Sears and Amazon; Alexa, turn up my Kenmore air conditioner

FILE - In this May 17, 2017 file photo, an Amazon Alexa device is switched on for a demonstration of its use in a ballpark suite before a Seattle Mariners baseball game in Seattle. Struggling retailer Sears is looking to get a hand from Amazon, announcing that it will start offering its Kenmore products on the online powerhouse’s website. Sears, which runs Kmart and its namesake stores, said that Kenmore Smart appliances will also be fully integrated with Amazon’s Alexa. This will allow consumers to control products, like Kenmore Smart air conditioners, by making a request to Alexa. Shares of Sears Holdings, based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, surged more than 8 percent in Thursday, July 20, premarket trading. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) FILE - In this May 17, 2017 file photo, an Amazon Alexa device is switched on for a demonstration of its use in a ballpark suite before a Seattle Mariners baseball game in Seattle. Struggling retailer Sears is looking to get a hand from Amazon, announcing that it will start offering its Kenmore products on the online powerhouse’s website. Sears, which runs Kmart and its namesake stores, said that Kenmore Smart appliances will also be fully integrated with Amazon’s Alexa. This will allow consumers to control products, like Kenmore Smart air conditioners, by making a request to Alexa. Shares of Sears Holdings, based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, surged more than 8 percent in Thursday, July 20, premarket trading. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

By Associated Press July 20, 2017 1 min read

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) – Sears will begin selling Kenmore appliances on Amazon.com, including smart appliances that can be synced with Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa.

The announcement before the opening bell Thursday sent shares of Sears soaring 11 percent.

Sears, which also owns Kmart, says that its Kenmore Smart appliances will be fully integrated with Amazon’s Alexa, allowing users to fully control things like air conditioners through voice commands.

The agreement opens up a vast new marketplace for Sears and its appliances.

Shares of Sears Holdings, based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, jumped more than $1, nearing $10 per share, in premarket trading.