Kmart has been crediting holiday early birds with a savings incentive.The chain introduced an "Everybody Celebrate" holiday campaign in November, adorning stores with ornament-style ceiling danglers and corrugate displays. A "Spend & Earn" promotion kick-started the campaign: Shoppers who spent $50, $100 or $150 on a single trip from Nov. 4-21 received $5, $10 or $15 in credit, respectively, on a purchase of $25 or more made between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2. Endcap headers and shelf tags communicated the promotion in various departments.In related activity, Kmart unveiled the Martha Stewart Everyday holiday collection, dedicating its seasonal department to ornaments, lights, outdoor decorations and Christmas trees categorized into seven themes. The collection was featured in Nov. 25 circulars and a special 19-page brochure.Meanwhile, Kmart continues to promote proprietary brands from sister chain Sears. Licensed toys, including Craftsman workbenches and Kenmore kitchen sets, were introduced with "Best of Blue" features in November circulars and the chain's holiday toy catalog. All stores have added branded sections for Craftsman and DieHard batteries, while home appliances by Kenmore, Maytag, Frigidaire, Whirlpool and GE are now in nearly 200 stores, including Sears-branded mini-shops containing appliances, electronics, and lawn and garden supplies. Stanchions in stores herald a nationwide rollout, instructing shoppers to "Stay tuned for the new Kmart."Integration of the Sears and Kmart banners drives parent company Sears Holdings' strategy for achieving faster and lower-cost store base growth, leading some industry watchers to question the future of the Kmart format. In its 2006 Annual Report (released in March 2007), Sears Holdings stated that, while both formats will continue to operate "in the foreseeable future, many of the functions supporting these formats have been integrated." Hoffman Estates, IL-based Sears Holdings Corp. operates 1,387 Kmart and 2,058 Sears stores nationwide. The company expressed disappointment with results for third-quarter 2007 (ended Nov. 3), in which Sears domestic sales fell 3.1% to $6.5 billion and Kmart sales fell 5.9% to $3.8 billion. Comparable-store sales dropped 4.2% at Sears and 5.0% at Kmart. During the quarter, Sears Holdings purchased a 13.7% stake in upscale home goods retailer Restoration Hardware, then made an offer to acquire the chain. Restoration, which operates 103 specialty stores and eight outlets in 30 states along with a direct sales business, recently announced a planned sale to private equity firm Catterton Partners. Meanwhile, an investment fund operated by Sears ceo Edward Lampert has purchased a small stake in The Home Depot.