The Decline of JCPenney...What Happened?

[@cs1458]

JCPenney is the best way to enter our local mall. It's always dead and easy to find a good parking space in front of.

[@daijoubougie]

Never read a comment more true than this lmao, at most in my mall you might find a foreign family or some older women but that place would be empty if it didn't have a sephora in it

[@cherylkeller5181]

Sounds like the Penney’s store in West County Mall in St Louis

[@butterboiii9810]

C S That’s weird. Here in New England every JCPenney I’ve been to is always busy. Every mall in the state of Maine where I’m from has a JCPenney that is doing pretty good.

[@AFishNamedBob]

Yup. Same here.

[@MikiGo88]

Where I live they ended up putting a bus stop in front of the entrance of the store to get people to go into the mall through their store 1st. Seeing this makes me understand why they did now.

[@Logicaltaco5]

As a former JCP employee from 2017-2018, I can tell you that their JCP credit cards are a huge trap that all employees must push, and if we don't get enough in a week ,we get cut hours. My store was one of the more profitable ones, but our turn overrate for employees was insanely high, Also the store layout is horrendous and many people always complain about not being able to find things.

[@Ja-vr7go]

I used to be JCP employee for seven years. I got a JCPenney card just for it but because of health issue, I missed one payment and bam, my perfect credit score went to shit. Not only that, the store that I used to work for, those who are working the truck, we were only getting two work day a week for only four hours. We have to finish the truck, put the products away and then go home. If you want to get more hours in the store, you have to kiss ass at the manager to get those hours and if your co-worker who work there longer than you will backstab you just so they will look great for the bosses. I couldn't stay in that company much longer and just left. I glad I found a job that pays me well but I get guarantee hours. For those who still work there, don't tell them you are getting another job, even though they tell you to get one, because they will try and mess up your schedule to keep you from getting that other job.

[@misfitbrit1989]

I work at the call center but I've been on short term disability for about a year and will go back when cleared. Anywho, we took store calls, customer calls, rewards calls and HOLY SMOKES - corporate obviously gave call centers the news that rewards were changing in I wanna say spring 2016. Only time we are to reissue rewards is if an order was cancelled and they we set to receive a reward. The stores didn't get the same memo so they have us essentially saying "Sorry that the customer is breathing down your neck, turning red in the face and you're sweating bullets cause your head is on the block but mine will be too." I've been handed over to customers by employees without knowing what's going on, hung up on only for them to get a different employee to tell them the same thing. Customers would call in extremely upset (can't really blame them) but it all boiled down to a few bad apples spoiling it for everyone. I felt and still feel so bad for the store employees. The only day both the stores and call centers are closed is Christmas so every other holiday, expect to be working and expect to get overwhelmed because half of the people scheduled didn't come in for their shifts. The stores have to press for credit cards and coming from a different retailer I worked for we were had to do that, it is crazy to expect I think 1 application AND approval per every 6 hours worked. I left the previous employer a decade ago and still have that stupid credit card spiel haunting my nightmares. I was flat out crying at work one day because our boss said to ask 3 times and God knows that's the most irritating thing to have to keep repeating "No, I don't want a credit card." I was crying cause I knew my hours were gonna get cut and I wouldn't be able to make rent. So my heart is with people who have to push credit cards just to get hours, no matter where they work. I've read and heard about some awful things from the store employees. Glass door is full of them...and even corporate in TX I felt awful for when they sent a good chunk of those jobs overseas a couple of years ago. Used to have 3 call centers - KS, OH and WI. The Wisconsin call center closed so they were all out of a job. Warehouses were OH, KS and Reno, then Reno was closed leaving people out of work. Powerline (absence management and employee benefits) closed and opened owed by a different company. All this change in a 3 year time frame kinda screwed the pooch. The former CEO almost put us out of business, things changed for the better when we got the new CEO but we're slowly going by the wayside of Lazarus.

[@LisaGemini]

Yes, those credit cards are damn stupid. When we had the great recession, people like Dave Ramsey told young people to cut up the cards. Nobody wants to pay 26 percent interest rates. Nobody.

[@misfitbrit1989]

@@LisaGemini the credit card rates with any in store card are the highest I've ever seen. And when I had to three way a call with credit and the customer, credit had absolutely no mercy. None. One day late and you can bet your butt their going to nail you with the fees.

[@davecrupel2817]

@@misfitbrit1989 i hate when companies push credit cards. They want people in debt for their own profit.

[@smartchip]

Another example of someone coming in, ruined a company, then still leaves with a massive payout and bonus, what's the incentive to do a good job?

[@MrPoogly]

Golden parachutes are there for CEO's to even consider taking the position. They get paid even more than that when their plans are successful.

[@smartchip]

@@chaoswraith the person that is a pest along with their fellow pests in upper management , carpet baggers, they are not a failure, the host is, that's the point,

[@joesimon2018]

The problem is that if the company fails, that exec will never have another job again....so the only way you are going to get someone to climb onboard a sinking ship is to offer them a golden parachute. And of course if the exec turns the store around, other companies will be offering him even better packages to steal him away

[@smartchip]

@@joesimon2018 yeah right, if they are any good at their job, they don't need to work again, it's like dipping into the pension scheme of the workers, all that lolly, you have to be a moron to not come out of it, sorted, I work in cyber security, I know what's going on, even better than the bean counters, we oil the machine, we know every hidden and shady corner, of government, multinational corporations and the too big to fail banks, its also well documented and ever the press, where the board of a failed company have if they want to, got another job, after going on holiday, renovation of a house etc, what's the use of having money if you have no time to spend it,

[@tomhill3248]

@@MrPoogly What a dumb comment. Paid even more. as if THAT matters. CLEARLY the paycheck didn't attract anyone competent! And what will they spend all that money on? Past a certain point money is only good for 1 thing! You never need more then 50,000,000$. Unless your trying to conquer something. Sinews of war are infinite money and all that.

[@DressCode2005]

I loved JCPenny as a kid. Getting the JCPenny Holiday Catalog and then circle all the things I wanted for Christmas and then hand it to my parents.

[@joshdubb881]

Yeah theu stopped making them in 2011 when the company started to die.. Proly a big reason why

[@DressCode2005]

@@joshdubb881 Damn I'm surprised they still were making them that freaking late in the age of the internet.

[@robertmoir5695]

I loved those days too Rudy Tucker 1960s and 1970s

[@joshdubb881]

Shit old people still hate computers.. They proly lost ALOT of old ladys who never used a computer.. I did website customer service too.. The old ladys that did have computers and tried to ordee online fukkin hated it lol.. I had to walk them through step by step or order the shit for them.. Jcp tried to push people to the website bout 10 years to early.. If they woulda carered to them old lasys they'd be fine.. N now old ladys got smart phones so theyd be killin it..

[@presceltolives2076]

Interesting how you spell it JCPenny. That’s how I remember it and seeing it spelled out as JCPenney just looks wrong

[@mmmtsp]

4:14 in the 1960s JCPenney was becoming Sears, and currently JCPenney is becoming Sears.

[@Angelaaahhh]

They say history repeats itself...

[@erinbartel4370]

Very true

[@fleshanbones1550]

Yeah that's what I thought too. Like uh I dont think you want to be like Sears anymore

[@snintendog]

given that sears and JCP are both becoming apple it just goes to show how shit apples model is.

[@romanpoet22004]

JCPenney is a Sears in my book already.

[@gentoolive]

The last time i was in a JC Penny store was when i was a kid and my mother was dragging me through the mall... I'm 47

[@misfitbrit1989]

I worked in the call center. Haven't been in a store since 2004 long before I ever worked for them.

[@areyoujelton]

I go by our JC Penney here just because the building is so old and cool. It’s one of the only original pieces of the old mall (RIP) still remaining. I’m going to be quite sad when they demolish it, but I have not been inside since the mall was still there.

[@DJRenee]

LOL😂😂😂😂

[@rhyno8644]

Jcpenney has no relevant identity to the modern market. If all you are is where my grandmother shopped youd be arrogant to drive prices. Like your grandmother shopping for you they did this to themselves. Its like they never once looked up and noticed the lesser quality gen z stores focusing on expression/individuality as apposed to quality.

[@smlnsgd4u]

I worked at two different JCPenney in different states YEARS ago...The last time I walked into a JCPenney was to get into the mall and I haven't been in a mall over 10 years, lol!

[@diy_decor4home677]

JCPenney is dying because they fired thousands of seasoned, knowledgable managers with 20-40 years experience in the Ron Johnson year. The company was built on the principle of the golden rule and they screwed over the very people that helped build the company. Maybe their downfall is just karma

[@kimtastick9010]

Diy_ Decor4home Shame on Ron Johnson. He assassinated JC Penny and it’s legacy.

[@ohhoney_nails3293]

I got fired as well as my manager at the fine jewelry department she was there since she was 18 and she was fired at 45 when they fired or what they call laid off. For no good reason she was the best.

[@jsokla7515]

The blame should be placed on the Board of Directors. They hired someone with the wrong retail experience and gave him free reign to implement drastic changes. What were they thinking?

[@laureljade3476]

Johnson is a pretentious assclown.

[@enrosale]

Diy_ Decor4home totally agree with you . I was affected by this back in 2011 . I’ve work hard for over 10 years from regular associate to supervisor . Had a great team on my department and managed everything the company was asking but Ron Johnson came in as a virus and destroyed everything what Mr. Penny wanted

[@AllisLife]

I’m a boutique owner and find these videos sooo fascinating. I definitely think malls will be a think of the past much sooner than we think. Makes me sad but I also get it.

[@Openyoureyez83]

Yep a lot of our malls are now outside

[@GameyCat]

well high end malls are here to stay, but the low budget, crappy malls are yeeted out

[@sleepful1917]

yay more alienation for our dumpster of a society, who needs to go shopping with friends when you can sit alone in bed and order it to your door

[@Gribbics]

Our mall is constantly shut down for shootings

[@coupleofbeers31]

Here in Phoenix Arizona Mills, Scottsdale Fashion Square, and Westgate are always full and teeming. Also in Miami the Aventura Mall is always packed.

