As a JCP associate, I'll let you guys know what's going down. Keep in mind that I certainly don't know everything, so I will put anything that is based on my own assumptions and guesstimations of the economic flow in parenthesis, and simply let you know what I have been told by management. Keep in mind the parenthesis information does NOT reflect what JCP as a whole believes or is actually doing.
JCP is morphing into a department store geared to the 18-45 crowd. (Why is this happening? Likely because, as many people in the younger generations have told me while shopping there recently, they always thought that JCP was "farty and boring". Now that they see more name-brands and clothing similar, yet very reasonably priced, to stores like J Crew, they're more willing to shop there. Also, it's important to note that this younger generation is now the "disposible income" generation. JCP is likely moving towards what this "disposible income" generation like, since they will become the high yielders while the older generation is likely living on a budgeting income. This has been somewhat detrimental because JCP did lose some of their followers who loved brands like Alfred Dunner and St. John's Bay. Keep in mind that this is the average, and there are MANY exceptions. I have talked to younger crowd people who don't like the change, mainly because of lack of public coupons, yet have talked to the older generation who love the no-hassle shopping experience.)
JCP attempted to move away from advertising sales and discounts. Instead, we take out the middle man of calculation from retail, sale price, clearance, and everything in between. Each and every item in our store has either a red or blue sticker. Red stickers indicate our JCP best price, which is anywhere from 20%-60% off retail value. Red stickers that say "clearance" or our old blue stickers are our clearance price, which is 60%-90% off retail. However, we have been moving back into the marketing of sales and discounts, hence the 30%-60% clearance advertisements, which comes off of our JCP sale price, NOT retail.
There are no more public coupons, except for the occasional promotion our CEO will send out to JCP customer. Instead, we utilize our JCP Rewards program. For JCP cardholders, it is essentially a 10% cash back in the form of $10 coupons, redeemable at every $100, up to $100 worth of coupons of month. For example, I spent $550 dollars last month. Right now, I currently have $50 worth of coupons to use for this month! If you are not a JCP cardholder, you can still sign up for our Rewards program with up to 2-3 credit/debit cards. However, you will only be able to earn one $10 off coupon, after spending the $100 in a month.
Some thing may seem expensive compared to other store or based on our previous prices. This is because of NEW brandnames and higher quality items. We now sell a lot more made in the USA items, which are obviously more expensive than imported items from China, Thailand, etc. It is important to note that for many of our items, the everyday prices are less than the average everyday prices at comparing department stores. It just seems more expensive because you don't see a calculated markdown on your receipt, or because you feel like things aren't a good deal without a coupon deduction, or because maybe another department store has a doorbuster from 7am-1 pm on a Saturday on a similar item for $2 less. (I mean really. We sell Cashmere sweaters through our JCP brand. My mom just bought two, 100% Cashmere sweaters on clearance for $14 EACH!! Where can you get a great deal like that?! My mom bought a 100% Cashmere scarf at Lord and Taylor for $99)
Also, JCP is in the process of bringing in interesting stores, like coffee shops, smoothie bars, having yoga and health classes, etc. We even offer free WiFi! JCP is not only going to become a department store, but one of you're favorite hangout places, kinda like what bookstores do.
Now, personal opinion time: Will JCP be able to keep this up? I honestly don't know. I'm simply a college student who's been working there part time for 4+ years, so I likely won't be there for the long term. It is a social experiment that no big department store has ever done before. To go from an old-fashioned department store to a modern one is difficult, and by no means easy. We will lose some and gain some. Only time will tell. JCP is ever evolving, and DOES take your comments and opinions to heart. We are constantly up to date with the market around us, and I have seen us drop our everyday prices after a week if the company realizes that a comparable item at a similar department store winds up being less than what we originally advertised it as.
It seems like more than ever people are adverse to change. The older crowd of JCP shoppers seem to not like the modern changes: handheld registers, having receipts e-mailed, paying with PayPal. The younger crowd (and lots of mesmerized kids who go "WOW! You're ringing this up with an iPod?! That's SO COOL!") is embracing it. Stores must move with the times. I even chuckle when I see other clothing stores utilizing JCP's marketing strategy, or handheld registers, because I know my store was one of the first to really use it. We're still working out the kinks, so give the store a chance. You don't like it? Feel free to send a POLITE e-mail to our CEO, who does read through many of them, and if he doesn't personally, other higher-ups will. He does take each and every one to heart. Everyone has their opinions and JCP as a company values each and every one!
