J.C. Penny's "fair & square" pricing...the results are in

[cjnix29]

this is all amusing to me. I hadn't been into JCP since they changed their pricing. Been going to Kohl's because of sales/coupons, etc. But I would never be able to find anything at Kohl's. Their pricing is the most ridiculous of any store ever. It's a scam to make you think you are getting a good deal. I have to buy several new swimsuits for the summer, and their selection is horrible. Have had over $100 in gift cards I have been trying to spend for the past three months, but never find anything I like. Went to JCP, found four suits , at reasonable prices. I should have taken more time to walk around the store, but I had many other places to go that day. I would rather have an honest price, then a scam to get me into the store. I'll go back to JCP.

 

[ktlm]

I'm surprised some of you are still finding things at good prices. With the new pricing most things I have looked at there has been ridiculously high. There is a certain brand I always buy for my mom and when I looked the prices were higher than I had ever paid for it before. They wanted $47 for a shirt and I walked down the mall and bought the exact same shirt at Macy's for $27. I can see maybe a $5 difference, but $20 all of the prices on that brand were significantly higher at jcp than anywhere else.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

I am just going to take a guess and say that brand you bought your mom is Alfred Dunner.......thats what i always buy for my aunt when there is a clearance....but those are far and few at JCP now adays..........

 

[CathrynRose]

I am amazed at the people who won't shop unless there is they see the word "Sale". Really, all that means is....."We've overpriced our items and now are going to fool you into thinking you are getting a deal."

Sorry, but when I can walk out of JCPenney with 5 Bali bras for $88.00, or I can pick up a pair of Liz Claiborne pajamas for $22, they are doing something right in my book!

I agree a zillion-million percent.

Penneys is not that type of store. You go to Penneys for a specific need or a good deal. We don't need things often so the customers have to be attracted. Coupons draw people in.

.

But there's a good deal every single day, now.



I honestly don't get not liking it. I LOVE walking in, and getting what I need for a decent price and not having to get two, or waiting until Saturday, or bringing a coupon, or shopping before 9am.

 

[Kteacher]

Another supervisor quit. No one who works in our store knows what their schedule is past this coming Saturday.
I've worked in retail for 35 years, and have never seen anything like this

 

[alice99]

I get that you might prefer JCP's strategy if you aren't a sale shopper, but if you are, it just doesn't make sense to shop at JCP anymore. Yes, the Kohl's price was higher on those shorts, but I never shop at Kohl's without at least a 20% off coupon which would have made Kohl's a better deal for me.

I just think the whole idea is misguided - at this price point in this economy, more shoppers are going to be looking for deals in the form of coupons and sales. For the most part, the "not a sale shopper" crowd isn't choosing JCP in the first place.

This is description of me, absolutely. I prefer Kohl's, and never go in without a coupon.
In addition I find the clothing to be of poor quality and bad style in JC Penney..... the shoe department used to be really great, selling name brands including DocMartens, now it's just cheap junk, for women anyway.

I've only done a walkthrough twice since they started the new pricing..... but, with so many mixed opinions here, I am going to take a closer look on my next trip to the mall.

 

[nunzia]

Another supervisor quit. No one who works in our store knows what their schedule is past this coming Saturday.
I've worked in retail for 35 years, and have never seen anything like this

It almost sounds like your store is closing I'm sorry.. Corporate does what it can to stay in business in the short term without thinking long term and then it catches up to them..I've seen it time and time again.

 

[Kteacher]

It almost sounds like your store is closing I'm sorry.. Corporate does what it can to stay in business in the short term without thinking long term and then it catches up to them..I've seen it time and time again.

No one will tell us anything. I worked until closing yesterday and asked the supervisor that was working if she knew who was working next Sunday and she replied "no one knows who is working next Sunday".

 

[Angie789]

But there's a good deal every single day, now.

