Business Notes RETAILERS

"Our goal is to reach everyone in America," says Thomas Morris, a vice president at Sears, Roebuck. The message, to be delivered this week in more % than 900 newspapers and 1,300 daily radio spots nationwide, is that the largest U.S. retailer is changing its stripes. The company is permanently slashing prices as much as 50% on about three-quarters of its 50,000 products.

Because Sears will have to put new price tags on 1.5 billion items, the company will close more than 800 of its stores for 42 hours this week. The move is part of Sears' new strategy, announced last October, to compete aggressively with such discounters as Wal-Mart and Target.