Kristina sent a message to Marvin R. Ellison – President of J. C. Penney Company Inc.- email address that said:
I am writing to express my frustrations with a recent experience I had at one of your stores. I was at the Mid Rivers location from approximately 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM on Sunday, November 13th. I have not been to JCP in quite a while and after yesterday I remembered why.
The departments I visited were in shambles. (Yes, I know there was a big sale) The first department was shoes. It took me 40 minutes to even find 2 pairs of boots in the size I was looking for. (9 W) Trying to find an associate that was available for the amount of people in the department was fruitless. 2 associates for over 40 people. I left shoes frustrated (without making a purchase) and went to Juniors Plus- There I spent another 40+ minutes trying to actually find anything. The department is co-mingled with Women’s Plus and had what seemed to be the rest of the stores clearance items shoved in the department haphazardly on racks. I find it ironic (seeing as the average woman is a size 14+) that you elect to place the Jr. Plus and Women’s Plus (together) in a very small crammed department whereas the juniors department is from the front of the store to the back, nice neat and organized. I finally found a pair of jeans that were placed by someone in an area where they did not belong, unfortunately they were a bit snug, and so I wanted to go up a size. Trying to find an associate was a joke. When I finally did, she advised me to go to the cashier to see if the size was there or if another store had them. She was too busy chatting with another associate to give me any additional assistance and just walked off. As I was wandering around looking for the check out, I found another associate who simply pointed and said over there when I asked where the checkout was. After wandering again I found it. WOW!! 2 cashiers and 40 plus people in line- No way was I going to stand in that line to find out if they were there or at another location. I took a picture of the tag and just left them sitting. I felt awful just leaving them for an associate to put away (I have worked retail and know the pains of the sloppy consumer), but by that point I was done.
I am both bothered and concerned by the fact that I have read numerous articles that J.C. Penney is struggling to stay afloat, J.C. Penney has cut workers’ hours to cut costs, etc… I feel some of this can be remedied if J.C. Penney associates and buyers remember the customer.
What is perplexing to me as a consumer is this possibly could be prevented by better customer service and a better offering of STYLISH plus size clothing that real women wear. Why is it plus-size consumers are still marginalized at J.C. Penney? I went online today to search for the jeans that I wanted to purchase at J.C. Penney- Go figure—THEY WERE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! They were stylish and cute and reasonably priced. Of course you are going to sell out. This is leaving the plus-size women, who arguably have even fewer fashionable options to choose from finding a great pair of denim pants. I don’t want to wear pull on elastic waist denim with no shape.
After leaving J.C. Penney without making a purchase I went to a shoes store 2 doors down and purchased 2 pairs of boots in 10 minutes ($186.97) and then to Dillards where I was greeted by 3 sales associates and left Dillards after 30 minutes spending $130.00. An online purchase was made today through JCP.com- Sadly, not what I wanted, but hopeful they will work. It just stinks if they don’t and I have paid for shipping and then a trip back to return.
Thank you for your time.
Kristi
