<p>Apparently JCP undergoing some changes 2/1/12. Don’t shop there too often, but what are your guesses ? Commercials indicate the end of needing coupons…</p>
<p>I saw something on the news this morning about changes in their stores. Cutting prices (like up to 40%), using “even dollar” pricing, end of coupons…whenever I see that I start to think “desperate”. I wonder what’s up?</p>
<p>[Business</a> & Technology | J.C. Penney’s new sales strategy: at least 40% off all items | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017335336_penneypricing26.html?prmid=4939]Business”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017335336_penneypricing26.html?prmid=4939)</p>
<p>Their new CEO is a former Apple executive who is shaking things up. Reviews of his ideas so far are mixed.</p>
<p>I’d be happy to see fewer sale flyers in my mailbox! We know these neverending “sales” are a gimmick, so why kill more trees? Now, if Macy’s joined the club… I swear I get 4-5 of their sale brochures in the mail every week! The only real sales at Macy’s are their F&F 25% off sale and 50% off reduced items sale.</p>
<p>When Mays took over G Fox, Hechts, etc., they said the same thing … no more sales, no more coupons.</p>
<p>Guess what?</p>
<p>About a year later there’s a full-page ad every day in the newspaper with sales and coupons.</p>
<p>Maine- how are they mixed? I haven’t seen any negative reviews other than some people might not go if there’s no “sale” advertised. Could you point me somewhere?</p>
<p>I’m excited about this. I hate shopping in general and it’s even more annoying when I constantly get bombarded with ads. I do like JCPenney’s stuff though and my mom and I shop there when things are on sale. The prospect that we won’t have to wait for a specific (or hope that we go to the “right” sale) is exciting. I hope the model works and other retailers will follow suit.</p>
<p>Now if only we could get Art Van to stop having sales (large local furniture chain that literally has 10-20 sales going on at any one time… I’ve been able to say their commercials word for word for as long as I can remember).</p>
<p>The stock price was up over 17% today. I went short. Hope I am right.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what happens. It can be psychologically satisfying to think one is getting a ‘deal’ when things are on sale or you have a coupon. On the other hand, stores that run sales non-stop or hand out coupons like crazy are also annoying. It’s sort of nice to know at a store that rarely runs sales that if you want something the price you see today is probably going to be the price you will see tomorrow.</p>
<p>I had an interesting experience while Christmas shopping. I was at Dillard’s (they rarely run sales) and bought a coat for $90. Three days later walked into SteinMart and found the same exact coat (same brand) for $60. Of course, the $90 coat immediately went back to Dillard’s. I’m not sure how SteinMart does it but I routinely find things there much cheaper than the exact same items at the department stores. If Penneys is going to truly keep their prices down, then they will probably do well.</p>
<p>I actually think the JCP strategy is kind of similar to Macy’s “Everday Value” pricing strategy that Macy’s has on selected items, except everything at Penney’s will now be permanently marked at least 40% off or more. I would not normally shop JCP. Now I’m going to go check them out. No “compare at” prices, just one clean even-dollar amounts. Hopefully, this will drive more traffic into their stores and ultimately increase their sales and profits.</p>
<p>The days of marking items up 80% and then having a 40% off sale wasn’t fooling anyone!</p>
<p>The ads have certainly gotten everyone’s attention, that’s for sure!</p>
<p>I’m inclined to check it out. I could already tell that they had marked things up so much to make their sales seem like you were getting a good deal. </p>
<p>Now if they can just update their offerings as well. At least where I am, it is hard to find anything I like.</p>
<p>I was a sucker for the coupons, the sales, the rewards certificates, etc.</p>
<p>Granted, I would never have bought anything at JCP at full price. The prices on the tags were preposterous. My daughter wears their jeans. I pay anywhere from $12-20/pair, depending on what coupon/sale scenario I luck into. The price on the tag is something like $39.99.</p>
<p>I’m a little concerned I’m going to wind up paying MORE at JCP under the new strategy. And I will be less inclined to think, “Why not get this shirt in three colors, since it’s marked down and I have a coupon?”</p>
<p>^^^Yup. I like the thrill of the hunt!</p>
<p>I too will have to see a change in the type of merchandise to be more attracted to the store.</p>
<p>I wonder if kohls has bit a chunk of the JCP customer and profit. </p>
<p>And I too like the hunt - especially for clothes.</p>
<p>Article in our paper today…Penneys is going to do away with sales…prices will be all lower (they say) with things like $20 instead of $19.99. They say they want to make it simpler and clearer to shop there. There will be monthly “specials” but not the every week sales that they have had in the past. </p>
<p>I’m willing to check it out…I don’t shop there often anymore, but did a LOT when my kids were little.</p>
<p>Sounds weird, but to me the even $ amounts makes its feel like the dollar storesm- which I don’t see as a positive for JCP.</p>
<p>I almost never shop at Penney’s but this new transparent pricing strategy will get me into the store. Whenever I shop at Macy’s I feel like a sucker who missed the best price because I came a day too late or a day too early or missed the door-buster special or brought the wrong savings pass. I hate those savings passes that always seem to exclude whatever I’m purchasing (in tiny type). </p>
<p>I read that Penneys will also have month-long specials marked with a different colored tag; and clearance stuff at its lowest price will have yet a different colored tag so you can tell whether an item is an everyday price; a monthly special; or clearance. Penney’s new full-dollar pricing is like Nordstrom, so it doesn’t seem cheap to me.</p>
<p>I’m genuinely excited about this announcement from Penney’s.</p>
<p>That’s why I like shopping at Trader Joe’s and (now) hate shopping at Costco. TJ’s has everyday low prices… never feel like you missed their sale. Costco used to be that way. Now at Costco, you have to wait for the coupon books to arrive and then not try to redeem them too early (which I’ve done, who hasn’t?) or too late! When I buy most anything at Costco now without a coupon (except for most clothing items which don’t usually have coupons), I feel like I’m overpaying.</p>
<p>I’m not a fan of Costco discount games, either, but at least at Costco I’m overpaying by just a buck or two for items that are still significantly cheaper than elsewhere, and most coupon items are usually some crap I would never buy. Occasionally, they would throw in a coupon or two I do find useful: cat litter, cat food, TP. I really hate Macy’s new coupon game. It used to be that Macy’s card holders would get the discount automatically if they were charging to their card; this is no longer the case. You have to remember to bring in the stupid little pieces of paper! 20% off a $300 bedding purchase is nothing to sneeze at. When the SA refused to give me the discount, I walked away without buying anything. There was probably nothing she could have done, but I was not going to give up my 15 bucks.</p>
<p>We stopped at an outlet mall in December and I definitely felt that the sticker prices were higher and the discounts steeper than when we were there previously. Many stores were touting prices 50% off PLUS another 30% off. Fortunately they had tables to show you sticker price vs actual price.</p>