JCP: Fair and Square

I’ve always loved shopping at JCPenney.  I love that they have everything, and generally it’s well made and easy to find. And as a kid it was our go-to department store. The only other one in town was Younkers and frankly that was too “upscale” for us .  However, in recent years I’ve been pulled away from the JCP mall site to the Kohl’s outdoor mall. The brands and star-driven lines seem more interesting and on trend to me, and I admit that the “20% off of 50% off plus $10 Kohl’s Cash = practically free” mentality got me kind of hooked.

So I’ve read a lot about the new strategy at JCP.  There have been many interesting takes, notably this one in Time Magazine. Obviously, I needed to check out the store for myself. Here is my shopper’s opinion.

• The Campaign. The first thing I noticed was the screaming ads. It was memorable. It was attention-getting. And I f’ing hated it more than anything in recent memory. In addition to being annoying, I felt as though it was making fun of me as a consumer. Yes, I got the point that it had gotten ridiculous with the coupons and the 8 a.m. sales, but I’m a Kohl’s shopper, and I think that stuff is fun. Next came the Ellen ads. Much better in terms of not being annoying and selling a concept. Ellen is always likable and the ads made their points in a funny way.
• The Brand.  The next noticeable change was in the company’s brand imagery. It’s very fresh and contemporary looking. I love the circulars, which give me a feel for the types of trendy, bold colors I’d find at JCP without overloading me with products and deals. Pitting it against Kohl’s, it’s obviously, lighter, fresher, newer.  The JCP in the square is a nice step away for the logo and I like the “framing” device it provides. All in all, a step in the right direction. My only quibble is that the Ellen ads don’t really have this feel at all.
• The Brands. Here’s where we start to see the disconnect. When I walked into my Sioux City store, I saw the frame, the new brand signage and … mostly the same old clothes. It’s OK, I knew they weren’t changing brands completely, but I just didn’t feel that the fashion offerings were fulfilling the promise of the circular. To the left, the MNG line was the most eye-catching. Worthington to the direct right was a harken back to the Working Girl 80s…reinforced with the Liz Claiborne and Jones brands. A few cute things here and there were not enough to cut through the Lee Jeans of it all.
• The Pricing. The pricing was pleasing. A top I would have normally seen priced at $39.99 but refused to buy until it was $20, was $20. In that way I disagree with those who think the “lack of sense of urgency” would cost JCP sakes. For me, I felt more willing to buy something when it was priced at what it was worth, and not higher. I definitely was conscious that in the past I’d have walked away or “waited” on an item and now I knew I might as well just grab it. There were some clearance racks that sated the true bargain hunter within (another cute top – $9!). And overall I’d say this was a success until I got to the cash register. OK I know it’s the “retail environment training” but it was a little disappointing to know that, as she rung up my items, there was no hope of a “Surprise! this is only $16!” moment. As much as I know the Kohl’s – “you saved $850 today” is a blatant lie, I sort of like it.
• The Verdict. I find the circulars enticing and the pricing reasonable. Overall there aren’t that many cute offerings and I didn’t get a rush from shopping there. I’m thinking it’s a once-per-season stop instead of a monthly journey, and Kohl’s is still a monthly trip for me. (How can I resist those coupons!?)

Not Much Wow in Wu: Jason Wu for Target

So I had seen the online lookbook, editorial press and “Today” appearances of the Jason Wu for Target collection and honestly wasn’t that enthralled. There were some cute looks in the line, but they weren’t cute looks for me. Unlike Missoni, of which I wanted any and all, immediately, there was only one dress in this collection I would even consider buying — this one.  Still, I wasn’t POSITIVE that I didn’t love it, so I got up and hauled my cookies to Target at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning. There were plenty of items (though they weren’t carrying the blue dress) and no mob scene — God bless Iowa — but really, in person, the stuff was so underwhelming. The fabrics were not great and the designs a weird mix of old lady and young girl. I left without even seriously considering anything.

I’m glad I checked it out, and I’m equally glad I don’t live somewhere like Miami, where the couple went in and bought everything with plans to sell it for a profit.  Despite the fact that I didn’t love the collection, stories like this are so annoying they give me heart palpitations. Setting limits may not be ideal on Target’s end, but there must be a better answer. If I had waited in line only to watch store personnel escort these people out of there with every single thing available, I would be seriously disenfranchised on the level of never wanting to go back into that store. I’m just thinking Target should be careful walking this line of drawing interest and turning people off.  The quick publicity benefit isn’t going to be worthwhile once people decide they are just. over. it.