Oh, also back to the credit card topic at hand: Many people haven't been seeing CLI as often as they use to or as heavily as other store do. I mean even I have noticed a difference when opening up the charge card for people. Before the changes, people were getting a larger width of credit limits (anywhere from $200 as the lowest to $9000 as the highest i've seen). Now, I assume it was after the changes, they have become more conservative (lowest I've approved is $500 while the highest anyone can get instantly approved is $2000). JCP card does reward favorably for frequent, heavy usage (both CLI wise and coupon wise!). I recently increased my limit last week from $3600 to $5100, after putting through maybe $1200 on my card just in the past two months. YMMV.
One more thing: make sure to use your JCP card at LEAST one a year. A year of inactivity will result in account closure. Like a previous poster mentioned, yes, you can use your card at CVS and RiteAid! 
Personally, I had not been inside a JC Penney for at least two decades (back when I still lived with my parents) my mother shopped there frequently. I must admit that I also worked there one holiday season when I was in high school 
Needless to say, I associated the stores with older, outdated styles.
When I started my rebuilding last year, they sent me a pre-approval - it sat on my desk for almost a month before I mailed it in ( couldn't shake the image of all that polyester )
I was happy but slightly embarrassed when I received my card. I used it once for a wedding gift and during that trip to the store I was pleasantly surprised. i could see there was a change in product line, culture and the employees ( thanking me for being a JCP customer). I had heard about their new policy -before I was a cardholder - referencing non gimmick pricing/sales. I was lucky enough to double my CL 3months after getting my card and I will try again in 3 -4 months. I hope they do manage to keep afloat because our economy does not need another retailer going out of business. Maybe their ideas/plans will work on drawing in the crowd that would offset those who left.
Right now I am thankful (no longer embarrassed) for the opportunity they gave me and hope that my CL continues to increase.
@daybreakgonesXe wrote:As a JCP associate, I'll let you guys know what's going down. Keep in mind that I certainly don't know everything, so I will put anything that is based on my own assumptions and guesstimations of the economic flow in parenthesis, and simply let you know what I have been told by management. Keep in mind the parenthesis information does NOT reflect what JCP as a whole believes or is actually doing.
JCP is morphing into a department store geared to the 18-45 crowd. (Why is this happening? Likely because, as many people in the younger generations have told me while shopping there recently, they always thought that JCP was "farty and boring". Now that they see more name-brands and clothing similar, yet very reasonably priced, to stores like J Crew, they're more willing to shop there. Also, it's important to note that this younger generation is now the "disposible income" generation. JCP is likely moving towards what this "disposible income" generation like, since they will become the high yielders while the older generation is likely living on a budgeting income. This has been somewhat detrimental because JCP did lose some of their followers who loved brands like Alfred Dunner and St. John's Bay. Keep in mind that this is the average, and there are MANY exceptions. I have talked to younger crowd people who don't like the change, mainly because of lack of public coupons, yet have talked to the older generation who love the no-hassle shopping experience.)
JCP attempted to move away from advertising sales and discounts. Instead, we take out the middle man of calculation from retail, sale price, clearance, and everything in between. Each and every item in our store has either a red or blue sticker. Red stickers indicate our JCP best price, which is anywhere from 20%-60% off retail value. Red stickers that say "clearance" or our old blue stickers are our clearance price, which is 60%-90% off retail. However, we have been moving back into the marketing of sales and discounts, hence the 30%-60% clearance advertisements, which comes off of our JCP sale price, NOT retail.
There are no more public coupons, except for the occasional promotion our CEO will send out to JCP customer. Instead, we utilize our JCP Rewards program. For JCP cardholders, it is essentially a 10% cash back in the form of $10 coupons, redeemable at every $100, up to $100 worth of coupons of month. For example, I spent $550 dollars last month. Right now, I currently have $50 worth of coupons to use for this month! If you are not a JCP cardholder, you can still sign up for our Rewards program with up to 2-3 credit/debit cards. However, you will only be able to earn one $10 off coupon, after spending the $100 in a month.