Wrong. Just yesterday, I realized that I needed to get some lightweight pajamas for my 1 year old - she is growing fast! With Memorial Day parties and a busy week coming up, I decided to look online & see if I could get a good deal shipped to my house so I didn't have to get out & shop. For the exact same Carter's pajamas, Penney's "everyday low price" was $12, but Kohl's had them on sale for $10.99. PLUS, they had codes for an additional 15% off - making them $9.35. PLUS, they had a code for free shipping to my house - JCP would have charged me an additional $6 for that, or else I could have spent the additional time, gas and effort to pick up my order for free at an understaffed store. And finally, since I purchased several pair, I got a $10e-gift card from Kohl's - I usually use these to stock up on basics like socks & underwear right at the $10 price point.

So, if Kohl's is scamming me by charging me $2.55 less per pair of pajamas, shipping them to my house for free and giving me a card to buy an additional $10 worth of merchandise, I'll happily be scammed like that all day long!

I said this before, but I do understand that some people don't want to be bothered with comparison shopping and planning around sales & coupons - that's fine. Everybody has a different rubric for how they value time & effort vs. money. But the idea that sales & coupons are all one big scam that tricks people into paying more is wrong for smart shoppers. But I do admit - keeping up with that takes time & effort. JCP was banking on the fact that more people don't want to deal with that - only time will tell if that model will resonate with enough of their customers (but the early signs don't look good for them...)

 

[eliza61]

Wrong. Just yesterday, I realized that I needed to get some lightweight pajamas for my 1 year old - she is growing fast! With Memorial Day parties and a busy week coming up, I decided to look online & see if I could get a good deal shipped to my house so I didn't have to get out & shop. For the exact same Carter's pajamas, Penney's "everyday low price" was $12, but Kohl's had them on sale for $10.99. PLUS, they had codes for an additional 15% off - making them $9.35. PLUS, they had a code for free shipping to my house - JCP would have charged me an additional $6 for that, or else I could have spent the additional time, gas and effort to pick up my order for free at an understaffed store. And finally, since I purchased several pair, I got a $10e-gift card from Kohl's - I usually use these to stock up on basics like socks & underwear right at the $10 price point.

So, if Kohl's is scamming me by charging me $2.55 less per pair of pajamas, shipping them to my house for free and giving me a card to buy an additional $10 worth of merchandise, I'll happily be scammed like that all day long!

I said this before, but I do understand that some people don't want to be bothered with comparison shopping and planning around sales & coupons - that's fine. Everybody has a different rubric for how they value time & effort vs. money. But the idea that sales & coupons are all one big scam that tricks people into paying more is wrong for smart shoppers. But I do admit - keeping up with that takes time & effort. JCP was banking on the fact that more people don't want to deal with that - only time will tell if that model will resonate with enough of their customers (but the early signs don't look good for them...)

but pretty much they are a scam. Ok let's not say a scam but it's more like a vegas casino. The odds are always in the stores favor.

Sure you got the pjs at kohls this time, and as you said, that's factoring in all those parameters you feel are important to you (gas, shipping, time etc) I'm willing to bet in 3 weeks those same pj's will be the same exact price. So what's the "sale"?

And the gift card is all about bringing you back into the store to spend more money, which most people use to buy stuff they really dont need.

I did consumer marketing in college, believe me you are not getting any fantastic deal.

I laugh at the "black friday" supposed deals. Most marketers will tell you it's a very rare item that is not going to be priced lower closer to christmas, not to mention after. The time of year to get the best price on electronics? Nope,not black friday but February. electronic manufacturers announce the new models in feb so stores are trying to liquidate the old stuff. Yet, every year you've got the annual hoardes of people attacking walmart.

It's like disneys "free" dining. The dining that is not really free. you have to pay rake rate to get it, the menus are dumbed down and every year you get less and less. Now depending on how you travel it may or maynot "save" you money but don't think for one nanosecond that disney has "given" you any thing.