[@NatalieRydecki]

I worked at JCPenney from 2012 to 2014, during the heart of the storm. And it wasn't pretty. In 2012 the entire company went on a massive firing spree, laying off thousands of employees and managers nationwide. Including dozens at my own store. One by one I watched them walk out of the office with tears in their eyes. Some employees had been there for 15 years, but they were let go just like the rest. Once the firing stopped, the store managers started loading more work on the ones that were left. Instead of each shift having 4 employees to cover a department, there was one. And if you didn't sign up enough people for JCP credit cards, they would cut your hours like crazy. But customers would always get upset if you asked them to sign up. Yet the managers would threaten to fire you. It was impossible to do both. And no one liked the new store arrangement. I constantly heard customers complain about all the changes, especially involving the new sales system. No wonder the company crashed. I'm honestly surprised that it's still hanging on.

[@ultraboombean]

Yeahp they want credit salesman 😭😭😭

[@jnichols3]

Like Radio Shack. In their final days their slogan changed to "You have questions, we have cell phones".

[@charitybrook6279]

I used to work at target and its the same there.

[@josh7926]

I've been working at my local Jcpenny For about 3 months now and currently looking for a new job, its so sad how they value credit cards more than their customers, everyones part time, no one has enough money to live off of, the only reason I've stayed is because they said full time was a possibility. Horrible company to work for and now everyones having to wear all black as the new dress code starting in March of this year, ALL black, pants,shoes,shirts, our dress code has nothing to do with sales or our professionalism, nothing will change.

[@charitybrook6279]

@@josh7926 yeah at target they would act like they liked you and tell you you were doing a great job. But there was always the looming threat of: "but none of that matters unless you're scamming enough people into red cards".

[@_OCPGAMING]

As a former employee, I can say they treat their workers like shit, which reflects on the store and how things are run.

[@impalabirungi6079]

Very true.

[@ashleyann5166]

Jeremy I would have to partially disagree with you there. I work in a Jcp salon as a hair stylist in North Dakota and at our store we get treated VERY well. I’m sure you aren’t lying I’m just saying maybe the way you got treated wasnt a reflection of the company as a whole, but of your local store?

[@taylorvlogs3280]

They cut my hours (basically firing me) after I was admitted to the hospital for a week. I havent even been there a month. It kinda sucks cause I lowkey liked my position. I was just doing BOPIS. Pretty bummed out cause I was getting $9.25 an hour.

[@scandawarrior]

Hear ya man, I did 5 years there and 1 year in Afghanistan. If I had to choose between Christmas in Afghanistan or JCPenny I'd say "pick your ruck and follow me." The upshot is I can still tie any peice of furniture to a Chevy Chevettte.

[@thebarky1988]

I heard the same thing.

[@emilybetz8662]

I remember when JCP did all those changes my mom, a middle-class, middle-aged woman, was PISSED. It was all she and the other women in my family talked about during the holidays. They messed up bad and I definitely think that was the nail in the coffin for the company. I don't think I've been to one since.

[@mariadmendez7773]

People rave about Walmart but their clothing is pure crap! JCPenney had quality and great customer service in the past and, by the way, so did Sears! It’s such a shame they put middle aged men in charge. They need to hire a woman to run the show!

[@BrokebutCreative]

If your mom and people like your mom were doing a good job at being customers they wouldn't have been losing money and felt the pressure to change.... it's funny when people get "pissed" at such things.

[@machinismus]

Lmao "a good job at being customers". If the company provides a sub-par experience, people aren't going to shop there, simple as that. People buy stuff whenever and however, depending on their wants and needs, and whoever provides the better experience. It's up to companies to innovate and adjust to the needs of customers and figure out what will bring them in, therefore increasing revenue.

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

Well she's right cause you're probably my age and I haven't been to jcpenny since 1999 and have no interests of ever coming back. It's good anyways, these corporations need to know their place they belong under our feet and they serve us not the other way around.

[@TehVulpez]

@@BrokebutCreative "doing a good job at being customers" what did you mean by this? It's not the customers' responsibility to shop at a store. It's up to businesses to attract consumers.

[@atlguy00]

I shopped at one a couple of years ago and found some sale items. At checkout I was told that I had to give them my cell phone number and agree to text messages in order to get the sale price. That's a big NO. I gave them a land line number thinking that would just make the sale go. Nope. Their point of sale system was able to detect that it wasn't a cell phone and they wouldn't complete the transaction without it. I walked out leaving a large pile of items on the counter for them to put back. I was aghast that I was not able to purchase anything at the advertised price without giving up personal information. I've never been back.

[@SemekiIzuio]

That's how every store works though? How else will you get the coupons ahem "sales" . Go to Walgreens or a Target that offer "rewards" program

[@shannonw6583]

@@SemekiIzuio no, definitely not how every store works.

[@rmp5s]

@Semeki Izuio If you're using your real number, you're doing it wrong. I use a made up phone number...used it for years. (Just dawned on me...I hope no one has the number...lol)

[@SemekiIzuio]

@@rmp5s I dont do in store, everything online now asks for emails to create accounts. I use multiple dummie emails that get flooded with ads and coupons. Still though I think stores ask you for email/phone number in which i provide with emails instead and they prefer emails alot more then phone numbers. 🤷‍♀️

[@rmp5s]

@@SemekiIzuio WTF? What do you mean you "don't do in store"? You a hermit? lol

[@Natalia-lk7hw]

I remember going to JCPenney one afternoon a few years ago and it was a frickin ghost town. I used to work there. I asked my former co-worker what happened. She told me that there was a new CEO who got rid of sales and clearance essentially effing everything up. This pretty much confirmed what she said.

[@MorseBri]

I worked for JCP - they have A LOT of internal problems I don't think they can overcome.

[@maryscavone5622]

Yes, I agree totally. I was a employee 6 years ago and they started OFFERING an early retirement to get rid of old blood( the ones that were loyal and built the business) to put new people in including management. People who knew NOTHING about tried and true practices. Now thats the reason!

[@jackabeans9111]

I’m still working there and I completely agree.

[@DareDB]

I think another thing to add is that JCPenney is predominantly attached to malls. Malls over the last decade have had significantly less foot traffic too. Kohl's and TJ Maxx, for example, are almost always standalone, thus making it easier to get in and out. And, they're doing quite well too. No one wants to deal with the hassle of malls as much anymore.

[@JH-ee5xv]

DareDB KPop I agree with this sentiment but Kohl’s doesn’t have Auntie Anne’s pretzels

[@DareDB]

I'm a Wetzel's Pretzels kind of guy...

[@PinkAgaricus]

Speaking of pretzels there's also Pretzelmaker too...we only have one location that I know of...other places have either Wetzel's or Auntie Anne's. (Ironically we had a Wetzel's Pretzels turn into an Auntie Anne's)

[@hunterdavis3003]

This^^^^^^ Great point

[@mffngrffls]

DareDB KPop my local mall has both lol

[@blupunk01]

From my perspective JCPenney really screwed up when they dropped their store brands. I was a loyal customer of those brands for years because I found them to be of consistent quality at often significantly lower prices than major national brands. I still have a store brand shirt I bought there umpteen years ago that while a little tatted and downgraded to a comfortable around-the-house shirt is still holding together despite having been in some challenging environments.

[@crotchwolf1929]

Yup, I worked at a JC Penney outlet store starting bin 2004 when I was in high school and blew my first paycheck there. I bought several items including this one hoodie with a dragon pattern on it. That hoodie is still in pretty good shape today and it's almost 20 years old.

[@victorbremer8097]

Umpteen is not a word!

[@blupunk01]

@@victorbremer8097 There's this thing you may have heard of known as "informal language" which is often used among people who aren't say writing news articles, drafting legal documents, or writing scientific studies. Dictionaries, being descriptive rather than prescriptive as some people seem to think, often record these words so that people outside of the regions, communities, and/or social groups in which they are used can still clearly understand them. Further, as language evolves (which it is always doing) informal words often enter into the formal lexicon. There are thousands of words now used in formal discourse in English which at one time were considered entirely informal. If you google (a very recently entirely informal word for "perform an internet search" which has now transitioned into a regular transitive verb) "umpteen" you will find definitions from Collins English Dictionary, Cambridge English Dictionary, Britannica Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and on and on. If you bother to look at the etymology site which will appear on the first page of results, you'll find that the term dates to 1907 and became common slang during WWI. So, with 115 years in the English lexicon, I can assure that "umpteen" is most definitely "a word."

[@delaneywilliams7261]

@@victorbremer8097 Actually, it is, meaning some number in the teens.

[@victorbremer8097]

@@blupunk01 it’s not a word. Cry harder.

[@DozensOfViewers]

No sales no coupons is the opposite of Kohl’s strategy - where everything is always on sale. Every single thing in the store is always “discounted” at least 10%. I doubt Kohl’s has ever sold anything at list price. People want to feel like they’re getting a deal.

[@startiger2]

You are right. Kohls never sells anything at list price. They always sell for well above it. Kohls marks up their prices to an extreme. Even with all their "discounts" most of the time, they still charge more for an item than it is in other stores. All their discounts are an illusion to make people think they are getting a deal when they are not. Cross shop Kohls to nearly anywhere else and you will see now over priced they are

[@vaderladyl]

Well I get a lot of deals at my JCP along rewards and coupons!

[@josepherhardt164]

Exactly. For the time period that Penney's went to the "straight" pricing, I felt that that was a "guy" thing that would never work with women. Sure you jack up the prices before you discount them or coupon them, but that was part of the game and fun of "shopping." Nothing wrong with that if you realize what's going on and enjoy playing the game.

[@stephanig1977]

Well JCP customers want $400 worth of merch for $50. They refuse to pay $10 for a pair of jeans. That's the problem.

[@02chevyguy]

I don't go to Kohl's very often. I can never find a sales associate if I need help with something.

[@lifewithtodd7870]

Ron Johnson basically killed the company

[@donnalambert7944]

I knew when they stopped using coupons, they were going to lose customers! Also doing away with the catalog would kill JCP

[@mrgreengenes04]

I still get massive amounts of coupons for Penneys. But I also have a Penneys charge card.

