As retailers JCPenney and Macy’s go back and forth in the bitter battle for the right to sell Martha Stewart branded products, the legend herself popped into court yesterday to defend her company’s decision to sign a deal with one when she’d already pledged her allegiance to another. [More]
Martha Stewart Testifies In JCPenney Vs. Macy’s Dispute: The More Deals The Merrier, Right?
By March 6, 2013
Judge Warns JCPenney On Martha Stewart Products: Blame Yourself For Empty Shelves
By March 4, 2013
A judge is warning JCPenney that if it ends up with empty shelves bereft of Martha Stewart-branded products, it’ll only have itself to blame. The company is in the midst of a tiff with Macy’s over which retailer is allowed to sell her homewares. Macy’s is claiming exclusive rights, but JCPenney recently went ahead and ordered products from her company anyway. [More]
JCPenney Pinning Its Hopes On The Guy Responsible For Marketing New Coke
By February 28, 2013
JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson had a lot of explaining to do today during the company’s Q4 earnings call. The retailer has been circling the drain since the former Apple head honcho took over, losing billions in sales and admitting its turnaround tactics were not so smart. Which is why Johnson said he’s bringing on the guy behind New Coke to help the company rebound. Heck, why not? [More]
That Didn’t Last Long: JCPenney Brings Back Sales
By January 28, 2013
Almost exactly a year after saying “NOOOOOO!” to sales and switching to an everyday low price model (and about six months after deciding maybe this was a stupid idea), JCPenney has officially changed its mind and will be bringing back all the sales it had assumed customers didn’t want. [More]
JCPenney Loses My Mattress, Suggests I Rent A Truck To Go Pick It Up
By January 21, 2013
Consumerist reader and former JCPenney employee Ron says he’d had some residual loyalty for the department store. That was before JCP not only lost his new mattress then suggested he rent a truck to pick it up. He might have even done it, if anyone could tell him where the mattress was. [More]
Amazon Retains Its Crown Among Online Retailers In This Year’s Holiday Consumer Satisfaction Survey
By December 27, 2012
Online retailers are sitting pretty these days due to the convenience they offer during busy times like the holidays, but according to this year’s survey of consumer satisfaction, some businesses made out better than others. Amazon is the reigning champ of customer satisfaction, and it held onto that title again this year, beating out upstarts like Gilt.com and RueLaLa.com. [More]
JCPenney Problems Highlight What Happens When A Brand Becomes Just Another Name
By November 13, 2012
JCPenney has lost a ton of money since the beginning of the year, when it announced a drastic “no sales” policy and attempted to rebrand itself as “jcp.” But can you really “re-brand” a store that hasn’t had an identity since my mom dragged me there to buy back-to-school clothes in fifth grade? [More]
Apparently People Don’t Like The New JCPenney
By November 9, 2012
Not even a year ago, JCPenney began its bold new venture into everyday low pricing instead of sales and coupons and the like. By June, JCP had become less hard-line about the “no sales” thing and fired the relatively new company president. And yet things have continued to slide, with sales down 27% in the last quarter. [More]
JCPenney CEO Offers Loyal Customers $10 Coupon After He Got Rid Of Coupons
By October 11, 2012
We’re confused by you, JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson. First you say “No more sales at JCPenney!” and try to offer low prices all the time. That didn’t work so well, and so then you say “No more coupons!” and follow that one up by sending customers a coupon. Pick a plan, Ron. Pick a plan. [More]
JCPenney Will Do Anything To Get Shoppers In Its Doors, Including Offer Free Kids' Haircuts
By September 10, 2012
JCPenney is not going down without a fight, and now it’s arming itself with scissors. Not to stab at anyone but rather to snip kids’ coifs for free starting in November. The new promotion announced today offers customers free cuts for kindergarteners through sixth grade every Sunday. [More]
What's To Come Of All The Space Left Over By Shrinking Big Box Stores?
By August 10, 2012
In recent years, a number of big box retailers and department store chains have begun the process of closing stores and cutting the size of some existing outlets. But since there isn’t exactly a huge rush by other retailers to snap up those spaces, are we going to inundated with empty ghost stores that stand as a reminder of the big box boom? [More]
This E-Mail Basically Sums Up Why JCPenney May Be On Borrowed Time
By August 7, 2012
Like the dorky kid in a high school sitcom who tries to change his image by showing up one day in leather pants and frosted hair, JCPenney has spent the last year desperately trying to make over its image as a place people used to get dragged to by their mom every August. But all the across-the-board price cuts, logo redesigns and iPad-toting cashiers in the world can’t cover up sheer incompetence. [More]
Since Doing Away With Sales Didn’t Work, JCPenney Is Just Getting Rid Of Check-Out Clerks
By July 20, 2012
If it works for grocery stores, why not try it at a department store? JCPenney is doing away with human checkout clerks and turning to self-service stands instead. You never know, perhaps the lure of a new experience will bring in customers to the struggling retail chain, since doing away with sales didn’t quite pan out. [More]
JCPenney Ditches President After Only 8 Months
By June 18, 2012
Last Fall, JCPenney’s new CEO, former Apple retail guru Ron Johnson, hired another retail biggie with a charmed resume, Target vet Michael Francis, as president. Francis was charged with the goal of righting the ship and steering JCP back on course. Continuing this nautical theme, Francis has now been put out on a dinghy and cut loose to drift in the sea of unemployment. [More]
JCPenney Giving Up On The Whole “No More Sales” Thing
By June 5, 2012
Remember in January when JCPenney had that revolutionary idea — touted in a series of not at all grating ads — of getting rid of “sales,” and just lowering everyday prices by around 40%? Apparently, the shoppers of the world didn’t get the message and JCP is bringing back the “S word.” [More]
JCPenney Sparks Protest From One Million Moms By Showing Two Gay Dads In Father's Day Catalog
By June 1, 2012
Far from backing away from the kind of same-sex imagery groups like One Million Moms have protested against in the past, JCPenney is embracing gay couples once again with a new ad featuring two dads and their kids for Father’s Day. [More]
One Million Moms Doesn't Like JCPenney Showing Happy, Married Lesbian Couple In Catalog
By May 2, 2012
One Million Moms is back on JCPenney’s case again, after the company failed to fire openly gay spokeswoman Ellen DeGeneres. The problem for OMM this time? A happy couple in the May catalog made up of two women. Shock, gasp, etc. [More]
JCPenney Hit With $40 Million Lawsuit Claiming They Stole Light-Up Logos
By April 26, 2012
While it seemed the little rebranding engine that could, JCPenney, was chugging along at an admirable pace, a lawsuit against the retail chain could make a bit of a kink in the tracks. A lighting design and branding firm is suing JCPenney for $40 million over their new logo. [More]