Some thing may seem expensive compared to other store or based on our previous prices. This is because of NEW brandnames and higher quality items. We now sell a lot more made in the USA items, which are obviously more expensive than imported items from China, Thailand, etc. It is important to note that for many of our items, the everyday prices are less than the average everyday prices at comparing department stores. It just seems more expensive because you don't see a calculated markdown on your receipt, or because you feel like things aren't a good deal without a coupon deduction, or because maybe another department store has a doorbuster from 7am-1 pm on a Saturday on a similar item for $2 less. (I mean really. We sell Cashmere sweaters through our JCP brand. My mom just bought two, 100% Cashmere sweaters on clearance for $14 EACH!! Where can you get a great deal like that?! My mom bought a 100% Cashmere scarf at Lord and Taylor for $99)
Also, JCP is in the process of bringing in interesting stores, like coffee shops, smoothie bars, having yoga and health classes, etc. We even offer free WiFi! JCP is not only going to become a department store, but one of you're favorite hangout places, kinda like what bookstores do.
Now, personal opinion time: Will JCP be able to keep this up? I honestly don't know. I'm simply a college student who's been working there part time for 4+ years, so I likely won't be there for the long term. It is a social experiment that no big department store has ever done before. To go from an old-fashioned department store to a modern one is difficult, and by no means easy. We will lose some and gain some. Only time will tell. JCP is ever evolving, and DOES take your comments and opinions to heart. We are constantly up to date with the market around us, and I have seen us drop our everyday prices after a week if the company realizes that a comparable item at a similar department store winds up being less than what we originally advertised it as.
It seems like more than ever people are adverse to change. The older crowd of JCP shoppers seem to not like the modern changes: handheld registers, having receipts e-mailed, paying with PayPal. The younger crowd (and lots of mesmerized kids who go "WOW! You're ringing this up with an iPod?! That's SO COOL!") is embracing it. Stores must move with the times. I even chuckle when I see other clothing stores utilizing JCP's marketing strategy, or handheld registers, because I know my store was one of the first to really use it. We're still working out the kinks, so give the store a chance. You don't like it? Feel free to send a POLITE e-mail to our CEO, who does read through many of them, and if he doesn't personally, other higher-ups will. He does take each and every one to heart. Everyone has their opinions and JCP as a company values each and every one!
Oh, also back to the credit card topic at hand: Many people haven't been seeing CLI as often as they use to or as heavily as other store do. I mean even I have noticed a difference when opening up the charge card for people. Before the changes, people were getting a larger width of credit limits (anywhere from $200 as the lowest to $9000 as the highest i've seen). Now, I assume it was after the changes, they have become more conservative (lowest I've approved is $500 while the highest anyone can get instantly approved is $2000). JCP card does reward favorably for frequent, heavy usage (both CLI wise and coupon wise!). I recently increased my limit last week from $3600 to $5100, after putting through maybe $1200 on my card just in the past two months. YMMV.
One more thing: make sure to use your JCP card at LEAST one a year. A year of inactivity will result in account closure. Like a previous poster mentioned, yes, you can use your card at CVS and RiteAid!
Thanks for the info... very informative! And that explains why the rewards program suddenly seemed to be beefed up. I used to expect a $10 coupon if I reached a certain monthly spending threshold. I had an upsurge in my spending Oct through late Nov, and in Dec I suddenly had $60 worth of rewards coupons available -- plus an additional $15 birthday certificate. I was scratching my head over it, but a CSR that I spoke with informed me that my rewards were accurate. By combining the rewards, I wound up buying an $85 dollar set of sheets for $10, which made me really happy!!!
As for CLIs, my card has grown steadily and I received a CLI as recently as three months ago.
FWIW, I'm 51. I'm not adverse to change, if the change is for the better. I like being able to pay with PayPal, access my accounts on wireless devices, receiving electronic statements or receipts and such. But then again, I've been in an IT related field my whole career, so embracing technological changes are just a normal part of life for me.
All in all, I'm a happy customer and hope to continue doing business with JCP for a long time to come. 