[@tonysmith5563]

mrgreengenes04 lmao.

[@LadyKhiaani]

They still have coupons they just don't have them at the counter anymore. Scanning them for every customer was costing them too much money so now you have to provide your own on your smart phone

[@LadyKhiaani]

They also don't work on clearance items anymore which is dumb

[@kellyalt9482]

JCPenny still uses coupons… I just quit there and they were still using coupons

[@audrey5941]

I was team JCPenney for years, decades even. Loved to shop there. Anytime I got a coupon I used it. Then the coupons stopped coming, and the next time I walked into the store I didn’t recognize anything. It looked like a damn swap meet with things scattered all over the place, I had to hunt for the thing I wanted and the selection was terrible. Sad day. RIP Penney’s. We had a good run.

[@whiteshadow1771]

I loved shopping there. I liked dockers, AZ clothes, etc. It went downhill in the early 2000's. After a while, they didn't have staff to fold clothes, be available to help you, etc.

[@alexkonoff2273]

You should do a video about why Costco,Sams club and Kroger sell gas

[@AFrogInTheStars]

Alex Konoff yes! I would definitely be interested

[@ThePresentTimeNow]

And Safeway and Giant, some locations.

[@OldTelivisionRocks]

Joshua Atterberry well that would be the same as Sams club. Same brand.

[@TheOtherOne122]

And Meijer, and the 3 kmarts left

[@bandombeviews6035]

Warped Gas doesn’t typically make money for anyone.

[@sanguineel]

I never realized why I hate JCP now, but it's definitely the 100 boutique layout. There's too much going on.

[@stueygriffith4671]

the mall-within-the-store-within-the-mall kinda blows my mind too. 😵

[@lastguyminn2324]

I don't shop there because all their locations are in malls, and I have grown to absolutely loathe malls. Kohl's is the same price and much easier to quickly navigate.

[@stueygriffith4671]

@@lastguyminn2324 does your psychiatrist know about this 'habit'?

[@lastguyminn2324]

@@stueygriffith4671 WTF?

[@skyangelrockera22]

Yep thats why I hated it

[@thepaper888]

I worked at jcp before and during ron johnson... So many people used to use manufacturer coupons mixed with jcp coupons, and return vouchers etc. For employees discounts and gift cards from having customers fill out credit card applications whether they got it or not the employee would get $2 per application. The point is I got a $300 keurig for $20 bucks. When Ron Johnson came in all those mixing and matching coupons and discounts all disappeared. All the products were cheaper than the price they would have ended up as when you used all the coupons, but people love the hunt and the feeling like they tricked you and got a deal. For example a $60 shirt that after 3 weeks drops down to $45, then with coupons and early bird discounts and all that combined you can buy the shirt for $20. So they just sold the shirt for $20 straight up. It was cheaper than original $60 but instead of waiting for the price drop and right time of day and getting every available coupon combined. Just like a tyrannosaurus rex, they don't want to be fed they want to hunt.

[@UTubeTulip]

It's clear that Americans hate "fair and square" pricing. In most of the rest of the world the price is the price, but in the US you've got tax not included and mandatory tipping etc. The price is never what you pay.

[@eamartig]

UTubeTulip yep not changing anytime soon

[@kelly3014]

I didn’t notice any lower prices when I went there. The $60 shirt was still $60, and I wasn’t spending that much.

[@ChurchOfTheHolyMho]

@@UTubeTulip There are approximately 10,000 sales tax districts in the US. So the store cannot advertise a price which would vary by location. Its crazy and I wish it was not this way.

[@marshalljohn1175]

So true. Market research and focus groups showed JCP exactly what you just wrote.

[@tylerbarth3113]

In 2012, my brother was accused of stealing out of the register on his first day at JCPenney and was treated like a criminal by lost prevention when the money had just been misplaced by someone sorting the drawer during my brother's break. After that, we avoided JCPenney and trash-talked them whenever they were mentioned.

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

YIKES. I guess jcpenny is like an mean, old witch from across the streets! Lol!!

[@1u1u89]

That's the manager's fault not the store itself.

[@MiniKodjo]

Your trash talking made them fail

[@indonesian4875]

Tell your brother to stop being a thief

[@Lithilic]

My grandpa provided for a family of 8 as a sole income earner as a manager of a JCPenny in the 50s-70s. I'm sure he couldn't have imagined their current decline. Growing up, every shopping mall had a Sears and JCPenny as the corner stones of the mall that most people went there primarily for. Also, my experience with execs is that very few have any new ideas- the simply come to their next company with the same ideas as what worked for them in the last, whether or not its a good fit for their current company. I don't know if its arrogance or ignorance but it's all too common.

[@presceltolives2076]

We are from the same realm and remember it as JCPenny not JCPenney like how this new realm wants us to think. Nice to find an old soul =)

[@DanHominem]

The only time ive really ever shopped there, i was looking for a plain white polo shirt. Cheapest one was $40. Target had one for $7.

[@zuludawn9932]

Dude i hear you but i was at macy's same thing their'swas $60 and Target's was $12. I'm in California prices are higher here, and I just needed a black polo

[@griffinbird3000]

Unrelated but love the birb

[@Openyoureyez83]

Exactly

[@nimhe0]

i work at jcp and I ended up being able to get jeans for $2. they were in the clearance section for $8 but with the additional 50% off clearance sale plus my associates discount and coupon, the $2 jeans were a steal 🤧 Although they can be a bit unorganized (due to so much stuff being marked down, which I think is from how much new merchandise comes in) honestly the clearance sections are where you guys would find the best deals.

[@haileygrey5047]

angel baby my motto is if it's not on clearance I won't get it lol I almost exclusively shop clearance racks 🙈

[@underratedasmr7052]

Yeah the associate discount and additional clearance discount is good. Got so many clothes for cheap that aren’t bad quality. but they literally kill us with so much merchandise we don’t even have room for. Every rack is almost always stuffed like it will burst if a fly lands on it, which always ends up on the floor.

[@angelaburress8586]

JC Penny is trash and who wears that type stuff that they have they simply didn't keep up with the times and this is what happens

[@JoseJimenez-is1cg]

@@sitdown702 , Absolutely love your train of thought. Personally I think that JCP could rebound if they returned to the old ways. Everyone loves a sale. Well, almost everyone.

[@Shadeadder]

yeah but they're $2 jeans...aka shit quality

[@kayverly]

This was a great video! My mom, aunt, and grandma used to drag me to JCPenney to shop for hours and when they stopped the coupons, they were PISSED! We barely went in there after that and instead shopped more at Macys and only went the JCP if we didn’t get what we wanted in Macy’s. They definitely disrespected their target audience and paid for it with the sales. Now they’re trying to come back up but it’s kinda late for those people. Whoever thought bringing the tech CEO to a retail store wasn’t smart and should also be fired cause they took something good and ruined it for nothing

[@deannagz5612]

Honestly ! My mom was mad they stopped the coupons as well, now we never shop there, we only go there because parking is empty and to get to the other part of the mall.

[@purplelove010]

Coupons are on the JCP app

[@sjerkins]

When the store layout changed, even the employees didn't know where to find a pack of underwear. I haven't been back since.

[@mina5142]

Steven Jerkins 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@madisonchelbana6548]

bro the store had changed you rude as fuck

[@ashleystadlman2371]

I remember when our J.C. Penney changed their layout. I remember absolutely hating it and rarely went back after it

[@Oklahomarailfan.]

Ô

[@josephr1421]

Ron Johnson: *exists* J.C Penny: *chuckles* "I'm in danger"

[@jnichols3]

I am hard of hearing. When he said "Ron", I heard "Rian". My first thought was "So, he f**ked up JC Penney's before taking part in the destruction of the Star Wars franchise. What an A-hole!".

[@mwbgaming28]

The fair and square pricing idea failed because people are stupid

[@Aliens1337]

MWB Gaming No because if you want fair and square pricing, you go on Amazon. You cant beat online retailers at being cheap. Going to stores hunting for deals is what made stores attractive compared to going online.

[@mwbgaming28]

@@Aliens1337 umm, no Getting the item without waiting for shipping is What makes going to a store attractive for me if I want the item cheap, I get it from eBay if I want the item now, I get it from a physical store The fair and square pricing idea failed because people are stupid, and to say otherwise, proves that point

[@joesimon2018]

Isn't it sad that only when the company is circling the drain, that they finally hand the reins to a woman?

[@SH2K9]

UPDATE: They just filed for Ch. 11 Bankruptcy.

[@marvinavelar6746]

At least it will go to new ownership

[@r5037]

I worked there during the Ron Johnson overhaul. That was a huge mess. I was at the main ordering desk (often mistaken for the manager/help desk) and I got many complaints daily about it.

[@electrictroy2010]

JCP was already declining in the late 90s because of internet shopping. Circa 2000 they laid off all their managers (college degrees) &replaced them with supervisors (no degree necessary) .

[@caiusmadison2996]

@@electrictroy2010 That was due to a trend in downsizing to up money. Ever wonder why every sitcom had a downsizing episode in the nineties no matter what the market was? It was part of the new business practices ushered into that era.

[@misfitbrit1989]

I came into the company after Johnson for the call center and heard horror stories about what it was like under him. The new CEO took A LOT on his plate and changed a lot for the better but the task to save the company post Johnson is seeming impossible. Also, since we get store calls into the center, my heart goes out to store employees for real. I've heard customers yelling in the background, I've heard employees sounding absolutely overwhelmed and stressed out. We get heat in the call center too but at least we can by cozy in jeans and a t shirt. And if we have to roll our eyes over whatever nonsense is going on, we can usually do so. And we're not sweating bullets to open credit cards just to make hours. Hang in there, store employees! We feel for you.

[@LisaGemini]

Exactly. That idiot didn't listen to the customer or the shareholders. Loser.

[@misfitbrit1989]

@@LisaGemini and didn't even run a test store. Techies might be very booksmart but it's rare to see a very booksmart person with an ounce of common sense.

[@dr666demento]

I think it'll outlive Sears but that ain't saying that much. I'm surprised Sears hasn't gone belly up already.

