Specialty retailers and online shopping have marked the death of department stores. Or has it? Anna Werner talks with JC Penney's CEO Ron Johnson about his reinvention of the department store.
He's right about making it a place people want to be. Unfortunately, if the clothing still looks like it's from the eighties, as does much of the store, so it isn't a place I want to be. It would need a major stylistic overhaul of the clothing and the store itself which would cost big bucks. Since JCP is struggling, it is doubtful that that is achievable on a limited budget. I spent much time there as a teen in the 80's, b/c my mother had a store c/c. I think of it as my mothers' store. To suit gen-xer's and millennial's, they should be emphasizing JCPenney's past. Gen-X and Y like the authenticity of something that's been around for a long time. Stood the test of history. Think "Mumford and Sons". Modern rustic design should be brought in, combining the past with the present (think early 20th Century salon with modern lighting.) There should be a starbucks and a cafe if you want people to hang out and spend time. Lots of comfortable seating. Seating also would make people want to spend time and chat or relax. Video screens should show people modeling the clothes in different settings. Would catch people's eye. Instead of people going through aisles, perhaps each area could be walled off with glass and each area would be made comfortable and private to spend time. Then it would look like a mini mall. These are just some ideas. All I know is I find Target and Old Navy fun to shop in, and JCPenney's or Sear's are walk through zone's to get to the main mall. They are dated and not fun. They are quiet and need good music. JCP needs to make shopping there fresh and fun. It also needs to sell clothes that are made with quality fabrics, artistic/unique flair to reshape the image so people feel that it sells quality merchandise. Cheaper doesn't mean cheap and dated looking. Wow. I meant to just say a few things and instead I wrote an essay. I guess I grew up going to malls and I want to see them succeed.
I hope JCP is viewing...He may have the confidence but I have the money. I want a store that takes care of my needs. When I walk into a Nordstrom, they take care of me, if I walk into a JCP, if one is close enough to me, I don't want bells and whistles, I want service. Coupons have an affect on the consumer, he is missing the point. JCP is not Apple.
Exactly. JCP has built its brand on being the 'discount' of department stores for a long time with offering constant coupons and regular large sales. Nixing the sales completely, especially without reiterating tenfold that the cut prices are permanent now, is alienating their current market to serve...who exactly? People who have money to burn nowadays want not just a big place to shop, but the customer service that you can't get over the internet.
Most dept stores won't survive, Look at the mass closure of malls. We had a boom in this country in small shopping malls and dept stores in the mid 70's to around the late 80's when things died WAAAAAY down. A lot of us remember a mall or store that was around when we were kids, i now have a shitty Walmart in place of an amazing mall i used to love. Who likes going into a walmart? Nobody.
I like what JC Penney's is doing. It's willing to shift to please & attract customers. Compare to Sears/KMart, which keeps doing things the same old way & expecting different results.
Just as the Titanic's designer and cheif engineer called the ocean liner "unsinkable", tempting fate and all its treachery, so too, JCP has become overly confident in its own sense of invincibility.
The Boards never learn and become greedy and take on new debt by expanding instead of putting their focus on top producing stores and closing those they can't turn around. IMO it is about excellent customer service and making the customer feel valued. The Macy's in my town remains open and I continue to be surprised it does so every time a closings list is released. Macy's rates their stores 1-5. Herald Square is a 5. My Macy's was a 3 when it opened. It is now a 1. When I visit it I feel as if I'm shopping a Macy's outlet store.
Not sure how old does documentary is they do do the concept of fair and square prices they use coupons now and it works better than the fair and square people like using coupons that is what is ruining Macy's
Macy's became too big through mergers and acquisitions, took away regional stores, and competition, now they are competing against themselves.
xanadu247 they bought a bunch of stores like Marshall Fields. Now we have no Marshall Fields because most of the stores became Macy's
He's right about making it a place people want to be. Unfortunately, if the clothing still looks like it's from the eighties, as does much of the store, so it isn't a place I want to be. It would need a major stylistic overhaul of the clothing and the store itself which would cost big bucks. Since JCP is struggling, it is doubtful that that is achievable on a limited budget. I spent much time there as a teen in the 80's, b/c my mother had a store c/c. I think of it as my mothers' store. To suit gen-xer's and millennial's, they should be emphasizing JCPenney's past. Gen-X and Y like the authenticity of something that's been around for a long time. Stood the test of history. Think "Mumford and Sons". Modern rustic design should be brought in, combining the past with the present (think early 20th Century salon with modern lighting.) There should be a starbucks and a cafe if you want people to hang out and spend time. Lots of comfortable seating. Seating also would make people want to spend time and chat or relax. Video screens should show people modeling the clothes in different settings. Would catch people's eye. Instead of people going through aisles, perhaps each area could be walled off with glass and each area would be made comfortable and private to spend time. Then it would look like a mini mall. These are just some ideas. All I know is I find Target and Old Navy fun to shop in, and JCPenney's or Sear's are walk through zone's to get to the main mall. They are dated and not fun. They are quiet and need good music. JCP needs to make shopping there fresh and fun. It also needs to sell clothes that are made with quality fabrics, artistic/unique flair to reshape the image so people feel that it sells quality merchandise. Cheaper doesn't mean cheap and dated looking. Wow. I meant to just say a few things and instead I wrote an essay. I guess I grew up going to malls and I want to see them succeed.
Speaking of insane really Google and TH-cam CoronaVirrus these malls and department stores really are going to the grave in this time.
I hope JCP is viewing...He may have the confidence but I have the money. I want a store that takes care of my needs. When I walk into a Nordstrom, they take care of me, if I walk into a JCP, if one is close enough to me, I don't want bells and whistles, I want service. Coupons have an affect on the consumer, he is missing the point. JCP is not Apple.
Bag Obeans , fb
Exactly. JCP has built its brand on being the 'discount' of department stores for a long time with offering constant coupons and regular large sales. Nixing the sales completely, especially without reiterating tenfold that the cut prices are permanent now, is alienating their current market to serve...who exactly? People who have money to burn nowadays want not just a big place to shop, but the customer service that you can't get over the internet.
Most dept stores won't survive, Look at the mass closure of malls. We had a boom in this country in small shopping malls and dept stores in the mid 70's to around the late 80's when things died WAAAAAY down. A lot of us remember a mall or store that was around when we were kids, i now have a shitty Walmart in place of an amazing mall i used to love. Who likes going into a walmart? Nobody.
Now that concept really is going to the grave thanks to this CoronaVirus around. Anyway Google and TH-cam it.
FYI, the stock is now $1.01/share. It's high was over $80 back in 2007.
I like what JC Penney's is doing. It's willing to shift to please & attract customers. Compare to Sears/KMart, which keeps doing things the same old way & expecting different results.
Just as the Titanic's designer and cheif engineer called the ocean liner "unsinkable", tempting fate and all its treachery, so too, JCP has become overly confident in its own sense of invincibility.
Now it's getting more insane considering CoronaVirus wrecking havoc over everything.
The Boards never learn and become greedy and take on new debt by expanding instead of putting their focus on top producing stores and closing those they can't turn around. IMO it is about excellent customer service and making the customer feel valued. The Macy's in my town remains open and I continue to be surprised it does so every time a closings list is released.
Macy's rates their stores 1-5. Herald Square is a 5. My Macy's was a 3 when it opened. It is now a 1. When I visit it I feel as if I'm shopping a Macy's outlet store.
Not sure how old does documentary is they do do the concept of fair and square prices they use coupons now and it works better than the fair and square people like using coupons that is what is ruining Macy's
A department store historian? That job doesn't sound taxpayer funded at all.