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Bloomingdale’s Is Now Selling Washing Machines, But Don’t Call It Sears

Bloomingdale’s Is Now Selling Washing Machines, But Don’t Call It Sears

(Bloomberg) -- Another retailer is jumping into appliance sales.

Bloomingdale’s, the upscale department-store chain owned by Macy’s Inc., is adding high-end LG televisions, washers, stoves and other items to its website and flagship Manhattan location on 59th Street. The company says the products complement its existing offerings, which draws shoppers on the hunt for designer apparel and accessories.

Bloomingdale’s Is Now Selling Washing Machines, But Don’t Call It Sears

The company said the move is unrelated to the bankruptcy of Sears Holdings Corp., which for decades was the U.S. leader for sales of home appliances. Even so, Sears, which filed for protection from creditors last month, is potentially leaving about $14 billion in sales up for grabs. Bloomingdale’s follows retailers such as Best Buy Inc. and J.C. Penney Co. that have also increased their appliance offerings as Sears’s outlook has deteriorated.

Bloomingdale’s will start offering limited-distribution Signature series products from LG Electronics Inc. starting Nov. 19. The goods include a $7,000 refrigerator with an opaque door that turns transparent to the touch, so the owner can view what’s inside. There’s also a washer-dryer (price tag $3,200) that automatically measures laundry’s dirtiness and distributes the appropriate amount of detergent.

To contact the reporter on this story: Hema Parmar in New York at hparmar6@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anne Riley Moffat at ariley17@bloomberg.net, Jonathan Roeder, Mark Schoifet

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