J.C. Penney's (JCP +6.3%) move to add manufacturers suggested retail prices alongside its own...

This news story has 19 comments:

Register or Login to rate comments »

modanco Comments (32)
 
I hope it's not too little, too late. I like your comment about Retail 101...which Ron Johnson seems to have no clue about!
29 Jan, 12:11 PM Reply Like

Sami32247 Comments (5)
 
And then there's the doing away with registers & checking people out on IPods, which of course can't be used for returns or cash. There's no place to set items down to scan them, just put them down wherever the associates happen to be. It will be a diaster trying to bag a boatload of items. And what about the big items, i.e. curtain rods, household appliances, luggage, etc. This Johnson guy is more about technology than retail. I'd like to see him try to check people out on an IPod on a busy Saturday! He just doesn't get it!
29 Jan, 12:34 PM Reply Like

GeorgeMason Comments (128)
 
If the customer wants a bag or a receipt they will have to send someone to the back or front of the store to the only cash wrap to get one and the customer will have to wait for that. Yes, imagine the tie up IF the store should ever become busy.
29 Jan, 01:08 PM Reply Like

bakmanone Comments (24)
 
I am looking forward to the 20 RFID tags on the back of every sofa, love seat and chair the fabric choices available to them. These new "Libby" hand held devices are slower than the "Second coming of Jesus". Clients are actually telling us they do not want to be checked out on one of them. Speaks volumes, don't you think!
29 Jan, 02:43 PM Reply Like

JCPonderings.weebly.com Comments (45)
 
I love how all these negative comments exist within a vacuum.

1. When people ring you up the old way, it is ALWAYS fast? You've never seen someone scratching their head at a CRT? Really? I see it all the time EVERYWHERE.

2. The three times I've been wrong up with a portable register it's taken the same amount of time as a normal ring.
30 Jan, 05:10 AM Reply Like

retailgirl Comments (113)
 
Within a vacuum? Put you bong down.
30 Jan, 10:39 AM Reply Like

Penneypal67 Comments (8)
 
I worked for J C Penney for over 40 years. While I worked there the company had it its up and downs. I feel that the company could still survive if someone who was with Target and Apple should not try to FIX a company which is not broken. Mr Johnson is trying to do what he did for Target and Apple making both companies profitable. J C Penney is not like either of those two companies. The process needs to be tweeked not overhauled. I am proud to have worked for a GREAT company but I hate seeing the company in such disarray.
I hope the company will survive but I have my doubts for it ever being the same company I worked for in the 40 years.
30 Jan, 01:40 AM Reply Like

Sami32247 Comments (5)
 
So right, & then there are the "Libby's" that only work in certain areas of the store. Like satellite dishes, I guess we tell all the customers we have to turn them toward the northeast before we can check them out. And after you use them for half a day, they have to be recharged! Try telling a customer to wait while you go get another Libby! See, Ron Johnson has a contract with guess who? You got it - Apple!
30 Jan, 01:51 AM Reply Like

modanco Comments (32)
 
I bought some slacks at JCP the other day. The kid at the cashwrap (dressed in jeans and a tee shirt...in the Men's Department) had his fancy, new hand-held electronic doo-dad that he scanned the price tags with. As I stood there, he sloooowwwwlllly worked his way through scanning the items. He had somewhat of a clue to what he was doing, but the doo-dad had a hard time getting my retired associate card to scan. But, finally it took. All this fancy schmancy doo-da stuff...and he has to give me the receipt that the cash register (right next to us) printed out. Uh...why not just use the scanner on the register and get this transaction over in half the time. Huh? I guess the idea is that he could have rung up my sale while we're standing half-way across the store behind the 4-way rack in aisle 6 by the skivvies, instead of me having to haul all my purchases over there to the cashwrap. Oh...but wait...we would have had to go over there anyway to get my receipt and a bag. Duh. Maybe the associate (only 1 in the department) will have a supply of bags attached to his belt (assuming he has one on) or in a backpack (which would look very chic with his jeans and tee shirt) and he'll then give me a number to go to some magical place in the store to claim my receipt (after I waited in line). Or perhaps I'll have it mailed to me or emailed to me. Or maybe they're gonna eliminate receipts! And eliminate bags (like COSTCO or Sam's Club). Where do I find the grocery carts?
30 Jan, 11:40 AM Reply Like

retailgirl Comments (113)
 
These "Libbys" (and Johnson) are slow. They also fade in and out depending on the weather, Wi-Fi service. In our store we use them because we have to but they take 10 times longer than just using a register. We apologize all day long to customers, many times we lose connection and after having them wait 5 minutes...START ALL OVER ON A REGISTER. And absolutely no one is falling for that "email my receipt" thing. Forget it.

