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Sears and Bob Vila team
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March 3, 2000: 12:31 p.m. ET
Retailer to launch home improvement Web site featuring tips from expert
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Instead of simply peddling tools for Sears Roebuck & Co., home improvement expert Bob Vila soon will offer construction tips via a new Web site he's launching with the nation's No. 2 retailer.
Sears and Vila, the well-known host of the "Home Again" television program and Craftsman tool pitchman, jointly announced the new Web site Friday. Called BobVila.com, they expect to launch it sometime in the third quarter.
"With this joint venture Sears and Bob Vila are both bringing to the table assets that will contribute to the ultimate home improvement site out there," Sears spokeswoman Ann Woolman said. "Consumers will have access to all his (Vila's) books, information in some of his shows."
Sears initially will own a majority stake in the Web site, but plans to invite suppliers and manufacturers of building materials to invest in the site.
Visitors to the site will be able to get home improvement tips from Vila through snippets from his television shows and the various books he's authored. Vila also will instruct visitors on different procedures through streaming video.
Visitors also will be able to link to the existing Sears Internet site to buy appliances, tools, and eventually building materials, Woolman added.
Friday's announcement is the latest in the retailer's plans to beef up its e-commerce offerings. The company's existing Web site, launched last year, offers appliances and tools but not apparel.
On Monday, Sears announced a partnership with Europe's largest retailer, Carrefour and software developer Oracle (ORCL: Research, Estimates) to launch a Web-based business-to-business supply site that will allow retailers to stock their inventories more cheaply.
Sears also said it plans to extend its e-commerce business to include lawn and garden products.
Steve Kernkraut, a retail analyst with Bear Stearns, called the Bob Vila partnership a good one for Sears that will help the company strengthen its already strong appliance and tool market.
"They're not trying to sell everything. Sears is basically saying we have a 35 percent market share on the appliances, and whoever buys appliances on the Internet, we want to attract them," Kernkraut said.
Based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., Sears operates more than 850 full-line stores and 2,100 specialty stores nationwide.
Shares of Sears (S: Research, Estimates) were up 3/8 to 28 in midday trading Friday. 
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