3. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
• Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney when he was just 27-years-old
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
Catering to the needs of their customers
Offering fashionable, high-quality
merchandise at affordable prices
A retail legend born
1
2
3
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
4. “A merchant who approaches
business with the idea of serving
the public well has nothing to fear
from the competition.”
— James Cash Penney
5. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
Growth period
Sales had reached $250 million and JCPenney had 1,496 stores,
in nearly every state
Reached 2,053 active stores, 300 of which were full-line
establishments
Positioned itself a department store, and discontinued all
product lines outside of fashion apparel and home goods
Successfully transitioned to become one of the biggest names
in department store apparel
1936
1973
1985
1982
6.
7. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• JCPenney’s success could not be sustained in the 1990s
• Management lost focus on the company fundamentals and lost
its brand identity
• For the first time in the company’s history, a decline in sales
occurred
• Historically, the retailer attracted middle-income families and
had a strong private label program.
• In the late 1990s, the retailer modified its inventory to appeal to
higher-end department store customers and put more emphasis
on brand names
1990s—Growing stale
D
E
C
L
I
N
G
S
A
L
E
S
8.
9. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• Heading into the new millennium, growth further declined
for the retailing giant
• In order to compete, JCPenney launched hundreds of sales
per year.
• Executives believed loss of volume was due to location, and
underperforming stores were relocated from mall locations.
• New stores opened with at-the-door parking to contend with
discount competitors Kohl’s, TJ Maxx and Target.
• Despite these efforts, from 2003 to 2011, JC Penney’s sales
declined by a whopping 45% from $32.3 billion to $17.8
billion.
Priced to move
10. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• In November 2011, JCPenney’s
CEO Mike Ullman was ousted and
replaced by Ron Johnson
• The man who brought high-end
designer wares to Target and who
made Apple’s retail stores into an
unexpected phenomenon.
• Believed that rebranding
JCPenney’s image to be more “hip”
would save the company.
Changing of the guard
Ron Johnson
11. "The first and most encouraging thing
to me is I am completely convinced that
our transformation is on track. We are
making extraordinary progress in
everything we’re doing.”
— Ron Johnson
12. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
Personality - “Focusing strategic initiatives around the
elevation of JCPenney brand”
Price - “Establishing “fair and square” approach across all
platforms”
Place and Presentation - “Creating a relevant and inspiring
shopping experience”
Product - “Obtaining market share by appealing to every
American”
Promotion - “Capturing customers’ attention through
amplified messaging and media”
5 Point Project Scope
1
Johnson broke down his plan into the retailing P's:
2
3
4
5
14. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
Elevation of the brand
• Rebranded the old-age retail store by removing “Penney” from its name, and
reducing its moniker to simply “JCP.”
• Came paired with a sleek red, white and blue logo that channeled the feel of the
American Flag
• The logo shape took on a boxy shape, going hand-in-hand with Johnson’s infamous
“Fair and Square” pricing strategy.
• New brand name and logo was not tested prior to its launch, the first indicator of
the over-confident manner in which Johnson would move throughout his tenure at
JCP.
15. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• Johnson wholeheartedly believed customers would accept the shiny
refurbished version of the brand with open arms
• In reality, the company had a 113-year brand that was deteriorated in the
minds of its customers
• The radical rebranding effort was too abrupt, and made loyal customers
feel unwelcome.
Total flop with customers
17. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• The second phase of Johnson’s project was “Establishing a “fair and
square” approach across all platforms”
• Pricing program that completely abolished JCP’s traditional sales strategy
which offered customers a never-ending stream of sales, coupons, and rebates.
• Implemented three levels of new prices offered to customers: Everyday
Price, Month-long Values, and Best Prices
• Promotions were reduced to just 12x per year— a drastic change for
JCP’s core consumers who were offered 590 promotions in 2011.
“Fair and Square”
590 12!
reduced
18.
19.
20. History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• Fair and Square intended to show the company would not play into the
popular gimmick of high-low pricing
• Johnson drove away and confused customers who were accustomed to
coupons, deals and aggressive promotions
• He failed to understand that JCP’s established customers enjoyed the
thrill and challenge of finding a deal
Total flop with customers
Personality
Price
23. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
Stores-within-a-Store
• The third major facet of Johnson’s vision for JCP was “Creating a relevant
and inspiring shopping experience.”
• Johnson decided to implement stores-within-a-store (SWAS)
• Johnson envisioned 80-100 branded retail shops and services placed
• Johnson made major investments in new infrastructure, merchandise, and
advertising necessary to make his plans come alive
24.
25. History
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
• They were crippled by hundreds of custom legacy applications whose
maintenance took up 95 percent of their $400 million IT budget in 2011
• The Project Management team agrees with the vision of his strategy,
however, we believe it should have been implemented over more time.
• We believe the partnership with the boutique brands and JCPenney as a
retailer is a win-win for both parties
Partial flop with customers
Personality
Price
Place &
Presentation
27. Price
Personality
History
Promotion
Conclusion
Cotton Kills
• The fourth point to Johnson's plan was to “Obtaining market share by
appealing to every American”
• Johnson wanted to enter the high-end home furnishing and clothing
business
• Cotton prices would increase dramatically due to flooding and shortages
on cotton farms worldwide
• Affected consumer purchasing power and increase inventory turnover for
the company.
Place &
Presentation
Product
28.
29. History
Promotion
Conclusion
• Middle class Americans will not spend $3000 on a couch.
• In turn, they will shy away of stores that carry expensive merchandise
they cannot afford.
• Market analysis and foresight can be used to act quickly in reducing the
impact of rising material cost.