[@hotwax9376]

@Dr Demento If it does outlive Sears, it will probably be because they had the sense to fire Ron Johnson before he did too much damage. If Sears had done the same to Eddie Lampert they might have had a chance as well.

[@jackson5116]

it only exists today because Eddie LAMEpert- same one who refuses to infuse any kind of monetary upgrades, bought them out of bankruptcy (literally)!

[@cj3340]

Eddie Lambert is just slowly cannibalizing sears and Kmart to his trust fund. Anyone with some actual interest in sears and Kmart could’ve turned them around. I miss sears and Kmart, more so Kmart than sears.

[@React2Quick]

Sears only still exists because of Eddie Lampert aka fast Eddie as people refer to him as. He stepped down from the Sears Holdings Corporation but ended up making a bid on Sears and the bankruptcy court approved it. Even though they know for a fact Eddie was the one who ran Sears into the ground in the first place. Eddie Lampert does not know how to run an actual retail business, he's a hedge fund manager and that's all he knows.

[@portiasnowdon9443]

Sears in Canada is gone!

[@aprilrivas5071]

I worked for JC Penney about 12 years ago. I got a job stocking shelves. On my second day at work, the manager came up to me crying and said she had to cut my hours. I was already part-time. There was literally no reason to stay there making minimum wage for a few hours a day. I still don’t get why they hired me in the first place if they couldn’t afford to pay me. The company has been tanking for a long time.

[@ashleyhawkins1993]

April Rivas retail is stupid

[@blackdivine6762]

Their hiring practices are illogical.

[@momentsformoms9467]

Isn’t that the ‘07-‘08 recession? Probably why. I’m sure it wasn’t foreseen by the hiring manager.

[@felixfischer312]

Wow i think you made me think twice.

[@7JANEWAY]

I don't know if they still do this, but McDonald's was infamous for doing this. They would hire 20 or more people at a time, just so they wouldn't have to give anybody 40 hours a week and then have to pay benefits. And, to top it all off, you would be scheduled for only 3-6 hours a week, or only had been there for an hour, when they would send you home and say they have to cut your hours even more! Now I know Penney's and McDonald's are NOT the only ones who do this. But it would seem to me that these companies--almost all, I might add, complain how they can't get any help (go figure)--would not want to keep shooting themselves in the foot with this practice. But stupidly they continue. And they don't know why Japan and other countries are outproducing American companies....!!!???

[@Octalux]

My mom has worked on the floor (cash register, stocking, helping customers etc) at JC Penny since 1968, she told me about the changes from the Apple guy before they started implementing them, she also told me she didn’t think it was a good idea.

[@esm1817]

Sorry, know this is an old post. They should have done an employee poll. I bet a lot of their store employees could have told them it wouldn't work.

[@focusonu9668]

Spot on. The changes lost my middle aged ass. I love coupons, clearance racks and sales.👏😒

[@carpediem6568]

Should have done an inexpensive psychological profile on the customer.That was their niche market, Sales items. Too late now. Too much debt. Like GM ruined Saab by changing why the customer bought it, superb handling. You would think..........

[@joseherrera8489]

They still had sales. They had an everyday price, certain items would go on sale for a month, and then they had the clearance items. I don't know why you old geezers are so obsessed with your coupons (I'm pushing 40 myself so don't think I'm some 15 year old).

[@focusonu9668]

@@joseherrera8489 Bye, Felicia

[@carpediem6568]

@@joseherrera8489 Because coupons are something we grew up on. Apparently, no one did it better than JCP.

[@LtPowers]

That's financially irrational. The consistent prices were often lower than their sale prices are now.

[@kaitlynmorris6955]

As a current worker at JCP, I can tell you that our corporate told us we're not even allowed to keep coupons behind the register anymore and we're supposed to make the customers look them up themselves, which i think is a little unfair. Also, with the credit cards when you apply you can get 15% off, but your credit has to be good and you have to be approved to get it. and yes, they do cut your hours if you don't get enough applications, it's currently happening to me. i can't do anything about my hours though since I'm only part time and i need a job to pay for college.

[@karentucker2161]

That's just so stupid of jcp

[@purplelove010]

Same thing happened to me when I worked there

[@TheDr502]

For a company started by a guy named "James Cash Penney", they sure are losing a lot of cash and pennies.

[@pennyholmes1052]

Lol

[@funsized924]

Savage lol

[@TheDr502]

2019: JC Penney might be able to recover if they come up with new strategies. 2020: JC Penney filed for bankruptcy yesterday. They survived the Great Depression, they survived the 1980s recession, and they survived the 2008 recession... but even the COVID-19 pandemic was just too much for them. :(

[@galactic-hamster7043]

Okay, not attacking you, but this is an example of something being very misrepresented. The reason for the big economic thing we see now is not because OF the disease (Covid 19) itself, it is due to the RESPONSE of the disease, which varies from region to region, and government to government. The disease itself did nothing to business, but the political response did instead. I'm sorry, but that's just something that gets me.

[@TheDr502]

Galactic -Hamster Nah, I don’t get the vibe that you’re attacking me. Having said that, the pandemic did indirectly cause JC Penney’s bankruptcy. Global shutdowns wouldn’t have happened without the COVID-19 pandemic. The response was an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. If it weren’t for the COVID-19 pandemic, malls wouldn’t have closed down during the pandemic. If stores hadn’t closed down during the pandemic, they could’ve still been earning the sales revenue necessary to stay in business. It isn’t a coincidence that JC Penney went bankrupt during the pandemic. It’s a domino effect. That’s my two cents.

[@galactic-hamster7043]

@@TheDr502 I wasn't really saying that JCPennney would have survived if this hadn't happened, they have been floundering for almost a decade... But it was the mandate to close everything down that killed a lot of businesses. Also the fact that the threat was insanely overblown.

[@galactic-hamster7043]

@@TheDr502 and I was talking about the point you made more tham the actual business

[@TheDr502]

Galactic -Hamster The threat wasn’t overblown at all. Their response made sense. It’s unfortunate that the economy suffered as a result of it, but they mandated the shutdown to curb the spread of the virus. If they had allowed the virus to spread unabated, we’d have seen far more deaths and infections than we did. Any virus that kills 300,000+ people and possibly causes long-term brain and lung damage is a dangerous threat.

[@TreasureHunterLocke]

I've worked at JC Penney for five years and I can say the major issues with the company come from corporate themselves. They are never on the same page with the operations team, the visual team, anything. They throw a hundred ideas at the wall hoping one sticks, and they also hope that one will turn everything around. They spend tons of money on new graphics and re-arranging the store every other month to "boost sales" They are also obsessed with Buy More Save More sales, where everything is retail price (which is outrageous) but you save a certain percent if you spend enough money. The company still tries to push credit in any way possible, even if it means being deceptive to customers in order to get a credit card (not that this is uncommon for most companies). it's a sad sign of desperation in a dying business.

[@TreasureHunterLocke]

By the way, the "Fair and Square" pricing hasn't left, they just changed the name of it as Extreme Value, or EveryDay Low Price, it's the same concept. More and more things come in to the store that way.

[@blackdivine6762]

You speak 1000% true. My friend works for corporate. It's not just that they are at odds with operation, they are at odds internally.

[@timothymclean]

Fair-And-Square Pricing was a lovely idea. Previously, clothes were priced above their "real"/"intended" value and brought down to it (or maybe a bit below) by sales, preying on how humans perceive value; now, all of that rigamarole is gone. It turns out that said rigamarole was part of what made humans value the clothes in the first place. Take away the "incredible deal" and you take away the satisfaction of a good purchase; take away the (inflated) "normal" price and they don't "feel" as valuable as they would have with a different price tag. Humans are weird.

[@davidmckean955]

The coupon leeches aren't really customers that any business should want. JCPenny needed to shed all those people as customers and shrink number of stores and eventually get out of shopping malls.

[@TiberianFiend]

Someone did an experiment where they had people write down the last two digits of their Social Security number and then asked them how much they were willing to pay for stuff, and the people who wrote down the higher numbers were willing to pay more money based on that random number alone.

[@kendalson7817]

Truth. I worked at a Macy's owned dept.store 30 years ago. We would get the merchandise in priced at X amount. A week later we would get a "tom tom" to mark it up. Then a week later it would go on sale for like 25% off. Weird.

[@GarrusN7]

Too bad that scheme basically killed them lmfao. Guess that's what happens when you hire a tech bro to run a clothing store.

[@timothymclean]

@@davidmckean955 I'm not talking about coupons, I'm talking about sales. IE, come into the store, everyone can buy X item for Y% off, no coupon needed.

[@6piecechickenmcnuggets23]

You should do a video on GameStop. It was a fun place in the past. Now it's retail mess.

[@becraftcorey]

That's simple people are buying digital games now killing game stops business they also got the reputation of ripping people on on there used games so with all that they now have to sell collectables becuse Amazon and Walmart and just about any other big box store sells video games as well

[@thered4048]

eBay killed GameStop as well... Why have a middle man that sells your game back to you for pennies when you can get $30-40 on eBay etc...

[@bandombeviews6035]

Sanic You have to deal with shipping, taking pictures, fees, and possible returns.

[@thered4048]

@@bandombeviews6035 Better than the 25 cents I would get from GameStop though...

[@qoyote]

As a casual gamer, the only time I bought anything from GameStop, I bought two games a week apart from each other and neither one would load. Not doing that again.

[@thety99]

Our professor is having us watch your videos; JC Penny is this week, but just know that you are doing an amazing job and professors love you!

[@hugoperez3149]

I remember when JCPenny sold SouthPole and it was the hip thing to get during the late 2000's 😂

[@candace27co]

Hugo Perez I miss it!!!

[@b.h.rent.8799]

Yesssss

[@humannaturedj]

I was in looove with SouthPole, I got their clothes from Mervyn's lol

[@andrespelayo6833]

Or tap out

[@gilbertoavina6156]

Southpole defined my high school years. Class of 2010.

