The changes were in name only as the merchandise mix was not altered with the sale.

But Saks also faces the matter of getting the right merchandise mix.

Last year at this time, sales took a hit because the merchandise mix failed.

"So the merchandise mix has to be adjusted to match the neighborhood."

So did Kmart, which stated that the record "didn't fit within our merchandise mix."

"I think the company has lost a little bit of its original brand focus and edgy merchandise mix," she said.

The merchandise mix was gone; in its place were hundreds of products with one designer name.

"Consumers are going to department stores, given their broader merchandise mix."

It often depends on the merchandise mix and the image a store seeks.

However well it chooses its merchandise mix, though, Sears still must make up ground lost years ago.