Just like a vegas casino, sure some people will win and a rare few will hit the jackpot but believe me, THE HOUSE ALL WAYS WINS. LOL (or in this case, the mouse)

 

[Angie789]

but pretty much they are a scam. Ok let's not say a scam but it's more like a vegas casino. The odds are always in the stores favor.

Sure you got the pjs at kohls this time, and as you said, that's factoring in all those parameters you feel are important to you (gas, shipping, time etc) I'm willing to bet in 3 weeks those same pj's will be the same exact price. So what's the "sale"?

And the gift card is all about bringing you back into the store to spend more money, which most people use to buy stuff they really dont need.

I did consumer marketing in college, believe me you are not getting any fantastic deal.

I laugh at the "black friday" supposed deals. Most marketers will tell you it's a very rare item that is not going to be priced lower closer to christmas, not to mention after. The time of year to get the best price on electronics? Nope,not black friday but February. electronic manufacturers announce the new models in feb so stores are trying to liquidate the old stuff. Yet, every year you've got the annual hoardes of people attacking walmart.

Well, of course the store is going to make money in the end. I don't think Kohl's is a charity organization. And you are right that many people end up spending more than they realize because of various promotions. But what you missed from my point is that if you are willing to invest the time in tracking sale & coupon cycles, you can use those pricing strategies to your advantage. Maybe most people don't, but if you do, you come out ahead.

As far whether or not Kohl's price was a true "sale" - who cares? It was still cheaper than JCP's everyday low price, which was my point. Kohl's always does that game where they mark up items and then offer them on sale, but if the bottom line price is cheaper than JCP (or Carter's or Macy's or Amazon) I really don't care that they tell me I am getting 50% off when I know that's not true. They still cost less at Kohl's than they did anywhere else.

The idea that the prices at JCP are always better is just laughably wrong.

 

[MommaluvsDis]

Personally,I have to thank JCP! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am, no WAS a longtime JCP card holder and always loved the thrill of the deal. You know,when you got the $30 shirt for $1.98 because it had the pink price tag on it?

Well,I was very interested when this new method of madness started. I noticed, first, that if an item was $12.99 before,it is now $13.00. Why?

Then, there's a new best value every Friday? Whatever. I am no longer interested in what used to be my favorite store, JCP.

Therefore, JCP, I have, with absolutely no second thoughts at all, cut up my card. I am done with you and according to your latest numbers, so are a lot of other loyal customers.

Change your ways or you will become the next Montgomery Wards. Just a memory.

 

[knitster]

Apparently I missed this entire ad campaign. We don't have cable (just netflix, hulu, appletv, etc), so I don't see commercials and we don't get JCP fliers and we don't take the paper. So I had no idea any of this was going on.

We've actually shopped JCP a lot in the last few months and gotten great deals! I got a bunch of cute jewelry that was marked down to $3-$5 a piece and I got a great dress that was marked down to $16! I am not a coupon shopper or a sales paper shopper - I just go in when I need something and buy it if I think it's a good deal. If it's not a good deal, I go somewhere else. But every time we've gone into JCP in the last 6 months or so, we've ended up buying quite a few items that we felt were a great deal. So, in short, this pricing change didn't even register on my radar! :lol:

 

[sk!mom]

I agree a zillion-million percent.



But there's a good deal every single day, now.



I honestly don't get not liking it. I LOVE walking in, and getting what I need for a decent price and not having to get two, or waiting until Saturday, or bringing a coupon, or shopping before 9am.

There may very well be good deals every day but not necessarily a good deal on what I need. The old JCP strategy was to send out coupons weekly. I could then use the coupon when I needed something to make my own good deal. In the past, if I needed something from Penneys, I would just wait for the next mail out. It was never much of a wait.

The proof is in the numbers- either the new strategy isn't better or Penneys hasn't been able to get the message out.

