We don't want to, but customers demand it. Far too many of them just won't buy unless they feel like they are getting a bargain (just as they feel like Obama cares about them), even if they know better intellectually. Emotion rules in retail, these days...
JC Penney made a huge mistake with flat pricing. People would rather buy a $39 item marked down to $19 than the exact same item with a flat $15 price tag.
Kohls is the champion at that “discount” game, for sure.
I see JCP on a glide path to oblivion, along with Sears and Kmart.