[@FieryRedmond]

I remember going to JC Penneys a lot when I was a little kid, but that one eventually closed

[@bmxezs]

Redmond lol the comment above you says that they called it jc penny’s look what you did

[@stoopiosproductions3130]

@@bmxezs They said "I always called it" so.... Critical Mission Failure for you.

[@bmxezs]

Stoopio's Productions yeah but people make new comments and comments move I made the reply a day ago so I’m saying that a day ago that happened sorry

[@stoopiosproductions3130]

@@bmxezs I'm almost certain we're talking about the same comment. It was made by Jake Haze.

[@bmxezs]

Stoopio's Productions exactly ;)

[@jaydavision8321]

How is Macy's still in business who the hell cares about Macy's its like JCP but everything cost 20 dollars more

[@SHARONMYOUI-g5p]

Mr Deluxe loooool

[@wilsonm.168]

Quality.

[@victoriabrawn6445]

I really think it's because of the holiday season- they do the parade every Thanksgiving, and do the letters to santa each Christmas. They also have a lot of high end things in there. Think Chanel and MAC. They do, however, have horrendous business practices. My mom worked there for less than a year and she said that there was a lot of miscommunication on all levels and bad business practices

[@nea415]

Macy’s sells better name brands and higher quality products. But with all of the exclusions on Macy’s “coupons”, I don’t see why ppl bother to shop there. Lol

[@davis6123]

Macy's is actually doing really well.

[@fauxpinkytoo]

I was a catalog copywriter for JCPenney. I left in 1997 after we got a new CEO who thought purchasing Eckerd Drugs made for good 'synergy' between the brands. He planned to install a catalog desk in every location. I joined the company right after the move from New York in the late 80s, and I had accrued a lot of stock value in the ensuing years... As soon as this 'synergy' started to roll out, those stocks began to tank, so I quit. For me, the decline began with this particular misstep, and I got out before I lost any real money.

[@Ce1y]

I still shop there because the prices are still reasonable, and it’s usually more organized than Macy’s or the other overpriced department stores nearby.

[@Brimshae]

I started shopping there because it's one of the places I can consistently find tall size shirts.

[@anned.2085]

Macy’s, lord and Taylor, Nordstrom etc have more luxury items. Jcp is definitely more affordable but I go to the others to splurge. It’s a shame because they should all be able to exist

[@balletdancernj6894]

Cely We still shop at JC Penny, too. I always find a good bargain.

[@rosssmith9870]

@@Brimshae Check out the tall Foundry brand. My favorite tall shirts at JC Penny. Combining in store and online shopping gets you the size and color you want. They often have items online not in store.

[@Brimshae]

@@rosssmith9870 I'm wearing a Foundry shirt right now, thank you. :-D

[@SJ-zu6wh]

They tried to go high class instead of staying with the working class people!!

[@galactic-hamster7043]

I think a lot of stores are doing this now while the economy is good, but JCPenney tried this far too early and died before they were to be able to recover. But I can understand that this was one of Penneys selling points, and it's foolish to change that without considering timing.

[@GMULEMAN]

Walmart has the working class covered. You cant compete with Walmart.

[@TheOlmonroe1]

@@GMULEMAN ... Nope.

[@barbaravyse660]

What?

[@johnfoltz8183]

Meanwhile Sears is stuck 25-30 years ago without upgrading

[@tomr3017]

My mom still shops there and I do as well. Mom misses Montgomery Wards as well.

[@cruehead23]

My grandma enjoyed that store, but she always called it Monkey Wards lol

[@spqdqrmqn]

Same, I have a mall nearby me that has a jc penny in it and has had it since the mall was made I think

[@mr.basketball3092]

U got no drip

[@blaumausfrau]

any company that uses Ellen DeGeneres is DOOMED. I can't stand her.

[@charlottekey8856]

eww. Really? I don't tune in to mainstream tv or media much, so I didn't know that.

[@KameraShy]

She is fundamentally annoying.

[@AbbysalWarrior]

Ellen "Degenerate" has multiple allegations against her for her ill treatment of her workers, essentially her whole show's kindness is nothing but a facade. As everyone a part of Ellen's world unless they're a celebrity like her, gets treated more or less like peasantry for she acts snobbish, rude, even downright cruel in to those in other positions that makes her show runs. Most of the allegations coming out were from those who worked in security for Ellen. It's mostly hearsay but needless to say her reputation thanks to the virus took a nose dive. Due to the fact she has to compete with genuine online creators, she might fade to the wayside in terms of popularity.

[@a-1886]

Don Clark have you not seen how it’s been proven that she mistreats her employees?

[@showmebear]

We can't stand you either, Ned.

[@kaylah4848]

I work at jcpenneys and I honestly hate it The managers are so shady and honestly the worst they think they are so much better I get into trouble when I don’t get a certain amount of credit card sign ups in one day I should quit but I need $$$ 😭😭

[@nalysegriffin1228]

Kayla H so true I have that same problem

[@nihilisticbarbie]

Damn hope you found a better job

[@wingedmirage4226]

That’s a problem a lot of clothing stores have. They prioritize credit over actual sales numbers and it makes no sense. Yes people who get store credit cards will generally buy more stuff, but what’s being sold NOW is also important

[@SewRena]

Winged Mirage yep credit=sales!! It’s funny because that was the motto at one of my jobs. I was one of the highest selling sales people I worked part time but my sales looked like a high performing full time employee I wasn’t very good at the credit aspect because I personally don’t believe in store credit cards. I debunked their theory and all it did was upset management.

[@KameraShy]

Kohl's always tries to push their credit cards. You do get a discount for signing. I wonder if they penalize their cashiers.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

My local JCPenney is closing in about three months. It looks depressing there. Unorganized, empty shelves, no one around, it has seen better days.

[@alisathestrongone2087]

Avery Lopez-Baines bot

[@amistry605]

Lmao dude, i just saw u on a sushi making video with Hiro. You're everywhere haha!👍

[@kingjlinza]

Avery Lopez-Baines that’s actually really sad to think about

[@ParadoxBoxx]

They announced it three months in advance? That's weird.

[@michaelbell3952]

Lo I see you everywhere my dude. I work at jcp

[@ShortAndSalty]

As a former employee of JCPenney, their management also sucks. As a former employee of Belk, I hope it ends up on this channel. Their management is worse.

[@Xurrah]

Shortandsalty _ They probably had some of the most incompetent management ever.

[@wingedmirage4226]

That would be an interesting episode.

[@mayapace6914]

Parisian was better than Belk, but I love there sales

[@ericpurkey7502]

You must live down south there is no Belk department stores in Michigan I heard they are in the southern states.

[@badjr0]

Who's here because they just filed for bankruptcy?

[@renohasbigtits]

That’s sad. I used to go there when I was younger but I guess out with old and in with the new

[@erlanddrow7950]

No, but I guess I got here just in time 😅

[@KameraShy]

Popped up on my KZbin recommended list. Their algorithm must have been triggered by recent activity.

[@JacobAAllen]

They are doomed. It was COVID-19 that killed the beast.

[@arandomstreetcat]

@@renohasbigtits 55555t55rtrt55t5555555554545444444444444444rrtttt55

[@Bigfoot_With_Internet_Access]

They're not earning enough pennies.

[@NoKreativeUsername]

Dagan Ward L

[@timothymclean]

No, they're focusing on pennies when they should be nickel-and-diming.

[@relievedkocour2539]

I SMELL PENNIES!!

[@vincelamb4063]

And JCPenney was briefly a penny stock, trading below a dollar a share. The stock price as I'm typing this comment is $1.26, down from yesterday's close of $1.31. At least it's still in the S&P small cap 600.

[@pmr9591]

VERY PUNNY!!! XD

[@ShooterQ]

The fair pricing bit is an excellent example of perception shaping reality... many shoppers want to "feel" like they're getting a deal, so companies who markup artificially then advertise "discounts" make out well, while honest shops with modest everyday prices get passed on. Tragedy.

[@southpark645]

Shooter Q Kohl’s does that. They have “deals” on shirts and show the original pricing and the price you’re getting the shirt or whatever item of clothing you’re buying. This way, if I buy my $20 shirt that shows it was $28 before, I feel like I’m getting a good deal, but the reality is Kohl’s always is selling those shirts or other items of clothing for that price.

[@pauldoarssr]

As a current JCPenney associate, I can say that people just aren’t coming in as much as they might have in the past. I’ve had 8 hour shifts where I wouldn’t see people coming in (whether it was to shop, browse, or pick up an online order). There’s also always a constant staffing issue where we just don’t have the people when we need it but will have 5 people in a department on a Wednesday afternoon in a winter storm. I tried calling in sick because of laryngitis once and was on hold for an hour before I decided to get in the car and drive there myself (while still on the phone) to let them know I couldn’t make it in later that week. Building off the fact that they’re constantly understaffed at the worst times, it gets to a point where sometimes there’s only 1 person working an entire department, so they’re stuck at a cash register and unable to leave to help any customers who require help. There’s also the ridiculous fact that they cut hours if you can’t get a specific ratio of credit card applications to transactions. I’m already working part time, so it becomes pointless for me to show up and work 3.5 hours a week when I’m completely free for 6 days of the week since that won’t even cover gas. Their management is also questionable. Literally last year, I had asked for 4 weeks off cause I was travelling overseas back to Asia and I had requested it in person 8 months in advanced and had it approved later that week. Fast forward to me coming back from my family trip and I have a letter saying that I was fired for not showing up to work for 30 days. Honestly if you aren’t allowed to have employees gone for 4 weeks, don’t tell them they can have 4 weeks off then (also if you’re going to send an employee a letter saying their employment is terminated, check the spelling of their name first)

[@CesarReyes-jv6kz]

Anyone here after hearing about them filing for bankruptcy?

[@robertpayne2717]

I always preferred the quality of Penny's over SEARS.

[@scottr3484]

Both suck

[@usagi18]

I still have some Arizona shirts going strong since the late 90s

[@jojo_danielle]

The JCPenney in my area has always been crowded especially during the holidays. Still is.

