I am not surprised to see this. About 10-15 years ago, major retailers decided to give US manufacturers the middle finger and source from overseas sweatshops. Well, it worked for their profit margins for the short term... but the piper has to be paid. Since all the jobs went overseas, nobody here in the US can afford their products.
This isn't just Sears, but retail across the board. Younger people either have less interest, or just don't have the money, and there is no shame in buying from thrift stores (older stuff tends to be more durable anyway), so it is no wonder why we are seeing this.