JC Penney has its old CEO, Mike Ullman, in charge of the company again. Abundant sales and coupons have returned, as have brands that disappeared for a spell. In many ways, the JC Penney of old is back. Whether this is a good thing for the company remains to be seen.
JCP
JC Penney Reintroduces Fake Prices (and Lots of Coupons Too, Of Course)
In early 2012, JC Penney promised the end of “fake prices”—ones that were inflated just so that shoppers could be tricked into thinking the inevitable discounts represented amazing deals. Well, it’s already time to welcome back …
Attention JC Penney Shoppers, Look Out for the Return of ‘Sales Galore’
After months of abysmal sales tallies, the Ron Johnson era is over at JC Penney. Now that Johnson’s “fair and square” no-coupons pricing policies have proved to be a failure, the department store will have to try something else …
The 5 Big Mistakes That Led to Ron Johnson’s Ouster at JC Penney
In the fall of 2011, Ron Johnson was appointed not just as CEO of JC Penney, but as the savior responsible for breathing new life into one of the dowdiest dinosaurs in American retail. Seventeen months—and many, many mistakes—later, he’s out of a job. What happened?
Can the Boutique ‘Store-Within-a-Store’ Concept Save Big Box Retailers from Extinction?
When successful, a store within the store will improve the appeal of both brands involved. That’s especially important for a retailer presumed to be on its deathbed.
Macy’s CEO: ‘Shocked … Sick to My Stomach’ After Betrayal by Former ‘Friend’ Martha Stewart
The Macy’s-JCPenney-Martha Stewart squabble has quickly gotten personal, even reminiscent of high school—with accusations of backstabbing, betrayal, and months of deception among executives who once considered themselves “friends.”
JCPenney’s Not-So-Black Friday
For most retailers, the upcoming Black Friday will be bigger (more deals, longer hours) than ever before. But what does a store do on Black Friday if it’s promised to stop using the discounts and marketing and sales gimmicks that …
Unhappy Holidays? Lackluster Season Expected for Several Shopping Categories
Studies from Deloitte, the National Retail Federation, and Booz & Co. all predict modest retail sales increases for the holiday period, with rises generally up in the vicinity of 3% or 4%. Online and mobile sales are expected to …
JCPenney: Simple Pricing Sure Can Be Complicated
When trying to simplify something, the first rule is: Don’t make it more confusing. And yet, while one of the main focuses of JCPenney’s radical retail overhaul is a simplification of pricing, shoppers seem more confused than …
Why JCPenney’s ‘No More Coupons’ Experiment Is Failing
The new JCPenney sounds so appealing on paper. Earlier this year, the retailer announced that “fake prices”—inflated big time to make markdowns seem more tempting—would disappear, to be replaced with a “fair and square” …