[@PeruvianPotato]

Do you live in the Jersey City area because there's a Sears and JcPenney still there with tons of people in the Newport Center

[@butterboiii9810]

jordan x Same with both of my local JCPenney stores in Maine and New Hampshire

[@mavinajfan]

I used to work at JCP. I started working there before the store was overhauled and I stayed when we switched back. I miss some of the brands that were brought in by Ron Johnson like Joe Fresh, LuLu Guinness, and Cosabella. We all thought the store would close up shop after the CEO switch because people didn’t understand the new pricing, even though they just priced the shirt at the cost it would be after coupons, but it wasn’t explained well the the consumer. The stickers that were used for pricing were really easy to peel off and restick to other items. Moms were really mad the store got rid of the St. John’s bay brand. It was popular with the target demographic of middle aged suburban moms. I also remember a boycott of the store from a Christian moms group because the company hired Ellen degeneres. The changes were put back right after Ron Johnson was fired. Btw the logo was supposed to look like and American flag blue in the corner red on the outside.

[@misfitbrit1989]

I work in the call center and holy smokes Johnson screwed up with the pricing stuff. The "fair and square" thing didn't make customers feel valued. As crazy as it sounds, people get excited over coupons lol. I get excited about coupons for the freaking grocery store and am definitely boring enough to tell people how excited that I have a coupon for $1 off my hummus 😂 if my grocery store or my favorite restaurant stopped coupons and sales and said that everything was "fair and square" pricing for everyone, I'm not going to feel special 🤷‍♀️. It sounds petty and it's tough to explain but it's a thing with a lot of people. Any CEO should know the psychology behind sales and coupons being a driving force to bring business in. Ron about sunk the ship but I miss the brand the Rascal Flatts had...I wanna say it was American Living.

[@mavinajfan]

@@misfitbrit1989 American Living was endorsed by Rascal Flatts but it was made by Ralph Lauren. Crazy how I still remember that from 4 years ago, I even remember the training videos on it. I remember that was another super popular brand they axed. A lot of the new brands were popular and made younger customers come into the store I worked at, at least. I wish they kept them all. I think Levis is the only new brand they kept.

[@misfitbrit1989]

@@mavinajfan I was sad when they got rid of that. They did bring back St. John's Bay by popular demand. Still have Arizona. I forget if Worthington is an exclusive but they still have that. Since Johnson couldn't appeal to Millenials (neither could Ellison really), I have a lot of faith in Jill to turn that around, notably with her background.

[@balletdancernj6894]

St. John’s Bay clothing ❤️

[@exiron0202]

I liked the Ron Johnson jcp. I could go in and buy one or two brand items to splurge and then get a bunch of basic t-shirts and jeans from the Arizona department. And I hate the whole fake pricing at malls, so the no-coupon concept was awesome. But I was about 20 then, and maybe went to the mall twice a year, so I very much understand why I wasn't a lucrative demographic for them to pursue, compared to the suburban moms that can hit up jcp every week.

[@VaxtorT]

When I was growing up in Northern Maine JC Penney was an Upper Class Store. We only shopped there on the rare occasion.

[@cathyb7560]

Ron Johnson’s idea to do away with coupons and sales was the downfall of Penney’s.

[@AndrewAMartin]

Combining that with an untested re-merchandising of the stores at the same time was incredibly stupid.

[@Cakebattered]

The company decline happened way before Johnson took over. The market leaders don't depend on sales or coupons today. All the retailers like Gap, Gymboree, Payless, Banana Republic, etc, who focus on discounts to drive sales are either gone or struggling. H&M, Zara, Forever21, etc all use a price structure similar to "Fair & Square".

[@beewald3107]

Oooh I've been waiting for this one! Love your videos Mike. You're one of the few KZbinrs I know of that makes an entertaining video with EVERY upload.

[@companyman114]

Appreciate it Benjamin. Hope you liked the video.

[@emrazum]

Sounds like Ron Johnson killed any chance at recovery they might've had

[@renardgrise]

Apple is a cancer... Steve Jobs was a Napoleon of marketing... and just like military men unsuccessfully trying to emulate Napoleon got millions killed needlessly over the years, people trying to emulate Steve Jobs kills companies.

[@Cakebattered]

Johnson modernized the store, so the coupon cutters stopped shopping,before the younger customers started shopping. The board panicked and they went back to standard mode of operations. Ever since, the stock has dropped to a greater degree than when Johnson was at the helm, and now they don't have young customers, and their current Baby Boomer customer base continues to die off (Literally).

[@macxgeek]

The store needs to be modernized for the younger customer, Ron's ideas were good, older customers were not ready for them

[@Titanic19127]

El'Dar R. Sounds like the cancer we call Eddie Lampart

[@trueblueclue]

Ron fixed what wasn't broke. When Ulmann left the store was in recovery. Ron destroyed the recovery. That and he didn't refine his ideas to broaden their customer base. He arrogantly went along with it thinking you can aoply a computer store layout to retail clothing. So no Ron was cocky and cancerous.

[@michaelbailey2581]

I stopped shopping at Penney's because they adopted a "no fatties" policy: they used to have one of the only big and tall sections (and the best one). I basically couldn't find clothing anywhere else. Then big and tall disappeared when that new CEO took over. I couldn't shop there anymore, because they wouldn't carry clothes that fit. So my dollars had to go to big and tall specialty stores, which usually aren't even located in malls.

[@JakeLovesSteak]

I went into a JCPenney a couple days ago. I saw maybe 2 or 3 other humans in the whole store. I think I even saw a tumbleweed blow through.

[@KameraShy]

"Tumbling Tumbleweeds" Sons of the Pioneers 1944

[@westybestie]

One change I did like was the round number pricing. None of that $19.99 gimmickry, just $20.

[@cbeaucrawford]

Yes, but in the mind of some consumers $19 sounds like a better value to justify a purchase, the cents are virtually invisible to many shoppers. There is some consumer psychology involved.

[@yell0wberry]

Most retailers sold something at a price plus 99 cents to do the round about sales tax so they can collect the upper (it's a sneaky trick most consumers never really catch)

[@IceHedge]

@@cbeaucrawford that's what they say but when I was a child I thought that pricing was dumb and still think it is. A solid round number sounds better, but I also never impulse buy. If there's a sale on something for $9.99 when it's $20 at JCPenney, I can easily wait.

[@electrictroy2010]

It actually works. I would say 14.99 and the customer would repeat back to me “14”. It was as if their brains could not handle more than two digits .

[@prismstudios001]

electrictroy2010 It’s why many of the prices at Wal-Mart end in 97.....

[@deanc2000]

Well, you don't want Apple prices with Penney being part of your name. Just saying.

[@butterboiii9810]

deanc2000 When I was little I used to think everything sold at JCPenney was a penny😂

[@anthonyroberts7718]

The majority of these large chain stores started going down hill when they were sold to corporations that tried to get their money back quickly by raising prices, cutting employees and high credit rates and the biggest, decline of their customer service.

[@JESSICA04311]

Great overview thank you for taking the time to enlighten me. I started working at JCP last year as a temp and loved it so much I begged to stay. I have been more curious as to the fall of this popular store since I started working there because our store is always busy. I have to admit I hear the question many times a day, "is this store closing??." It breaks my heart to hear the negative comments and replies below of customers. We really try to do everything we can for our customers. It is just as much fun for me to tell my customers how much they can save on their purchases as it is for them. I do hope Jill Soltau can save JCP. I wish others could see the positive in what she is trying to do. It is an uphill climb for sure but support has always been way more motivating than criticism. Thanks again, CM!

[@davidg.3617]

And they just filed for bankruptcy recently. I'm sure on top of everything the pandemic has slowed down foot traffic.

[@JJMHigner]

As long as they hire back some of the other professionals from 2012.

[@veraray4441]

Hope your raises come often and are more than .01¢ like our seasoned busting butt employees got. Good luck cause when they go under they won't care about you anymore. I was employee of the month all the time but still .04¢ raise after4 years no thank you. I'm worth alot more to better company now. If they going under anyway there is no money for raises right but they will want more and more out of you for nothing

[@sydneygillum9869]

I just started working at my jcp and I got that question at least 5 times in the 3 months I've been here. And I've worked at other retail places for almost 4 yrs before starting, and I got told, "since you have so much experience, we'll pay you... 50 cents more than the min wage" I'm much more worth than that

[@jimkon5767]

Need a job?

[@Markimark151]

Finally, a video on JCP! Also my mall has recently demolished the former space into a fitness center, also JCP hadn’t changed much since the 1980s, their stores are outdated.

[@genoamiibo]

god i wish the jcp where i lived looked outdated, i preferred the old look to the shit remodel they did a few years ago

[@Markimark151]

shiny sableye even the stores they remodeled were just putting lipstick on a pig. I saw the former JCP locations that sold Sephora and appliances before their liquidation, it felt like no customer service there.

[@Markimark151]

@Standing While White & Proud No Shame like the Apple store and Gap, that looks modern.

[@Jedi_Knigga]

Matt R What mall was it?

[@ireneduke5022]

They once carried the best sheets I ever bought. Yes.. They were expensive but last many yrs. Now, their sheets are poor quality.

[@josephw2905]

Irene Duke yes!! We have over 300 packs from my horder aunt's house all from the 40's and 50's in their original packaging. 75¢ a pack and they're the best quality you can imagine. Can't find that anymore there.

[@flowerpink33]

Their sheets are terrible, Costco sheets are better

[@josephw2905]

flowerpink33 They are terrible in 2019 but in 1959 they were THE BEST

[@k213389]

my grandfather always got his sheets/bedding from JCPenney. I still have a quilt that was his that's thirty years old and it's soft and in great condition. Well-made, no frayed edges, beautiful quality. My mom was loyal to them for buying sheets and bedding for my whole childhood but in the past ten years she's switched to other stores because the quality is no good.

[@galactic-hamster7043]

There are a couple defunct or failing malls where I live, and one of them heavily relied on JCPenney for it's revenue. A couple years ago I went down to conduct a social experiment for my school science fair project, and it was shockingly empty. Two years later, its condemned, and TOTALLY gone to hell. I just find it incredibly interesting that some malls are thriving now, while other, smaller malls are dead in the water, since a lot of malls rely on either JCPenney, Macy's or Dillards as their Cornerstone stores.

