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Apple Retail Chief Ron Johnson Departing to Lead J.C. Penney [Updated]

DoofenshmirtzEI

DoofenshmirtzEI

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2011
862
713
I don't know about the "customer experience" in the Apple stores. I went in to pick up an iPad that I placed a reservation for, but instead of just ringing me up so I could be on my way, I had to wait 15 minutes for an associate to be free so that he could waste his time trying to upsell me. He got bad numbers from me, and I got mad waiting around for my iPad.
 
G

Garand

macrumors member
Jun 5, 2006
56
0
Women make 80% to 90% of the household buying decisions. If Penny's can cater to their needs (convenience, quality, value (not low cost necessarily) then Penny's will do just fine.
 
Mattie Num Nums

Mattie Num Nums

macrumors 68030
Mar 5, 2009
2,834
0
USA
Antares said:
"J.C. Penny....doing it right!"

That bugger of a slogan has been stuck in my head since the 90's. :mad:

It will be interesting to see if Ron can "Applize" the department store business.
Click to expand...

You mean "Gapize". Because thats what Apple did. They took the Gap, BR, Pottery Barn, and the Ritz Carltons model and turned it into Apple Retail. Ron was the brains behind it and it worked to perfection.
 
R

reden

macrumors 6502a
Aug 30, 2006
716
824
Well, hopefully J.C. Penney changes its image because right now it isn't looking very good! You walk into those stores, and they look real ghetto.
 
Foxglove9

Foxglove9

macrumors 68000
Jan 14, 2006
1,632
249
New York City
As someone who works for Penney's I am very excited to hear this news!

The company is profitable, but it has been trying to target a younger/modern audience lately, and this might just be what they need.
 
M

macthetiger85

macrumors regular
Apr 28, 2007
125
0
Baton Rouge, LA
You heard it here first folks:

Coming to a Penney's near you.

- One to One Personal Shopping
- No more customer service center - instead a bunch of people running around in blue shirts
- iPads everywhere letting you pick out your outfit with FaceTime camera (so it's you on the iPad) and then showing you where to find all of the pieces.
- Here's my favorite - The Taylor Bar [TM]

This could work - just watch out for the white ninja, he might try to "covertly" drive in to the store!
 
Foxglove9

Foxglove9

macrumors 68000
Jan 14, 2006
1,632
249
New York City
macthetiger85 said:
You heard it here first folks:

Coming to a Penney's near you.

- One to One Personal Shopping
- No more customer service center - instead a bunch of people running around in blue shirts
- iPads everywhere letting you pick out your outfit with FaceTime camera (so it's you on the iPad) and then showing you where to find all of the pieces.
- Here's my favorite - The Taylor Bar [TM]

This could work - just watch out for the white ninja, he might try to "covertly" drive in to the store!
Click to expand...

lol not far off...

-they wear red shirts already (rather than blue).
-they have iPads at the fine jewelry center to make orders for customers
-they have giant touchscreen interactive kiosks through the store to browse the jcp website and products
 
Mattie Num Nums

Mattie Num Nums

macrumors 68030
Mar 5, 2009
2,834
0
USA
First thing I would do is rebrand the company to simply J.C.P. JC Penney has way to much baggage attached to the name. New short name, new CEO, new image. Its exactly the same formula Ron used at Target. He rebranded the entire company and its effect is still lasting and in effect today.
 
A

ABernardoJr

macrumors 6502
Dec 19, 2006
364
0
DoofenshmirtzEI said:
I don't know about the "customer experience" in the Apple stores. I went in to pick up an iPad that I placed a reservation for, but instead of just ringing me up so I could be on my way, I had to wait 15 minutes for an associate to be free so that he could waste his time trying to upsell me. He got bad numbers from me, and I got mad waiting around for my iPad.
Click to expand...

What would you expect, for an associate to leave a customer he or she was talking to just to ring you up? I understand the part about being upset about trying to sell you more things but how can you complain about them not leaving their customers while they're talking? I'd think you'd be upset if you were talking to an associate and he or she just left so the other customer could save 15 whole minutes.
 
HitchHykr

HitchHykr

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2007
542
1
Virginia
Did you guys see the part where he's investing $50M into JC Penney? I hope that doesn't become a new trend, I can imagine my next interview:

Them: "How much can you 'invest' in the company?"
Me: "I can put in 50"
Them: "50 Million?"
Me: "No, 50 bucks"
 
Last edited:
Mattie Num Nums

Mattie Num Nums

macrumors 68030
Mar 5, 2009
2,834
0
USA
HitchHykr said:
Did you guys see the part where he's investing $50M into JC Penney? I hope that doesn't become a new trend, I can imagine my next interview:

Them: "How much can you 'invest' in the company?"
Me: "I can put in 50"
Them: "50 Million?"
Me: "No, 50 bucks"
Click to expand...

Happens a lot with new CEO's. That "investment" usually pays off no matter what happens.
 
Q

qwertme

macrumors newbie
Dec 1, 2004
9
5
50 million$ worth of stock in warrents

As far as I understand it, he isn't putting 50 million on the table today, he is being given the option to buy 50 million $ worth of stock in JC Penny at today's price in 6 years.

I am sure he will do great, but it kind of sucks that they try to spin this as him making an investment in the company when it's actually the company giving him an incentive.
 
I

iOrlando

macrumors 68000
Jul 20, 2008
1,811
1
qwertme said:
As far as I understand it, he isn't putting 50 million on the table today, he is being given the option to buy 50 million $ worth of stock in JC Penny at today's price in 6 years.

I am sure he will do great, but it kind of sucks that they try to spin this as him making an investment in the company when it's actually the company giving him an incentive.
Click to expand...

he's using $50 million of his own money to buy warrants now, which will give him the option to sell stock at a certain price at a certain point in the future. As it stands now, if JCP stock does nothing for 7 years, and remains at its current price, he will make $150+ million on his initial $50 million investment.

what is striking about this is the size. not many people in the position to be CEO of a U.S. brick and mortar retailer have $50 million lying around.
 
T

turd

macrumors newbie
Sep 6, 2008
20
0
focusing on the customer experience rather than simple square footage or sales metrics
Click to expand...

What? When I worked at a location in Vancouver the sales metrics were relentless. Unqualified managers who haven't sold a Mac in their life would sit you down for a talk if you didn't sell enough Applecare or MobileMe. They used intimidation methods if you haven't sold enough… and if you did sell enough they would wave the carrot infront of your face saying you could move up in the company. When the time came to hire new geniuses and creatives they would end up hiring someone even less qualified externally.

Metrics were the biggest part of working in Apple Retail…*they didn't want to lose people who could sell Applecare/MobileMe/ProCare.
 
T

Trauma1

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2009
585
2
qwertme said:
As far as I understand it, he isn't putting 50 million on the table today, he is being given the option to buy 50 million $ worth of stock in JC Penny at today's price in 6 years.

I am sure he will do great, but it kind of sucks that they try to spin this as him making an investment in the company when it's actually the company giving him an incentive.
Click to expand...

It works both ways. He now has a personal financial obligation to keep the stock price higher than what he bought into it at and keep the company/board/shareholders happy.

This is not uncommon.
 
ThunderSkunk

ThunderSkunk

macrumors 68040
Dec 31, 2007
3,823
4,052
Milwaukee Area
1. Maybe he/apple feels like his major contributions have been made, & there's more opportunity to see big results from your work at a new co?

2. At some point, everyone on the Apple team has probably learned what they need to, to continue on with that vision without him ...& his salary. I do wonder if the same thing could be said for Jobs by now.

3. Haven't seen a Penneys since I was a kid. They had an awesome toy department with all the Transformers & Mask toys. And give out andes mints by the millions... fun.
 
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