J.C. Penney is resurrecting its catalog

Market Watch ^ | January 20, 2015 | Suzanne Kapner

[2ndDivisionVet]

half-decade after killing off its hefty catalog to focus on the Web, J.C. Penney Co. is bringing it back, armed with data showing that many of its online sales came from shoppers inspired by what they saw in print.

The new, 120-page book will feature items from Penney's home department and will be sent to select customers in March, the first time the struggling department store chain has sent out a catalog since 2010.

The move highlights an oddity of the digital age. While shoppers are increasingly buying everything from shoes to sofas to cars over the Internet, they still like browsing through the decidedly low-tech artifacts of page and ink.

Catalog mailings are down considerably from 2007, when they peaked at 19.6 billion, according to the Direct Marketing Association. But in a sign the decline may have bottomed out, mailings grew in 2013 for the first time in six years to 11.9 billion.

The call to bring back the catalog was made by Chief Executive Myron "Mike" Ullman, who is trying to return the retailer to health after a disastrous overhaul under former Apple Inc. executive Ron Johnson.

It also was Mr. Ullman who decided during his first turn as Penney's chief to stop publishing it....

[Dr. Thorne]

Good move after removing CEO Ron Johnson who brought us lesbians in Penney’s advertizing.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Mrs. 2ndDivisionVet, although not a Sears employee, manages a store within a Sears store. If they go under we’re probably sunk.

[CodeToad]

I am sure there are enough homosexual porn mags around.

[kjam22]

Personally... I don’t think this is a bad idea at all. I buy a lot off of the internet, and am very comfortable with browsing the net.... but there is something to be said for the simplicity of thumbing through a book. And if you see something you want... then you can go on line and buy it if that’s the preferred purchase method.

[IronJack]

JC Penney could sell body parts or crystal meth and they would still go down the toilet. They made it clear when they embraced homos that they didn't want or need the support of decent people.

They got what they wished for.

[dowcaet]

I’m glad for the technological age. It’s made things easier for all of us but there is something special about leafing through a huge catalog in your hands than using your mouse to browse one on the web. I still prefer reading a real book than looking at one on my kindle.

[gov_bean_ counter]

LOL!!!

[chrisser]

They used to have an automotive department: Tires, batteries, shocks, radios etc.

And tools, with a lifetime warranty just like Sears until JCP stopped selling them. Then the warranty wasn't so attractive anymore.

My grandmother helped put one of my uncles through college by working at JC Penney. He was the last child, so she kept at it as long as my grandfather kept working. The whole house was furnished with Penney's stuff and she'd get all sorts of deals when the floor manager wanted to get rid of the last of something. She bought so many towels that way that a good number of them outlived her without even being used yet.

Back then, you could get quality merchandise at Penney's (and Sears).

[beelzepug]

My grandfather - dead more than fifty years, now, rest his bones - was a J.C. Penney manager in various locations around the western states during the ‘20s and ‘30s. He did start-ups of new stores; most towns of any size had a local Penney’s in those days. Sometimes he would be sent to a poorly-performing store to get it back on track. I sincerely hope he can’t see what has happened to the company he worked so hard for.

[yarddog]

Yes I remember their tools. Their brand name was “Penncraft”. They were comparable in both cost and quality with “Craftsman”.

I can’t recall if they had a firearms brand similar to Sears’ J.C. Higgins.

[kempster]

Guess their target market is not the 25-44 crowd. Finally, someone catering to the 70 and above people.

[RaginRak]

Too Late to save a sinking ship

[BerryDingle]

Maybe if they use Mitt Romney to model their suits, that may help.

[Bigg Red]

Amen!

I am done with them!

[vladimir998]

“They used to have a good bra section back when I was in grade school.”

Don’t lie. They didn’t have bras or catalogs that long ago.

[stinkerpot65]

JC Penny's Cover Girl

[PAR35]

They went gay under Johnson. They’ve been trying to undo the damage he caused. Still not clear if it’s going to work for them, but they’ve certainly toned down the Gay C. Penney’s ads.

In related news, the local churches announced today that they had enough signatures on a petition to force a repeal referendum on the gay rights ordinance shoved down the local citizen’s throats by the Black mayor and his minions.

[Chickensoup]

That looks great!

[ViLaLuz]

Another opportunity to shove homosexual models pretending to be happy in our faces.