 

[ilovemk76]

When I worked retail in high school, we got in jeans that were priced at $8. None of them sold for weeks. Then a sale paper came out and said, "Special purchase jeans, $8" and the jeans were all gone in a few days. At that time I learned that perception of a good/great deal is the biggest part of when an item sells.

 

[luvsJack]

Personally,I have to thank JCP! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am, no WAS a longtime JCP card holder and always loved the thrill of the deal. You know,when you got the $30 shirt for $1.98 because it had the pink price tag on it?

Well,I was very interested when this new method of madness started. I noticed, first, that if an item was $12.99 before,it is now $13.00. Why?

Then, there's a new best value every Friday? Whatever. I am no longer interested in what used to be my favorite store, JCP.

Therefore, JCP, I have, with absolutely no second thoughts at all, cut up my card. I am done with you and according to your latest numbers, so are a lot of other loyal customers.

Change your ways or you will become the next Montgomery Wards. Just a memory.

IMHO, pricing it at $13 instead of $12.99 is more truthful pricing. I never realized that anyone would actually feel that a price had gone up for adding that penny back to it.

At our JCP, the choices in clothing has gotten better than it was before. I was surprised that a poster said the jeans were more expensive, I don't find that here at all. Dd finds jeans she likes and the prices are very reasonable. Now, I have to say that she likes Aeropostle--whose jeans I can find cheaper but they just don't last as long nor do they fit as well or she likes Miss Me jeans that are NEVER on sale and way to expensive, so maybe its what I am comparing them too. I think JCP has filled a great niche in our mall with their new pricing.

 

[csharpwv]

I FAR prefer the NEW pricing, promotion, and marketing.

I hate coupons, they require you to use a tiny piece of paper to save money - that is just flat out ridiculous.

I don't shop at Kohl's because stuff is far more expensive there, YES, I understand Kohl's has great coupons, but once again - why should I need a tiny piece of paper for them to give me $$$ %%% off?!?!

It is a tiny piece of paper that instantly gives me 20% off - how dumb is that?

I bought a leather belt, and extremely comfortable dress shoes for under $20 - that was the price, no coupons, no song and dance, no need to run back to the door for a flyer to chase down a magical piece of paper.

I sound jaded, I know - I hate coupons.

I like a store that puts it out there, the signs are easier to read, the stores are much cleaner without dozens of sale racks. I think that once people get used to the pricing and understand how it works, people will appreciate the new strategy.

 

[CathrynRose]

I FAR prefer the NEW pricing, promotion, and marketing.

I hate coupons, they require you to use a tiny piece of paper to save money - that is just flat out ridiculous.

I don't shop at Kohl's because stuff is far more expensive there, YES, I understand Kohl's has great coupons, but once again - why should I need a tiny piece of paper for them to give me $$$ %%% off?!?!

It is a tiny piece of paper that instantly gives me 20% off - how dumb is that?

I bought a leather belt, and extremely comfortable dress shoes for under $20 - that was the price, no coupons, no song and dance, no need to run back to the door for a flyer to chase down a magical piece of paper.

I sound jaded, I know - I hate coupons.

I like a store that puts it out there, the signs are easier to read, the stores are much cleaner without dozens of sale racks. I think that once people get used to the pricing and understand how it works, people will appreciate the new strategy.

Again, 1000% agree.

Plus, it's irritating if you didn't have the coupon, and they wouldn't do anything for you. Ridiculous.

 

[maxiesmom]

Plus, it's irritating if you didn't have the coupon, and they wouldn't do anything for you. Ridiculous.

Really? Why is it ridiculous? Do you go to the grocery store and say "Gee, I left my coupon at home. Will you still take that much off of my bill anyway?" I can't imagine going into any store and demanding they honor a coupon that I left at home. THAT seems ridiculous to me.

But then, I love using coupons. So maybe that is the difference.

 

[Judyat]

I use to enjoy shopping at JCP. Ever since their new program not so much. There's just not much there to get excited about and as a shopper I have lots of other options. I miss the old JCP.