[@johnnycarson67]

Most malls are NOT thriving now. Many have gone under

[@galactic-hamster7043]

@@johnnycarson67 I said some, and fewer than ones that aren't

[@SimplySage854]

I remember when Johnson took over JCP, he put all the big girl clothes upstairs in the corner by the curtains. All the skinny girl clothes were downstairs by the entrances

[@DBDG0499]

It's the same for Men's Big and Tall, it's upstairs in a Corner and all the regular sizes are by the walls downstairs

[@jamiemiller592]

I am a current JCP employee. I can vouch for this. We are one of the most profitable stores in our state, but we are still in decline. One of our biggest sellers is on my shopping, which is killing our store.a lot of people complain about the prices because we have two of them, because there's not many stores left. The layout sucks, and one of our biggest pushes is selling the JCPenneycards. If we don't get enough in a week, we could cut hours and eventually fired. It's not that easy because not a lot of people want them, since there's such little stores left in America. As soon as I quit, I'm never coming back. The store is awful

[@Bunny-ch2ul]

In my mind, the biggest fault with JCPenney is poor design. They try to cater to every age bracket, but it feels like everything is for forty to sixty year olds with lower mid level office jobs. It's not competitive with fast fashion stores, which cater to people into their 30s at this point. The prices are the same, or higher, and the design is incredibly stale. The quality isn't good enough to compare to better stores that middle aged people tend to lean towards. Everything they offer seems like what lower middle class mothers would buy for their families. The clothes for men are for men who've given up. They're classic, but boring, and not great quality. The clothes for kids and teens are mostly the clothes that kids are embarrassed to wear to school. They're trying to be hip, but they're solidly at least two years behind. The clothes for women are comfortable and shapeless. They've tried to give JCPenney a competitive edge by making the company look cooler, without making the product any fresher. My mother is an on again off again JCPenney shopper. She basically likes when they have super clearance racks. I wouldn't be caught dead buying clothes from them, but I've been in occasionally with her over the years. In the mid 2000s, they I distinctly remember them bringing on new designers and freshening up the clothes. They went from sweatshirts with Winnie the Pooh and elastic waist pants to comfortable office wear that looked distinctly like what all the makeover shows like What Not To Wear were pushing at the time. I don't see their style as having evolved much since that time. It's not the cheapest. It's not the coolest. It's not the best quality. It's not the best for customer service. It's not the best for web presence. They had a firm grip on the forty to sixty middle income market, but those people are getting older, and their kids aren't interested in shopping there. Their niche is shrinking. If it were me, instead of trying to become more modern and sleek, I'd go the opposite direction. They could draw on their heritage more. Embrace their working class roots, but with a modern twist kind of thing. James Cash indestructible classic work wear. Heavy flannels. Indestructible denim. Great thermal tops. I'm seeing tweeds. I'm seeing 100% button down shirts, with a slightly rustic hand. More business gear for young professionals who don't have office jobs. A premium house brand would add sparkle to the rest of their inventory. Add more trendy impulse items to increase sales and add a bit more interest to the clothing displays. They need to reach out to Millennial customers, but they need to ask them what they want. They can't just say, "Oh, they like Apple products. Let's do what they do." Do your damn research, and hire some actual young people.

[@bbh7550]

You must be young. A lot of your comments are condescending and elitist. Not all middle age people are frumpy, and don't care about their style or how they look. And If and when you ever have kids it's nice to have an economical place to shop. I find your comments quite offensive about low income mothers that shop there for their kids Trust me you definitely don't have all the answers. Not sure who you think you are but you're definitely not cool.

[@RaymondJiang444]

@@bbh7550 Just because not all middle age people don't care about how they look or that low-income mothers want a cheap place to get clothes doesn't change the fact that typical middle age fashion IS much different from the typical fashion trends of young people today. And that's the demographic that retailers must target and attract more in order to be successful. And is also part of the reason why a place like JCPenney is struggling. Those were the points trying to be made, but you took a semi-joking statement way too seriously and thought they were generalizing ALL middle age people and ALL low-income mothers. And besides - nowadays, you can still find a lot of the clothes you'll see at any JCPenney store online for much cheaper prices.

[@DSan-kl2yc]

@@RaymondJiang444 aren't you over valuing young people. Look man, people's attitudes with fashions is not so cut and dry. Most people are not trying to stay on top of trends so much as it's something that happens organically. And for basics, most people don't care. Seriously what is this young people you're thinking about. 25-35? Differently different than teens. And older people have just as much to spend and with kids, even more. It really is an over inflated sense of importance here. The line taht really gets me is for men who've given up... How insane is that. Given up on what? Life? Fashion. It sounds ridiculous since men's trends are very divided. As well as a third that really just want something with utility.

[@RaymondJiang444]

D. San Once again, just like Debbie, you took that line about men who’ve given up way too seriously. If you just stop focusing on the ‘given up’ part, they literally said that it means that the clothing is too dull and boring. Also, it’s not about what you or I value, but what sells and draws people to shop at these stores. And the reality is, if clothing retailers can’t get the millennial/Gen X crowd to go to their stores, then they won’t succeed. I mean, it’s not that hard to understand - what successful clothing retailer promotes the kind of fashion that older people tend to wear, or what they wore back when they were young? Remember, we’re talking about what keeps a retailer in business, not how they can please all age groups. Nowadays, of course people don’t just go off and actively search for the latest clothing trends, and there is no cut and dry type of fashion. But retailers still have to cater for the most part to a younger age group if they want to do succeed. We also have to factor in the online shopping aspect of this whole thing - people just aren’t going out to buy things as much. And can get them for much cheaper.

[@DSan-kl2yc]

@@RaymondJiang444 and again you miss out what you were told. The idea that middle age women, who actually have jobs, don't try to look good. And women with kids... You are way over valuing the youth market. The time when they have any power would be when they're terms and beg their parents for money. And like I said 5-10 years after they started working before they also are either middle age or have kids. As well as even necessities need to look good. Work clothes ect.

[@deebee8825]

I felt like it was sudden too. I remember it being a pretty decent store to go to, then all of a sudden I no longer had interest in going. I still don't go when I'm at malls, if I'm looking for something specific and other stores don't have it, I always skip over them.

[@2ndGenBen]

JCpenny’s near me still is pretty popular in the mall near me.

[@floresierra]

Ben Sama probably a smaller city huh, same here though .

[@tiffprendergast]

Ben Sama same

[@Fosos]

I really liked the "fair and square" model. I hate department stores because unless I have some random 10% off coupon, or a BOGO deal it's really never worth it. I'm not paying $70 for a pair of "nice" jeans that'll fall apart in 6 months.

[@MostHighEmperorPalpatine]

what jeans did you find for that price that fall apart? all my jeans are Lucky Brand which retails for $85 dollars and they have all lasted over a year and look brand new lol what are you buying?

[@s.n.9485]

I bought a pair of Ecko jeans from there years ago abs there still going strong. Not one tear and are very comfortable with good pocket space.

[@AndrewAMartin]

@Anja Martinez At least they didn't, before... Now, I have no idea of the quality, as I haven't shopped there in over 15 years.

[@JackJax44]

idk where you shop Jeans that "fall apart" I've been shopping Jean's at jcp all of my life, sure I wouldn't pay 60 dollars for jeans. Only time I do is when their on sale, I get then from jcp but never have I had a jean that fell apart

[@gorillafoot1372]

my levis always rip near the knee no matter what and stretching is always an issue. on the other hand my arizona and wrangler jeans are comfy as hell and stretching is a breeze. but yeah ive had jeans from many brands but none have fallen apart even with years with them.

[@rJayisawesome]

I remember the change. I grew up on JCPenny and when things changed in 2012 I haven't been back since. Perhaps I should start going back to see how they're doing.

[@rhrh2025]

Last time I was in JC PENNY, I couldn't get waited on, and there was one cashier on the floor with about 15 people in line. I said, " I'm not doing this" so I took my stuff back, left the store, and have never gone back. That's been about 15 years ago. They installed the Sears model for destroying the company!

[@AlBerto-sm2ob]

I still go to JCP. It's actually the first store I go to when going to the mall. Mainly bc ik a bargain hunter and no one I know goes to JCP. So no one has my outfit ☺️ But idk how it will survive another 20 yrs...

[@Luke-oo8lp]

It's dead ha gadee

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

You mean you're a RAT in the mall.

[@wlhardy]

It’s sad to see the decline of stores such as Sears, Montgomery Ward and Penny’s. When my kids were in school during the 1980s, we’d buy school clothes there because they had layaway. Never thought much of the place but we appreciated the layaway. There was a mall in my hometown that was open only because there was a J.C. Penny’s there. These stores were part of my childhood. Anyone remember Gimbel’s, Kresgee’s, Grant’s, Zayre’s? Hard to believe these stores were very popular at one time.

[@southpark645]

wlhardy Kresgee’s turned into K Mart I think

[@josepherhardt164]

I and the wife enjoyed going to Woolworth's. Whatever else, that was a _comfortable_ store in which to be, and to shop. Had a lunch counter and even a pet area and garden area. After the store closed, one of the managers opened up a garden center half a block away and that place is still going.

[@TheOfficialJKob]

What about mervyn’s

[@mariadmendez7773]

My mom would take us shopping every year before school started at JCPenney and it was loads of fun!

[@aldonfroelick7392]

I went there about a year ago. Everything looked cheap. The floors were destroyed. It never was like that 20 years ago. The place just crashed due to bad decisions. No, no recovery for them.

[@jamillahwatkins2168]

I’m a Gen X’r and grew up with JC Penney. Even now, they have great, reasonably priced clothes-particularly the Worthington and A.N.A. lines. I live in metro Detroit and remember the clear delineation of the Ron Johnson years. Prior to his changes, there were lines of customers at all the cash registers. They really didn’t have enough associates for the volume. The door buster sales they regularly had pulled people in consistently. After him, there are now more associates than customers. I still go from time to time because the clothes are still good. I get lots of compliments and people can’t believe it when I tell them I got things from there. I don’t know how long they will survive though, but I’ve heard that malls are subsidizing them to avoid huge vacancies.

