America’s Families Can Give With Pride… JCPenney Gifts Offers Department Store Style and Quality at Affordable Prices
Compelling Gift Assortment and Focus on Ease and Convenience Reinforce JCPenney’s Position as America’s “Gift Headquarters
PLANO, Texas (Nov. 18, 2008) – J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP) today announced the launch of its Christmas gift program, assisting customers in celebrating the joy of giving this season by offering America’s most affordable and convenient shopping options. With a selection of high-quality gifts – all at a great price – along with a superior shopping experience, JCPenney once again reinforces why it is the gift headquarters for Middle America.
“Serving more than half of the households in America each year, JCPenney has long been a destination for Middle America and more than ever, our customers are looking to shop smart for their gift ideas this season,” said Ken Hicks, president and chief merchandising officer for JCPenney. “With our compelling assortment of innovative, high-quality gifts at affordable prices, along with our convenient shopping options and dedicated Associates, we’re making it easier than ever to shop for a special gift customers can be proud to give this Christmas.”
Easily Find the Gifts Topping Everyone’s Wish List:
JCPenney is a convenient one-stop shopping destination this season with its selection of high-quality gifts at affordable prices for everyone on our customers’ Christmas list:
• “red box gifts™” Are The Best and Brightest – Featuring 60 of the best and brightest gifts to give and get this Christmas, JCPenney’s red box gifts™ collection – available in-store, online at jcp.com and via catalog – once again takes JCPenney’s gift assortment to a new level with items such as a 2GB mp3 player, Sharper Image digital photo keychain, pet’s view camera, and the My Sports Gaming System, a 5-in-1 interactive sports game system with wireless remote controls that responds to your movement.
• Must-have Brands Make the Perfect Gift – Customers are sure to find the perfect gift with JCPenney’s selection of today’s must-have brands. Along with its Sephora inside JCPenney and American Living concepts, JCPenney carries national brands such as Levi’s, Nike, and adidas; private brands including Linden Street and Decree; and exclusive brands such as Fabulosity by Kimora Lee Simmons and nicole by Nicole Miller.
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JCPenney at Your Service – JCPenney’s convenient in-store services make it easy for customers to celebrate this season. Customers can create a greeting card at one of JCPenney’s portrait studios, enhance their home for the holiday season with a new look from JCPenney’s custom decorating department, or visit a JCPenney salon to ensure they’ll look their best for any holiday party. Additionally, JCPenney’s online Santa registry offers a convenient way for parents to upload their children’s wish list to Santa for family and friends. And for further added convenience, gifts bought via catalog or on jcp.com can be gift wrapped, while select gifts can also be personalized using JCPenney’s monogramming and engraving services.
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Gift Cards and E-Gift Cards – The Ultimate One-Size-Fits-All Gift: – JCPenney gift cards never expire and are redeemable for any JCPenney purchase. For true last-minute gift purchases, jcp.com offers the ultimate in speed and convenience: e-gift cards. Once purchased, an e-gift card usually lands in a customers’ e-mail inbox in a matter of hours and can be forwarded to a recipient to use for online purchases or printed out to use in stores.
Christmas Shopping Made Easier, Exciting and More Engaging at JCPenney:
Shoppers visiting JCPenney this season will find convenient shopping options and dedicated Associates committed to providing superior customer service:
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Santa’s Little Helpers – Decked out in easy-to-spot red aprons and Santa Claus hats, “red box gift™” Associates selected based on their excellence in customer service and trained in JCPenney’s gift program will be on hand to assist store customers in finding that special gift. Furthermore, this year JCPenney’s 155,000 Associates participated in a training program focused on delivering extraordinary customer service called CustomerFIRST, which empowers Associates to exceed customers’ expectations every time they shop with us.
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Convenient Shopping Choices – JCPenney’s unique pairing of mall and off-mall stores, along with its online store, jcp.com, and robust catalog options, makes shopping for gifts even easier this season. Most items bought online or via catalog can easily be shipped to any local JCPenney store for pick-up, conveniently saving customers time and money during this busy shopping season. Customers can also enjoy easy returns receiving an immediate refund as well as free return shipping for any online or catalog purchase returned to any of JCPenney’s more than 1400 catalog desks locations, which include the Company’s 1,093 stores.
• Know Before You Go – Customers can save time, gas – and even the environment this season with jcp.com’s convenient “Know Before You Go” features. Before ever leaving home, customers can easily check jcp.com to see which items are on sale that week via the online weekly sales circulars and then check to see if an item is in stock at their local store. Additionally, jcp.com’s new weekly newscast, “What’s In Store,” at www.jcp.com/whatsinstore, will highlight for customers various gift ideas throughout the store.
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More Time to Shop – In addition to a 4 a.m. opening on the day after Thanksgiving, JCPenney will feature special store hours throughout the season, providing shoppers even more time to complete their Christmas shopping.
Last week, JCPenney also launched a seasonal integrated marketing campaign, highlighting its affordable gift assortment while inspiring customers to celebrate the joy of giving this season. The campaign incorporates pre-print, direct mail, national television ads, radio, online and email components as well as non-traditional media elements, such as in-cinema ads and mobile phone marketing.
For further information contact:
JCPenney Corporate Communications (business and trade media relations):
Rebecca Winter, Quinton Crenshaw or Kate Parkhouse; 972-431-3400; jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com
JCPenney Brand Publicity (lifestyle media relations):
Kelly Fordyce (fashion); 972-431-8998; kfordyce@jcpenney.com or Stephanie Brown (home); 972-431-3268; smbrown@jcpenney.com
About JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,093 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of approximately $19.9 billion in 2007 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company's 155,000 Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with JCPenney. For more information visit www.jcpenney.net.