Thread Number: 63709  /  Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
JC Penny to start selling large appliances after 33 years!
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Post# 862827   1/19/2016 at 10:47 (2,991 days old) by jetaction (Minneapolis)        

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Trying to compete with Sears, interesting story in the link!

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Post# 862835 , Reply# 1   1/19/2016 at 11:17 (2,991 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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How many people are willing to lug their refrigerator/range/washer/dryer around the store to find a cashier?


Post# 862837 , Reply# 2   1/19/2016 at 11:55 (2,991 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula)        

ROFL


I just arrived here (less than a month ago) and I already noticed it's NIGHTMARE to find a cashier at JC Penny.

I thought it was just me...


Post# 862840 , Reply# 3   1/19/2016 at 12:08 (2,991 days old) by Stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)        

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.
It's an easy way to boost top line revenues by selling more high ticket stuff...not necessarily bottom line profits though.
For the same reason Apple will be selling cars fairly soon.
Anything to keep the stock price up...


Post# 862850 , Reply# 4   1/19/2016 at 12:51 (2,991 days old) by kb0nes (Burnsville, MN)        
compete with Sears

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I'm not sure that is a competition they want to engage in. If JCP just waits a bit the competition may be greatly reduced...

Post# 862855 , Reply# 5   1/19/2016 at 13:13 (2,991 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)        
"are you sure this Penncrest is built to last?"

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Stricklybojack (?) knows what he's talking about. In a department store, big-ticket/low-margin volume has the opposite effect on profit. When I bought TV/Stereo many years ago for a San Francisco-based department store sales for the department were huge but the bottom of the operating statement was all minuses. This was true for most of the hardline areas. The countless expenses of running a huge store are allocated to each department based on sales volume. Ready-to-wear with it's enormous margins is where the profit came from. The major appliance department was one of the first to go followed by my area. I ended up with "Personal Electronics" and somehow phone answering machines and Sony Walkmen didn't have the same "prestige." 

 

I would wish Penny's success in their new venture, a store with a very long history and an interesting past. Over the years they, like Sears, have tried their hand at many endeavors although selling major appliances in certainly nothing new to them. Some of you may be familiar with a dairy company called Foremost. It was started by Penny himself in Florida. "Foremost" was James "Cash" Penny's prize bull. I'll toss this in for interest...back when employers could be dictatorial and ask whatever they wanted to on an application, Mr. Penny forbid any of his stores to hire anyone who owned a dog...go figure.


Post# 862857 , Reply# 6   1/19/2016 at 13:22 (2,991 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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So are they bringing back the Penncrest brand? wink


Post# 862867 , Reply# 7   1/19/2016 at 16:06 (2,991 days old) by washman (o)        
Brings back memories

back in the day, when JCP and Sears put out the big catalogs, we were Pennys shoppers. Dad had a massive thing about Sears, hated them and as a result, we had Pennys Fridge, Ac, Deep Freezer and I grew up in Plain Pocket jeans.

Penncrest............ah what a lovely name.



Post# 862877 , Reply# 8   1/19/2016 at 16:32 (2,991 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
So are they bringing back the Penncrest brand?

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Hopefully only if they bring back the good logo. :-)



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Post# 862880 , Reply# 9   1/19/2016 at 16:37 (2,990 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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Excellent Nate !!!

Post# 863024 , Reply# 10   1/20/2016 at 07:25 (2,990 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

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I've still got a JCP microwave from 1982, a GE made with Toshiba parts. When I got it, I singlehandedly pulled the thing in its box from the hatch of my VW Rabbit. Today it's all I can do to nudge it around the countertop for cleaning. It weighs a TON. Big enough to contain a fullsize turkey, though who in their right mind would attempt to microwave a turkey? Took it halfway apart 4 years ago, the stirrer motor developed a nasty squeal that a drop of oil fixed.

What appliance of ANY kind can you buy today and expect 30+ years of service? Geezis, the fluorescent display is still bright and the clock dead-balls accurate (it's an industry term) (My Cousin Vinny).