Current Scores: EQ 775 (03/04/2014), EX 756 (03/01/2014), TU 760 (03/01/2014)
Ruby Spade Garden Club Member - Last App: 03/04/2013 - No apps until 2014
Cards: Cap1 Venture 6.4k, Cap1 Quicksilver MC 1.75k, BankAmericard 1-2-3 Visa Signature - UCF Alumni Association 5k, Discover 7k, Citi Diamond Preferred MC 10.35k, Wells Fargo Rewards Visa 7k, Chase Freedom 5k, Chase Ink 7.5k, Amex Green NPSL, Dillard's Amex 7.5k, JC Penney 7.5k, Kay Jeweler's 5.1k
@Jutz wrote:I like the rebranding. I had never considered JCP for really any reason before. Maybe it's a combination of me getting older and needing more professional attire, but in the last year I've found myself using JCP as my go-to if I need to pick up a shirt for work, or similar. I've found the quality of the JCP brand, especially for dress attire, is startlingly high, while the price remains relatively low, especially considering alternative stores, like Macy's.
I buy my DH's clothes from JCP, but he mainly wears Dockers, jeans and polo type shirts, and JCP has reasonable prices for these types of items.
Current Scores: EQ 775 (03/04/2014), EX 756 (03/01/2014), TU 760 (03/01/2014)
Ruby Spade Garden Club Member - Last App: 03/04/2013 - No apps until 2014
Cards: Cap1 Venture 6.4k, Cap1 Quicksilver MC 1.75k, BankAmericard 1-2-3 Visa Signature - UCF Alumni Association 5k, Discover 7k, Citi Diamond Preferred MC 10.35k, Wells Fargo Rewards Visa 7k, Chase Freedom 5k, Chase Ink 7.5k, Amex Green NPSL, Dillard's Amex 7.5k, JC Penney 7.5k, Kay Jeweler's 5.1k
@tinuviel wrote:
@daybreakgonesXe wrote:As a JCP associate, I'll let you guys know what's going down. Keep in mind that I certainly don't know everything, so I will put anything that is based on my own assumptions and guesstimations of the economic flow in parenthesis, and simply let you know what I have been told by management. Keep in mind the parenthesis information does NOT reflect what JCP as a whole believes or is actually doing.
JCP is morphing into a department store geared to the 18-45 crowd. (Why is this happening? Likely because, as many people in the younger generations have told me while shopping there recently, they always thought that JCP was "farty and boring". Now that they see more name-brands and clothing similar, yet very reasonably priced, to stores like J Crew, they're more willing to shop there. Also, it's important to note that this younger generation is now the "disposible income" generation. JCP is likely moving towards what this "disposible income" generation like, since they will become the high yielders while the older generation is likely living on a budgeting income. This has been somewhat detrimental because JCP did lose some of their followers who loved brands like Alfred Dunner and St. John's Bay. Keep in mind that this is the average, and there are MANY exceptions. I have talked to younger crowd people who don't like the change, mainly because of lack of public coupons, yet have talked to the older generation who love the no-hassle shopping experience.)
JCP attempted to move away from advertising sales and discounts. Instead, we take out the middle man of calculation from retail, sale price, clearance, and everything in between. Each and every item in our store has either a red or blue sticker. Red stickers indicate our JCP best price, which is anywhere from 20%-60% off retail value. Red stickers that say "clearance" or our old blue stickers are our clearance price, which is 60%-90% off retail. However, we have been moving back into the marketing of sales and discounts, hence the 30%-60% clearance advertisements, which comes off of our JCP sale price, NOT retail.
There are no more public coupons, except for the occasional promotion our CEO will send out to JCP customer. Instead, we utilize our JCP Rewards program. For JCP cardholders, it is essentially a 10% cash back in the form of $10 coupons, redeemable at every $100, up to $100 worth of coupons of month. For example, I spent $550 dollars last month. Right now, I currently have $50 worth of coupons to use for this month! If you are not a JCP cardholder, you can still sign up for our Rewards program with up to 2-3 credit/debit cards. However, you will only be able to earn one $10 off coupon, after spending the $100 in a month.
Some thing may seem expensive compared to other store or based on our previous prices. This is because of NEW brandnames and higher quality items. We now sell a lot more made in the USA items, which are obviously more expensive than imported items from China, Thailand, etc. It is important to note that for many of our items, the everyday prices are less than the average everyday prices at comparing department stores. It just seems more expensive because you don't see a calculated markdown on your receipt, or because you feel like things aren't a good deal without a coupon deduction, or because maybe another department store has a doorbuster from 7am-1 pm on a Saturday on a similar item for $2 less. (I mean really. We sell Cashmere sweaters through our JCP brand. My mom just bought two, 100% Cashmere sweaters on clearance for $14 EACH!! Where can you get a great deal like that?! My mom bought a 100% Cashmere scarf at Lord and Taylor for $99)
Also, JCP is in the process of bringing in interesting stores, like coffee shops, smoothie bars, having yoga and health classes, etc. We even offer free WiFi! JCP is not only going to become a department store, but one of you're favorite hangout places, kinda like what bookstores do.
