Ron Johnson led Target and Apple, so he does have retail experience.
I think he looks at this as a big experiment to see if he can make it happen. It’s all about his ego and not about the company or the people who work there.
A lot of the people I saw in the store week after week have not been coming in.....they are going to KOHL’s. We have been getting different clientele, but since they don’t share the numbers with us anymore, I have no idea how the company is doing.
I do know that the store I work in was downgraded because it fell below the $22 million dollar mark, for the fiscal year 2011/2012 to be considered a higher tier/volume store.
We shall see. Right now, there are no greener pasture to move onto. Unemployment here is over 12% and I’m no spring chicken.
That being said, I'm not crazy about what I've heard. The treatment of long time employees, who after being terminated are escorted out of the store (usually by security). The apparent end of commissions to associates (in some departments), most of whom are only making something close to minimum wage. The elimination of numerous cash registers (or terminals). And of course, the continued pressure on store employees to acquire new JCPenney charge accounts.
When I add all this up, it seems the real goal of the new JCPenney isn't solely focused on transforming the retail locations at all. Instead, it appears the goal has everything to do with (promoting) an increasing presence of JCP.com.