Lois Martin Marketing

I love retail. I’m fascinated by it. It all began with my first job at a drugstore in my hometown. Once in college, I chose a major in retail advertising and marketing to launch my career. After several years as an advertising copywriter for a popular regional department store chain I moved into advertising sales and my love for the world of the merchant continued. Now I appreciate the opportunity to advise several independent restaurants and shops here in the Atlanta area.

From the glitz and glam of fashion shows, to the mad dashes of shoppers early on the morning after Thanksgiving, to the arrival of the Internet, I’ve seen much during my career. Along with seeing names such as Amazon appear, I’ve seen names such as Rich’s and Marshall Field disappear.

As I’ve watched retail through the years, some things have become apparent. They are not only key to success in retail — They are key to success in every business … and in every life. First, stay true to yourself and have confidence in who you are. Second, the winds may blow but you should never bend to their every whim. Third, remember where you came from and who and what brought you to where you are.

Among my work in retail was a part-time job as a sales associate for JC Penney. I came to admire the company as well as the local management team and appreciated their consistent quality of merchandise and wonderful customer service. After leaving the job I continued to shop at the store for a while … then began to see the changes. Yes, some were due to the economy but I sensed — and could see — something deeper. It was not just at that particular store but other locations as well. A lapse in merchandise selection. And more importantly, a lapse in caring, concern and service. From locked dressing rooms to cluttered racks to unmanned registers to confusing floor layouts to aging interiors. It was clear they didn’t care anymore.

After giving JC Penney every benefit of the doubt — and every opportunity to keep my business — I walked away.

After the holiday season in late 2011, they chose to re-emerge as a strangely rebranded “JCP”. No more coupons. No more “inflated pricing”. A new model. And, at least by today’s Wall Street reports, it’s a model that’s fallen as flat as the JCP brand. A $163 million net loss in the last quarter and the talk of more stores being shuttered.

There is the argument that coupons are the “bait” to attract consistent traffic that results in additional purchases. But I tend to disagree. I’ve come to think of them as a “one time thing” for the retailer — or that particular brand of pizza in the grocery store freezer. That is, unless you win me over with a tasty high-quality product, and in the case of a retailer, “tasty” high-quality service. I appreciate a valuable coupon as much as the next person. But I no longer would see “value” — in its truest sense — in a JCP coupon. They lost the deepest, most important “value” to me a long time ago.

Yes, they are JCP. And if they go away, yes I’ll be sad and I’ll be concerned for lost jobs and the loss of any remaining economic impact they have in the communities they serve.

But I won’t miss JCP. Because JCP is not JC Penney. They have lost James Cash Penney’s vision. As it stands now the chain should hide behind initials — and not carry his name until they regain it.

It will be wonderful if they can do so. And become a true quality and service-minded retailer once again. It’s happened before.

Once again, here I go giving them the benefit of the doubt!

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