Now, personal opinion time: Will JCP be able to keep this up? I honestly don't know. I'm simply a college student who's been working there part time for 4+ years, so I likely won't be there for the long term. It is a social experiment that no big department store has ever done before. To go from an old-fashioned department store to a modern one is difficult, and by no means easy. We will lose some and gain some. Only time will tell. JCP is ever evolving, and DOES take your comments and opinions to heart. We are constantly up to date with the market around us, and I have seen us drop our everyday prices after a week if the company realizes that a comparable item at a similar department store winds up being less than what we originally advertised it as.
It seems like more than ever people are adverse to change. The older crowd of JCP shoppers seem to not like the modern changes: handheld registers, having receipts e-mailed, paying with PayPal. The younger crowd (and lots of mesmerized kids who go "WOW! You're ringing this up with an iPod?! That's SO COOL!") is embracing it. Stores must move with the times. I even chuckle when I see other clothing stores utilizing JCP's marketing strategy, or handheld registers, because I know my store was one of the first to really use it. We're still working out the kinks, so give the store a chance. You don't like it? Feel free to send a POLITE e-mail to our CEO, who does read through many of them, and if he doesn't personally, other higher-ups will. He does take each and every one to heart. Everyone has their opinions and JCP as a company values each and every one!
Oh, also back to the credit card topic at hand: Many people haven't been seeing CLI as often as they use to or as heavily as other store do. I mean even I have noticed a difference when opening up the charge card for people. Before the changes, people were getting a larger width of credit limits (anywhere from $200 as the lowest to $9000 as the highest i've seen). Now, I assume it was after the changes, they have become more conservative (lowest I've approved is $500 while the highest anyone can get instantly approved is $2000). JCP card does reward favorably for frequent, heavy usage (both CLI wise and coupon wise!). I recently increased my limit last week from $3600 to $5100, after putting through maybe $1200 on my card just in the past two months. YMMV.
One more thing: make sure to use your JCP card at LEAST one a year. A year of inactivity will result in account closure. Like a previous poster mentioned, yes, you can use your card at CVS and RiteAid!
Thanks for the info... very informative! And that explains why the rewards program suddenly seemed to be beefed up. I used to expect a $10 coupon if I reached a certain monthly spending threshold. I had an upsurge in my spending Oct through late Nov, and in Dec I suddenly had $60 worth of rewards coupons available -- plus an additional $15 birthday certificate. I was scratching my head over it, but a CSR that I spoke with informed me that my rewards were accurate. By combining the rewards, I wound up buying an $85 dollar set of sheets for $10, which made me really happy!!!
As for CLIs, my card has grown steadily and I received a CLI as recently as three months ago.
FWIW, I'm 51. I'm not adverse to change, if the change is for the better. I like being able to pay with PayPal, access my accounts on wireless devices, receiving electronic statements or receipts and such. But then again, I've been in an IT related field my whole career, so embracing technological changes are just a normal part of life for me.
All in all, I'm a happy customer and hope to continue doing business with JCP for a long time to come.
Glad to hear you're one of surprisingly many who enjoys the new changes 
I know I used a lot of generalizations, and obviously they don't apply to everybody! I think they beefed up the rewards program due to the "WHY AREN'T THERE ANY MORE COUPONS?!" complaints XD I'm very happy over the increased rewards, especially since we're rewarding our frequent customers more than we EVER had as a company!
Keep an eye out for the new changes, and you MUST check out our handheld registers (either called Mobile POS (iPad) or Libby (iPod))! We scan everything through the handheld system and swipe your card directly through! Especially useful if you're stuck on line, since we don't need to be behind a counter! I have many customers who look at the long line and the used-up registers, and as soon as I come up and ask "is anybody paying credit or debit?" many relieve, perplexed, and amazed faces watch me ring up their items with ease and be out of there in no time with either a receipt e-mailed, printed at a nearby register, or both! Pretty soon it'll be the norm, while computer registers will be freed up for cash purchases or other customer service services, such as returns, catalog, and CC payments!
