So, was it their pro-gay stance, or the fact that they horrifically screwed up their entire sales model? Or Both?
JC Penney has an excellent sales model. And my past experience with them is that their people are top-notch.
The gay thing screwed them.
Seeing posters of two lovey-dovey daddies last Fathers’ Day sent sensible people out of Penny’s and over to Kohls and Macy’s.
Kohl’s and Macy’s may have the same political compass, but they aren’t putting it in their advertising where everyone can see it.
ah........Gay Cee Penney’s.
Here is an interesting take:
my mom (age 74) has been a loyal Penney’s shopper for the last 20 years. She has really enjoyed getting their coupons in the mail (and now the internet), receiving candy bars w/coupons, all their “sales”, clearances, etc. For her it was quite an adventure. She would spend hours in there digging around. In the last few years she had been able to save up gift certificates ($5, $10, etc) they gave out as rewards and redeem them for a single big purchase. She did this for a sofa. All in all she was indeed getting a very good value for the money she spent on purchases - plus the entertainment value.
But she took no notice of the gay thing, even after all us men in her family told her repeatedly about it. The adventure of couponing and apparent big savings trumped the culture. But when they discontinued the sales/coupons about the same time then she noticed. And started going to a regional department store called Belks. She still goes to Penney’s but its not the same. I was there with her this week and the store had very little merchandise on the floor, the walls had been painted bright colors and it was airy and open - and spooky. Not at all like a Penney’s. And there were no customers. For our family Penney’s had been the place my mother would go for home furnishings, draperies, linens, bath room items, and clothing - pretty much everything. But not anymore.
In the end, she has lost her fascination with Penney’s. If they do bring the sales and coupons back perhaps that will change. But in the end, for her at least, the gay thing was not an issue. Interestingly enough, it was for all the men in the family. So maybe it is true that women, in general, are more liberal than men. Or perhaps it is some natural inclination of men to be protectors of the family.