Sears a Digital Retail Genius?

Three retailers have been named "geniuses," and it may not be who you expected (well, at least one of the companies). L2, a business benchmarking service, awarded Nordstrom, Macy's and Sears "genius status," the highest honor of a five-tiered ranking system in its recent Digital IQ Index: Department Stores. Macy's and Nordstrom have been ranked highly in the past, however, I have to admit, I was surprised to see ailing retailer Sears join them at the top of the list. Over the last few months, we've heard reports of Sears closing multiple storefronts as well as management issues. Just this past week it was reported that the company probably won't last past the 2016 fiscal year. So how did Sears earn the title of "genius"?

The report ranks retailers on the proficiency of their website and e-commerce capabilities, digital marketing techniques, social media presence, and mobile functionality. Their overall score is then slotted into one of five categories (genius, gifted, average, challenged, feeble) based on more than 850 data points. The top three retailers scored over 140 points, distinguishing their digital competence above the rest by reaching consumers through "creative messaging on a variety of devices in many online environments."

According to Adweek and L2, the death of department stores is merely a rumor. With the help of a smart digital strategy, department store chains are expected to grow 22 percent globally over the next five years.

Noteworthy retailers who ranked in the gifted category include Kohl's, Saks Fifth Avenue and J.C. Penney. Falling in the average category were Belk, Hudson's Bay and Dillard's.

Do you think Sears can make a comeback? What digital strategy is your company planning for in Q4? Let us know in the comments section below.