Sears Helps North Carolina Residents Take Advantage of Remaining Rebates for ENERGY STAR(R)-Qualified Appliances

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sears Blue Appliance Crew™ is helping North Carolina residents access the $1 million in remaining rebates for ENERGY STAR®-qualified appliances as part of the state's second phase of the "Cash for Appliances" rebate program, which begins on June 1. Following the success of North Carolina's initial program launch in April, which was limited to four days of instant rebates of 15 percent off qualifying appliances, the state will re-launch its "Cash for Appliances" program with a broader assortment of products and mail-in rebates to disseminate the remaining funds. In an effort to help North Carolina residents manage the rebate process, Sears has developed a website, Sears.com/energystar, which includes an interactive map, energy savings rebate calculator and information about ENERGY STAR products that qualify for the state rebates so customers can quickly and easily identify their favorite brands and models that are available for in-store purchase.

"As the 2010 ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year, we're always looking for ways to make it easier and more affordable for Americans to swap out their old, inefficient appliances for new, ENERGY STAR models," said Doug Moore, president of Home Appliances for Sears. "We saw the stimulus money go quickly during the first phase of North Carolina's rebate program and since we anticipate that remaining funds will go fast, we encourage our customers to take advantage of the rebate program as early as possible to ensure access to the remaining rebates."

During the first phase of North Carolina's appliance rebate program, state residents claimed $7.8 million of the $8.8 million funds available in only four days. Now in its second phase, the state's rebate program will continue until the stimulus money runs out and will offer a broader range of eligible appliances and offer a mail-in rebate.

Under the U.S. Department of Energy-approved appliance rebate plan for North Carolina, residents are eligible for mail-in rebates from $75 to $200(I) at Sears. In order to qualify, residents are required to replace their old appliances with new, ENERGY STAR-qualified models and while not required, North Carolina residents are encouraged to recycle their old appliances. Furthermore, in North Carolina, appliance purchase limits and other eligibility restrictions may apply (see ncappliancerebate.com for details).  

• $75 for dishwashers
• $75 for freezers
• $100 for clothes washers
• $150 for refrigerators
• $200 for gas storage water heaters

Additionally, North Carolina residents are also eligible for rebates on energy-efficient, whole-house heating and cooling systems including central air conditioners, gas furnaces, heat pumps (air-source and ground-source) and water heaters (tankless gas, solar electric backup and solar gas backup). Residents who are interested in purchasing these systems can visit Sears.com/energystar for a complete listing of qualifying products carried at Sears and available rebates. Or call Sears Home Services at 1-800-766-6298 to arrange an in-home appointment.

"Sears is proud to be the first retailer in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program, continuing our commitment to improving the environment through responsible appliance disposal," Moore said. "Not only are we helping the environment by reducing emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases, but we are also helping customers, like those in North Carolina, to dispose of their old appliances responsibly."

Through the RAD(II) program, the Sears Home Delivery Haul Away Service provides removal of one old, inefficient appliance for each new appliance purchased and delivered. Once the old appliance is removed, Sears and its partners ensure that the disposal process takes place in an environmentally friendly manner to avoid the discarding of appliances in landfills. Many of the components of the old appliance are then recycled.

For North Carolina residents interested in purchasing energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances the Sears Blue Appliance Crew will assist shoppers from start to finish. They can:

• Provide information about which appliances qualify for state rebates in store and online at Sears.com/energystar
• Help shoppers find rebates – searching by product category and customer's zip code
• Submit rebates for purchases electronically, before they leave the store
• Provide customers with the replacement documentation required in order to receive the state rebates
• Remove customers' old appliances and dispose of them in a responsible manner through the Sears RAD program

For full rebate updates and details, and to learn more about Sears' online and in-store Appliance Research Centers, please visit Sears.com/energystar.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,300 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 929 full-line and approximately 1,200 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck is the 2010 ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

About Sears Home Appliances

Sears is the nation's leading appliance retailer with the largest selection - over 4400 models. Only Sears sells the top 10 brands, including Kenmore, the nation's leading appliance brand. Sears always beats the competition's price, guaranteed, up to 30 days. Sears offers worry-free 1-year service, guaranteed and free help and support on all brands serviced by Sears 24/7 by phone. Sears provides next day delivery on over 1600 models - that's five times more than any national competitor. In March 2009, Sears launched the online ENERGY STAR Rebate Center - a program to help educate Americans about the millions of dollars in rebates that are available for ENERGY STAR-rated products and make it faster to receive these rebates. Sears has demonstrated its commitment to increasing America's energy efficiency through its actions over more than 10 years.

Sears sells more ENERGY STAR-rated appliances than any other retailer. In fact, in 2008, Sears was the first retailer to sell more than 3.1 million ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances from the nation's top brands, including Kenmore, the nation's leading appliance brand.

(I) Program details subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.Sears.com/EnergyStar.

(II) The Sears Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program applies to Sears full line stores.

SOURCE Sears, Roebuck and Co.