• by Sarah Mahoney , June 11, 2007

Focusing on home-improvement projects that can go very, very wrong, Sears is using Eric Stromer, host of HGTV's "Over Your Head" show, to introduce new products for the workshop, the garage, and lawn and garden.

Sears says more than 25 million U.S. homeowners undertake at least one home improvement project each year, and while most of America now heads to such big-box D-I-Y experts as Home Depot or Lowe's, Sears continues to have a strong brand presence with its Craftsman line.

Among the new products, unveiled for consumers at a special in-studio presentation for editors and members of its Craftsman Club, are the AccuTrac Laser Measuring Tool for more precise estimates when purchasing things like fencing or carpet, an Auto Loading Utility Knife, an EntryEase Fingerprint Keypad for Garage Door Openers, and a Zero Turn Push Mower, with a 360-degree zero turning radius for easy steering in any direction, and easy trimming around landscaping.

Several of the new Craftsman products will be supported with direct response television and print advertising, a spokesman says, and Craftsman will also sponsor "Over Your Head."

As Sears continues to struggle with poor sales performance, every category counts, but lawn and garden is especially critical in summer months. Sears recently reported that same-store sales in the U.S. fell 3.4% during the first quarter of fiscal 2007, while sales at its Kmart unit slid 4.4%. Both brands suffered in almost every merchandise category, which Sears Holdings Corp. attributes to higher energy costs and bad weather.

But Sears was especially hard-hit in home appliance sales, which it chalked up to increased competition and the continued slump in the housing market. Kenmore, its private-label appliance, continues to be the No. 1 home appliance brand in the U.S.