Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Apparently, the appeal to the gay market didn't work. Why would it? 2% of the population probably shouldn't be the focus of any retailer.

Personally, I think Penny & Sears both need to get out of malls and go Wal-Mart. The roots of both companies are discount retail, both known in time past as blue-collar stores. Sears is positioned for that if they'd simply reflag their K-Marts as Sears stores. Sears has always been known as better quality than K-Mart.

1 posted on 08/13/2013 5:03:47 AM PDT by xzins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies ]


To: xzins

“Personally, I think Penny & Sears both need to get out of malls and go Wal-Mart. The roots of both companies are discount retail, both known in time past as blue-collar stores. Sears is positioned for that if they’d simply reflag their K-Marts as Sears stores. Sears has always been known as better quality than K-Mart.”

That’s some of the best business advice I could imagine given the situation. Too bad you’re not on the board. Attempting to go Starbucks to attract the young an hip was beyond stupid. I’ve heard of rebranding, but you can’t rebrand a pig as a cow. You need to find better markets for the pig, not lust after steak you can’t produce.


2 posted on 08/13/2013 5:10:42 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

I’ve dug things out of dumpsters that were better quality than K-Mart.


4 posted on 08/13/2013 5:20:09 AM PDT by IronJack (=)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

J.C. Penney? I’ve erased that name from my consumer index.


5 posted on 08/13/2013 5:26:06 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

K-Mart is the pits. It is easily the dirtiest store in our town and the employees look like they are short a few brain cells.


6 posted on 08/13/2013 5:26:07 AM PDT by caver (Obama: Home of the Whopper)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

These blood-sucking activists should be shown the door. In fact, they shouldn’t be allowed in the door. The founders of U.S. companies should never take their businesses public. It often leads to misery by the parasites that feed off the ideas and effort of others.


7 posted on 08/13/2013 5:27:17 AM PDT by txrefugee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

I’ve noticed a considerable improvement at JCP in the last few months. Salespeople seem happier, too.


8 posted on 08/13/2013 5:48:05 AM PDT by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins

That is good advice. I agree that Sears has a much better brand name than K Mart.

I cringe at even going to K-Mart. I do not even look at their ads anymore.

Target, Walmart, and Kohls are the stores I frequent now.


12 posted on 08/13/2013 6:57:39 AM PDT by rawhide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: xzins
Personally, I think Penny & Sears both need to get out of malls and go Wal-Mart.

The right idea, but probably too late.

Walmart has spent billions on automation and strategic planning to shave every last penny off their cost of goods - there is no real way for any competitor to match them strictly on price. Competitors have to bring the same approach by putting smaller stores in "underserved" markets where people might not notice that the prices are a dollar or two higher than Walmart. Sears and JCP are big box stores that tend to be located in Walmart neighborhoods, already - places where they also have Kohl's and Target to deal with.

It's understandable that JCP tried to go up instead of down, but the middle class is shrinking so fast there isn't much "up" left to chase. Ron Johnson's plan might have worked in 2004 - but he failed to understand that the actions and attitudes of Obama and his 60's radical cohorts have slammed the door on upwardly mobile people.

13 posted on 08/13/2013 7:01:06 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson