Ron Johnson, Apple’s former retail chief, is looking to revitalize J.C. Penney. A recent article on Reuters and a new ad in the Wall Street Journal hints at what J.C. Penney’s new CEO is up to. Looks like Ron is aiming to bring the same sensibilities he brought to the Apple Store. This is good news and I’m very eager to see what J.C. Penney can do!
In the past 10 years or so, the traditional brick and mortar retailer has been in trouble. The most obvious ones that come to mind are companies like Blockbuster and Best Buy, both of which have had many failings due to missteps in their ability to bring a solid retail experience to customers. Even Walmart has not been immune. The problem stems from two things:
- Isolated pricing and availability between in-store and online inventories
- Lackluster in-store shopping experience
People are tired of the disparate nature between a company’s in-store and online experiences. Why companies don’t tie the two together into a seamless experience baffles me. How do these companies intend to compete with the likes of online only retailers without it? Doesn’t make sense.
People are also tired of the seemingly lackluster shopping experiences that most brick and mortar companies are offering. No one likes to be hassled when they shop nor do they like being toyed with. Bring back the days when customers received true customer service from the retail experience. Give customers a straight-up great shopping experience.
If the results of the Apple Store are any indication, I have a feeling Ron Johnson aims to nail both of these issues with the new and improved J.C. Penney. Might have to do some clothes shopping when they do.
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