Total flop with customers
Personality
Price
Place &
Presentation
Product
31. Price
Personality
History
Conclusion
Advertising
• The fifth and final point to Johnson's plan was to “Capturing customers’
attention through amplified messaging and media”
• Using traditional print and TV platforms the company increased
advertisings spending to a record $504 million dollars
• This led to $289.1 million dollars in TV spending and another $124.5
million on print.
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
32. History
Conclusion
• This resulted in an increase in cost of goods sold (COGS) of over 60%
of total revenue.
• Limited Social Media and online engagement
Total flop with customers
Personality
Price
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
33. Price
Personality
History
Place &
Presentation
Product
Promotion
Conclusion
Summary and Conclusion
• Johnson’s 5-step program was a major departure from the existing
JCPenney business model and represented the largest platform project in
the company’s history.
• Failed to include appropriate change management activities
• leverage a J-shaped project lifecycle that starts slowly , proceed slowly,
and then finish rapidly.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
1936 Sales had reached nearly $250 million and JCPenney had 1,496 stores, in nearly every state
1973 Reached 2,053 active stores, 300 of which were full-line establishments
1982 The company was completely positioned as a department store, and discontinued all product lines outside of fashion apparel and home goods
1982-1992 JCPenney successfully transitioned to become one of the biggest names in department store apparel, especially amongst women and children.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
This in conjunction with an oversupply of company stores forced management to lose focus on the company fundamentals, opening up the market to allow for new competition to capitalize on JCPenney’s declining business.
For the first time in the company’s history, a decline in sales occurred, largely due to the fact that JCPenney lost its brand identity, and became too similar to its competitors.
Historically, the retailer attracted middle-income families and was the retailer of choice for children’s wear, home goods, and women’s and men’s apparel. Another trademark differentiator for J.C. Penney was a strong private label program.
The company brought in well-known brands like Levis Strauss and Jockey to combat the negative consensus among consumers that private label brands were cheap and unattractive.(MASON) However, conforming to the merchandise model of its department store competitors did not drive sales. The strategy of “sameness” cause the retailer lose value and appeal with their core customer base, who were not as affluent as a Macy’s customer and appreciated low prices over brand names. At the same time, more affluent customers were not willing to make the switch to J.C. Penny, a store well-established in the market as a lower-end department store. To make matters worse, during this time period customers had an array of choices, often choosing to spend their money at specialty stores like The Limited and Gap.
(MASON). In 2012, fifty to seventy percent of all sales were sold at discounted prices. (HBS)
(MASON). In 2012, fifty to seventy percent of all sales were sold at discounted prices. (HBS)
company losing market share from competitors like Macy’s from above, and discount retailers TJ Maxx and Target from below.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
This in conjunction with an oversupply of company stores forced management to lose focus on the company fundamentals, opening up the market to allow for new competition to capitalize on JCPenney’s declining business.
For the first time in the company’s history, a decline in sales occurred, largely due to the fact that JCPenney lost its brand identity, and became too similar to its competitors.
Historically, the retailer attracted middle-income families and was the retailer of choice for children’s wear, home goods, and women’s and men’s apparel. Another trademark differentiator for J.C. Penney was a strong private label program.
The company brought in well-known brands like Levis Strauss and Jockey to combat the negative consensus among consumers that private label brands were cheap and unattractive.(MASON) However, conforming to the merchandise model of its department store competitors did not drive sales. The strategy of “sameness” cause the retailer lose value and appeal with their core customer base, who were not as affluent as a Macy’s customer and appreciated low prices over brand names. At the same time, more affluent customers were not willing to make the switch to J.C. Penny, a store well-established in the market as a lower-end department store. To make matters worse, during this time period customers had an array of choices, often choosing to spend their money at specialty stores like The Limited and Gap.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
designed to resonate with the everyday American
This impulsive behavior marked just the beginning of many planning failures under Johnson’s management:
JCP needed to authentically connect with existing customers, while also attracting new ones.
Rather than turn our backs on traditional customers, we recommend still catering to them by taking a balanced approach, mixing innovation with familiarity so not to scare them away. We would take measures to retain the existing customers who are loyal to JCP, and then slowly phase in our messaging, merchandise,and brand look, which will simultaneously attracting new customers to the store.
The project management team recognizes that changing a company brand name can create a public relations nightmare if customers don't understand the reasons behind the change. Being too innovative, too fast, can come off as being unauthentic. Introducing a brand image should have been implemented in stages with advance communication via news releases, billboards, social media, as well as notification the company’s website featuring both the old moniker next to the new one. The company’s messaging explained how the new name symbolized the company’s future and also tell customers the moniker would soon appear on company trucks, employee uniforms and eventually its clothing.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
Johnson believed that consumers were tired of coupons, and his “Fair and Square” pricing program abruptly abolished the practice
The new pricing was created to be the clear differentiating factor for JCP, and the retailer would not play into the popular gimmick of high-low pricing, which inflates prices only to make discounts more appealing.
JCP would offer merchandise at the best price possible right off the bat, and only offer promotions 12 times per year.
Johnson hoped that eliminating promotions, and giving a giving them an attractive price would move merchandise off the store shelves faster, as opposed to having them sit idle until a sale.
Everyday prices: competitive, yet reasonable daily prices
Month-long: Values were sales on select items that lasted an entire month.
Best Price deals: offered on 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month, and slashed the price of products to move them out
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.
At the turn of the century, JCPenney celebrated 100 years in the retail industry
Founded in 1902 by James Cash Penney
Grew its success by following 3 key principles:
A focus on understanding the JCPenney brand
2. Catering to the needs of their customers
3. Offering fashionable, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices.