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.
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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.
Car Buying, Reenvisioned: More Like Shopping for Apple Gadgets, Ice Cream, or a Date
Imagine if buying a car was more like online matchmaking and less like, well, the miserable, stressful modern-day experience of buying a car.
Online Shopping: More Popular (Yet Less Satisfying) Than Ever
Based on the sales figures, consumers are increasingly content to turn to the web to get their holiday shopping done. Judging by survey data and heaping anecdotal evidence, however, we’re increasingly dissatisfied with online …
20 Big Black Friday Sales Available for Online Shoppers
It’s possible—advisable even—to avoid the mall on Black Friday. But that doesn’t mean you must miss out on all of the deals on Black Friday, when 40% or more off is an easy click away.
JCPenney: Forget Coupons and Black Friday Sales. How About a Free Photo Instead?
The reason why door buster deals, coupons, dramatic markdowns, and a short-lived sales are staples of the retail holiday scene is simple: They drive traffic into the stores. So how does a store attract customers when it’s sworn …
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 …
Waiting for Hours to Buy Stuff Is Totally Illogical – But We Love It!
According to the experts, the best explanation for why consumers wait in line just so that they can hand over money for the newest iPhone or a Black Friday doorbuster deal is that … it’s fun?
Cashing in on iPhone 5 Queues: Big Bucks ($1,500!) Paid to Customers Waiting in Line
In cult-like fashion, thousands of consumers around the globe waited for hours, sometimes days, this week outside Apple Stores to be among the first to get their hands on the new iPhone 5. For a select few who were getting paid …
JCPenney Would Be Doing Great If the Stores Were Less Like JCPenney
In a meeting with analysts this week, JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson—the retail superstar famous for making the Apple Store a monster success—proudly showed off a model of the JCPenney store of the future, featuring an assortment …
Why a Good Return Policy Is So Important for Retailers
For obvious reasons, most stores focus on practicing good customer service specifically to enhance sales. But customer service doesn’t end once a purchase is made. Or at least it shouldn’t. The return—that moment when the …
Big-Box Shrinkage: Retailers Embrace Sales on a Smaller Scale
While the big-box retail model is far from dead, stores such as Walmart, Best Buy, and Cabela’s are realizing that the enormous, one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for all shoppers—nor all locations. To grow, many …