Merrill Cook
Though side-by-side in many of America’s malls, JC Penney didn’t make the same mistakes as Sears, and has maintained one of the largest catalog retail business in the US. But gone are the heydays of JC Penneys as the place to go for clothes for work, church, or children for America’s middle class. An obvious trouble is one faced by most brick-and-mortar retailers in the US: the massive costs of storefront upkeep, administration, and presentation of their goods. The deeper problem for JC Penney is their identity crisis. People like to buy into a brand, and JC Penney has lost theirs. Two pivots have occurred in recent years, one targeting a more upscale audience through their offering of a wider selection of brands, and another pushing the image of being a discount store for America’s Middle Class. The gap between what you can pay at a clearance rack and at full price in JC Penney is wider than almost any other retailer. A second problem comes from a recent redesign of floor layouts, limiting the number of goods that can be on the floor at once. As well as common scenes of neglect, disorganization, and an unfriendly consumer experience (check out the last link for images). While JC Penney at least still has a vigorous online and catalog business, their in-store business looks to be going the way of most American mall brands.