The upper management once again is fixing something that is not broken. JCP did not need our wheel re-invented. No one is carving Johnson's face on any monument anytime soon....trust me.

Message to Upper Management:
Just get the doggone customers in the store--try a flyer once a month or how about a coupon?;
Put some doggone merchandise in the store;
Go into your office and put your head in a bucket and stay there. Don't call anyone, don't make any decisions, don't do a doggone thing.....just let the associates sell the merchandise.......we KNOW how to do it.
Get out of the way. Right now the ONLY problem JCP has is management. Everything else can be fixed....but not management.

Think about doing an episode of "Undercover Boss" so you'll see what your customers think of you guys in the suits. Let's see you apologize ALL DAY LONG for some stupid idea somebody in an office somewhere thought up because he was bored.
2 Feb, 10:04 AM Reply Like

Sami32247 Comments (5)
 
They R counting on U wanting the receipt emailed to U, that way U don't have to walk to a register to get your receipt. That's not what most people will want, they're gonna want their receipts. This "Libby" thing is not going to last, it's a bad idea!
30 Jan, 06:53 PM Reply Like

Sami32247 Comments (5)
 
AND the big reason for the Libby's? Ron Johnson used to work for Apple, the Libby's are Apples, JCP has a contract with Apple for the Libby's? Enough Said!
31 Jan, 02:57 AM Reply Like

pedroaf Comments (42)
 
That's funny.

Why nobody complains about Nordstrom (btw the most successful dept store in its segment) "libbys" or mobile POS? Why it's just JCP? Seems old employes really can't accept changes. Also transformation hurts and takes time to get traction. You know something? That's great: I'm buying JCP under $20 and I already watched this movie many times before. Let's Disney, Carters, Martha Stewart, Jonathan Adler, Joe Fresh, etc be in action and we talk later this year.
1 Feb, 10:30 AM Reply Like

GeorgeMason Comments (128)
 
An engineer here, not an "old employee". I have to tell you since you seem unaware....JCPenney and Nordstrom do not share the same clientele and never will. Apples and oranges my friend, apples and oranges.
3 Feb, 02:51 PM Reply Like

pedroaf Comments (42)
 
I was not talking about the same clientele. I was talking about mobile POS. Simple. It's the same thing for every other store. Nordstrom uses iPods as mobile POS, same as JC Penney. And for Nordstrom works really well. Why not with JC Penney? For me it's just old employees that don't accept changes and only want to work with 50 years old technology.

I was in JC Penney today, and the store is simply amazing. Packed, full of beautiful news in-store shops (+3 new in February). Brought 5 $5 t-shirts from arizona (yes five dollars per t-shirt) and to pay in the iPod was a matter of seconds. JC Penney will be a huge and one of the most beautiful turnarounds in the US retail story.
3 Feb, 08:22 PM Reply Like

pedroaf Comments (42)
 
I mean bought...
3 Feb, 09:19 PM Reply Like

GeorgeMason Comments (128)
 
Again, An engineer here, not an "old employee".

Old employees do not account for the massive losses in revenue this past year nor the dissatisfaction of the customers who complain daily about the loss of their favorite store, brands and pricing.
4 Feb, 12:12 PM Reply Like

bakmanone Comments (24)
 
Let me tell you something about "OLD EMPLOYEES". We "OLD EMPLOYEES" take our schedule seriously and show up when we are scheduled to work. We do not call off because "we don't feel like working". We treat our client with respect when they come into JCP. So take that comment of massive losses off the "OLD EMPLOYEES" plate and put it on the plate of the management who have run the loyal JCP clients out of the stores.
5 Feb, 08:17 AM Reply Like

countrydweller Comments (17)
 
The Libby's are quite slow, and frequently require rebooting. They are good for about 6 hours of use. For transactions that are straightforward they are great but for multiple items not so much.

Perhaps Nordstoms has a better POS to start with.

It is rather awkward carrying the Libby, bags and stickers in a pouch strapped to your body for a shift.

I love a lot of the changes and I am fairly tech-savvy but I think the Libby's need some more work.
10 Feb, 10:21 AM Reply Like