My step son worked there for a short time. One day, I had to go see him there to hand him a car key...it happened to be a day or two before father’s day.
As soon as I entered the store, the sales people approached me. I said no thanks, just dropping something off...but it was like a bad late night skit. I couldn’t move 10 feet without being approached again. I was trying to move fast and not make eye contact...but the salesmen kept coming...and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. I think, by the time I finally found him, every salesperson in the store had talked to me.
So I asked him about it. He said they were required to get 3 ‘no’ answers from a customer. So when I said ‘no thanks’, they were required to re-phrase the offer of help at least 2 more times before going away. And, being next to Father’s day, they had anticipated a large crowd (but they didn’t) and had a huge staff that day. It was a tragic comedy.
As I was in the store, the manager walked by, with a big cardboard sign. He was replacing the 10% off storewide sign with a 20% off storewide sign - and as Dave Ramsey would say, he smelled desperate.
After that experience, I had a notion their days were numbered.
They’ve been burning through cash (at least up until recently).
Johnson really screwed this retailer up. Thinking they’re going to seek Bankruptcy protection before long.
I was in Penney’s a few weeks ago to buy sneakers. I couldn’t find a soul to help me; and there seemed to be only one manned checkout location per floor, with long lines at each of them.
-JT
I believe it. Somewhere I once worked required 3 refusals to 3 products (from a list of 12?), nine total noes, before actually assisting a customer with what they wanted.
Thanks for the great story. JC Penney was the main store of millionaires in the 1990’s. Not any more. The lack of morality in ads is crushing its business. Sad.