[@medinasod33]

As a mom JCPenny is still one of my favorite places to shop. I will shop there until they close.

[@jazenka99]

Like Montgomery Ward and Mervyns before so will JCPenny - RIP

[@Erzahler]

This is also why shopping malls are becoming less desirable. Certainly the Internet has something to do with it, but greed, outrageous, unrealistic prices and unreasonable changes are the biggest factors. These big-box companies are the anchors for the big malls which, in turn, attract a lot of the smaller chain stores and even some mom-and-pop stores to these malls. Increasingly, I am seeing more shuttered storefronts as anchor stores like JCPenney and Sears go belly-up, and many of the small stores follow suit due to lack of sales. At least the little mom-and-pop stores are still making a go at it. A lot of them are moving to the smaller shopping centers and strip malls where the big anchor is usually a grocery store. Most of them are holding their own. I think the big-box CEO's would do well to take a page out of Mom's and Pop's playbook. These days, whenever I go shopping, I try to stick with the mom-and-pop stores. Your money stays there instead of going into some deep, dark big-box hole into who-knows-where. And when the proprietors thank you for your business, they sincerely mean it!

[@vincelamb4063]

Even Sears is not dead yet. I think it will have to liquidate first before JCP dies.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

@@Erzahler all the mergers and take overs over the last 2 or 3 decades made all the stores and brands owned by a handfull of corperations. And they aren't gonna put 2 of their stores in the same mall, that would mean they would be competing against themselves and would lower profit over all the stores since they have to pay for multiple stores, multiple sets of staff etc. And growing one of their own stores would mean taking away customers from one of their other stores. That is bad business. That is how you end up with dead malls and century old businesses going out of business or merged into a couple of huge chains without any identity. It is a downward circle, more stores disapear so less people feel the need to go to the mall, causing more businesses going belly up or bought cheap by a bigger competitor etc.

[@butterflyeyes399]

I remember Montgomery Ward when I was a kid.

[@JohnDoeRando]

I miss Mervyn's

[@alabamaal225]

Back in January 2017, one of the major shopping malls in Huntsville, AL closed because, well, it became old and fell out of favor with shoppers. (Happening a lot nowadays. The mall building itself has since been demolished.) The two "anchor stores" in the mall was JCPenney and Sears. Both are now gone as a presents in Huntsville. From what I can tell, no one much misses them. Once upon a time, both stores were the "go to" for clothing or appliances. But in the 1990s there was a noticeable decline in the stores, like they were stuck in a time warp from which they couldn't escape.

[@yunoyukki7344]

i miss madison square mall I remember going to it every time we had a field trip at my school. I would always go to FYE and the drone shop beside the elevador. I always get that chinese food that been there way before i was born, and no one forgets that arcade in the food court. kinda wish they did not demolish it because i was busy with college so i couldn't been there to see it for the last time.

[@stephanie7142]

I worked at a jcp during the Ron Johnson transition (and for a few years after). Some the ideas were really cool and honestly could have been successful (in my opinion) had they done any testing. And also not getting rid of their most popular staple brands. They started remodeling the store I was at a month or two after he took over (and never finished). The coupon thing was crazy because as someone who worked there and was constantly comparing prices and planning which weekend I’d buy all the shit I wanted (usually one weekend was a coupon and the next was no coupon but still a sale) the prices were literally within a few cents of each other-prices were a few dollars higher on coupon weekends. The new price for most items was about the same (honestly some were better like Levi’s which were rarely on sale and couldn’t have coupons applied ever). And I’ve always thought it was interesting that someone will pass something up with a $16 price tag but guy a $20 item with a 20% off coupon and ultimately pay the same price. I don’t think they’ll make it. Stores are always trashed now because they don’t have the budget to staff enough employees which will always lead to a further decrease in sales because it’s too hard to shop if everything is messy and unorganized. It’s sad to me because I spent a lot of time there and learned a lot about retail, merchandising, and customer service before Ron Johnson came in. Anyway thanks for reading my novel

[@lethal_sparrow]

From what I've heard, they're working on redoing the layout again at JCPenney. This time, with a new test store. Hopefully it all goes well and JCP will springboard back. (I especially hope this cause I currently work there and would not like the company I work for get shut down)

[@kittycat4ever93]

I work at the flag ship store right now. So much rearranging just to end up changing it in a month and that again the next month.

[@mariadmendez7773]

I hope you get to keep your job. Will be praying for you!

[@lethal_sparrow]

@@mariadmendez7773 well, I left there almost 2 years ago now 😂 Covid kinda ruined that. Definitely glad I got out when I did tho.

[@scatcatmusic]

I work at one in New Mexico. It still had its charm and with employees who care who knows what can happen. 🌿⭐🎁

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

Yes RON JOHNSON did extensive damage to JCP ...his plan was crazy for it to even work would take at least 10-20 years for the new customers to get accustomed to it...you don't change your whole image overnight .

[@mwbgaming28]

yeah, god forbid the store stops using psychological tricks to manipulate and mislead the customers (fake sales, prices ending in 99.etc)

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

@@mwbgaming28 fake sale prices? I have shopped at JC Penney for almost 40years....the .99¢ thing is used by everyone in retail even car dealerships end prices with nines....but before Ron Johnson took over JCP had decent regular prices but very good sales prices especially if you were a smart shopper... example let's say a shirt was regularly $39.99 but every other week it was on sale for $24.99 plus you could use the sales flyer coupon and take a extra 25-40% off and if you had a JCP card could save an extra 10% ....so you could potentially get that $39.99 shirt for $13.50 ...but when RJ took over with the FAIR and SQUARE plan that shirt was always $35 no sales no clearance

[@mwbgaming28]

@@thisshouldbeentertaining3386 even though the items were cheaper with the fair and square pricing structure Not every item was cheaper, but a lot of items were cheaper than they were with the fake sales (it doesn't count as "on sale" if the item is on sale permanently) Prices ending in 99 have always annoyed me ever since I was a kid, it just seems misleading about how much the item really costs (since it appears significantly cheaper even though it's just 1c cheaper, which gets rounded up anyway)

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

@@mwbgaming28 yes JCP may have used some marketing tricks ...but guess what everyone in retail does....and I don't call a 10% difference in regular prices a sale for like you and I have stated JCP before RJ had those items almost always on sale for way way cheaper than the FAIR and SQUARE plan ...most people care about getting items for the lowest price possible... one main reason why Amazon got so big .

[@thisshouldbeentertaining3386]

Let's say you had 2 car dealerships in your town that sold the same cars ...one had a constant price of $35,000 of a retail $40,000 vehicle and other dealership had the $40,000 base price but every other week had that car marked down to $26,899 I think most of us would shop smart and wait till it was on sale at that dealership .

[@georgeslecarboulec2325]

We used to travel (my parents and their 4 children) from Tampico Tamaulipas Mexico to Brownsville or McAllen Texas (since 1970`s until the end of the 80`s) every 4 months or so, at least two times a year, to shop from clothes to even domestic appliances and our entrance to the Mall was by JC Penney and therefore the vast majority of our shopping. It was better than go to Disney (which we never went because we belonged to Mexico`s low middle class) and it was well spend time, money and quality.

[@laptopgirl4240]

nothing screams 'early 2000s' to me like that logo and those ads (which is NOT a good thing since it started in 2012)

[@jeaniechowdury576]

This is so sad. this store has been such an important part of our history. Wish this could be turned around.

[@DrGandW]

I feel bad for Fair and Square pricing. If everyone dod it we’d have an easier world haha

[@analyticalhabitrails9857]

Well if you really, really care about jcpenny they could use your money for their improvement? Donations, you know?? lol

[@scottdavidson526]

Right. It's kind of like Sears.

[@globalcoverage5787]

My local JCP is usually crowded. Out of all the states they closed, mine closed none. Now they’re backed by billion-dollar mall operators and led by former Levi’s chairman. Let’s hope it goes well

[@Dizzycherry]

The last straw for me with JCPenney was when I ordered curtains online, to be picked up in store, according to the shipping history they made it to the store, and then miraculously disappeared; I was then told I would still have to go in to the actual store to perform a refund, even though I did everything online and paid through PayPal. I bit the bullet and bought more expensive curtains from Bed, Bath & Beyond, had them shipped to the store; It took less than a week between ordering and pickup, and they actually apologized for even waiting that long (it would have definitely taken more than a week if I’d had them sent to my house, so I consider that pretty fast). The customer service was excellent and the cashier made sure to maximize my coupons/discounts. These other stores aren’t suffering as badly because they’ve done a far better job integrating into online shopping and ordering. I’ve also had great experiences with Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

[@michaelbell3952]

PayPal is a third party, that's why you'd need to go to the store, if you used anything else, they could do it over the phone.

[@mckenziespecht1213]

I have worked for jcp for 6 years and can say the online customer service SUCKS. We as associates hear testimonies from customers all the time about .com customer services telling them they need to travel to the store for a refund. Its complete BS. Jcp.com is a separate entity than the store itself, and we have even tried bringing this information to district managers. Its infuriating to hear my customers tell me they traveled 2 hours to just get a $10 refund or whatever.

[@markpainter6988]

They've now closed exactly 40% of the stores they had in 2009. Many of the remaining stores in my area are thriving though. Right now it doesn't appear that JCPenney is going out like Sears. I think the new, smaller organization could be finding a way to succeed.

[@princesssmileyface91]

I live in FL, and there are two that I know of, and they are always busy, one I’m St Augustine FL and the other Altamonte Springs FL, I love both stores, I have JC Penney card, and I’m always getting coupons.

[@karentucker2161]

​@Princess Smiley Face there's a few in Jacksonville and one at the orange park mall which is closer to me.

[@Rachel-ze8ne]

@@princesssmileyface91 the altamonte one is always full!! even the one in sanford is packed, and that mall is dead.

[@titans1127]

I worked for JCP from 2008-2012. Ron Johnson taking over really killed things. Thankfully I got out a few months after he got rid of coupons and sales.