is throwing its support behind a bill that would grant states authority to enforce existing sales tax laws and require out-of-state online retailers to collect and remit sales taxes on sales made to their residents.

The Marketplace Fairness Act was sponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.; Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; as well as Reps. Steve Womack, R-Ark.; Kristi Noem, R-S.D.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; and John Conyers, D-Mich.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The CEO of Sears Holdings is stepping down due to unspecified family health reasons, the company said.

Sears, the parent company of Kmart, said Lou D'Ambrosio would step down on Feb. 2, the end of the company's fiscal year. Edward Lampert will assume the role of CEO and chairman, while D'Ambrosio will remain on the board until the company's next annual meeting, in May 2013.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings, the parent company of Kmart and Sears, is looking to shift its business model to one that focuses on members of its Shop Your Way program and their shopping experience, the company said in its third-quarter 2012 earnings report.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart and Sears are offering free shipping for certain online orders as the holiday shopping season approaches.

Sears Holdings, the company that operates the two chains, said customers with orders of $49 or more from Kmart.com, Sears.com and MyGofer.com can receive free shipping. The company cited a recent "Sears Online Holiday Shopping Survey" that found most online shoppers listed shipping costs as their primary frustration with buying gifts online.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has announced that Ryan Vero will join the company as SVP and president of grocery, drug and pharmacy.

Vero most recently served as the EVP and chief merchandising/marketing officer for OfficeMax. In his new role with Sears Holdings, Vero will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth, both in-store and online, for the company's grocery, drug and pharmacy businesses.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is looking for five interns for a new program designed to provide opportunities to Hispanic women.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings now is offering its Kmart and Sears customers the option of ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

The new service, also available on store kiosks, now enables shoppers to select, purchase and have the items delivered directly to their homes, bypassing the layaway line altogether. Both retailers will begin the exclusive layaway ship-to-home service starting Nov. 7.

Sears has also joined Kmart in removing all layaway service fees both online and in-store leading up to the holiday season.