I only 'cook' meatloaf, scrambled eggs, and hamburger (browning dish) in it but I heat EVERYthing from vegetables to coffee water. I can't even guess how many hours that machine has on it.

But back to JCP as a whole, they were mom's utility clothing source and their branded stuff (whoever actually made it) was good as any. Not so sure the same can be said today, mostly haven't been there since 1982. Which might suggest their problem.


Post# 863070 , Reply# 11   1/20/2016 at 13:20 (2,990 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

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The "P" logo and the Penncrest brand - rebranded Hotpoint laundry with Hydro Flex wash action?  I'm there.

 

With the GE appliance division going to Haier, perhaps Little Swan/ Midea can be tapped for their excess production capacity to revive the Penncrest line.  

 

 


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Post# 863071 , Reply# 12   1/20/2016 at 13:26 (2,990 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

Not quite sure why everybody thinks that brand comes back... They clearly state they'll offer some mainstream brands only...

Post# 863090 , Reply# 13   1/20/2016 at 15:38 (2,990 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

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One can dream...  :-)

 


Post# 863109 , Reply# 14   1/20/2016 at 18:09 (2,989 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)        

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Y'all missed in the article that they are just dipping their toes in the market--they aren't even taking title to the appliances, but arranging for drop-shipments from the mfg.. Not necessarily the most lucrative way to make an appliance business, but reduces the downside.


Post# 863251 , Reply# 15   1/21/2016 at 09:58 (2,989 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)        
The Return of Penncrest! (?)

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With the decline in Sears, it's a good opportunity for JCP to reinvent themselves...

 

However, there was a time when when Penny's was closing a lot of their stores (and the nearest mall near me where there was one--Northland--still sits a vast amount of vacant, empty space...) so this calls for suddenly ones to start opening (maybe where some of those K Marts used to be)...

 

It would take some good business practices & catching up on proper management for this sort of a trend to last--and with the brands you have left (even if anyone could reinstate the Penncrest brand) there's hardly anything that's going to be unique that could bring anything out of the sphere of anonymounity...

 

 

-- Dave




This post was last edited 01/21/2016 at 11:27
Post# 863286 , Reply# 16   1/21/2016 at 12:17 (2,989 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)        

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I of course mentioned the Penncrest name in my post as humor and it's true, they are simply exploring the idea for a few stores. I believe they still operate +/- 1000 stores and rolling out major appliances in just half would seem to be a questionable and risky expenditure especially for a company on thin ice.


Post# 863296 , Reply# 17   1/21/2016 at 12:54 (2,989 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        
Find a cashier...

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Or a website for that matter. I can see on Google that they ship to over 100 countries. But this is what I get...




Post# 863318 , Reply# 18   1/21/2016 at 14:54 (2,989 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)        
Works For Me.

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Website

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Post# 863321 , Reply# 19   1/21/2016 at 14:56 (2,989 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

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Yes, but you are in the USA, not in another of those 100 countries.

Post# 863413 , Reply# 20   1/22/2016 at 00:20 (2,988 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
One can dream... :-)

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Yes, one can, and does.  We still want to stage a reconnaissance mission to our local Penneys (built in '71) to see if there might be goodies hiding in its ample basement storerooms.  Who was it here that found that NIB Penncrest stainless solid-tub hiding, forgotten, in a Penneys storeroom?  Talk about a Powerball day.  If I had one of those, I'd kiss it goodbye every morning before I left for work.

 

They'll probably never re-badge, since Penneys is precariously close to Wards' predicament--needing to change and refresh, but no capital to do it right now.  I doubt they would have the resources to roll this out across their stores even if they wanted to, and if it's just major brands, it seems frankly pointless.  Others are already doing that, and probably doing it better. 

 

Too bad--the sixties Penncrest stuff was just lusciously styled, especially the washers and dryers.  Center-dial Hotpoint Silhouettes!


Post# 863414 , Reply# 21   1/22/2016 at 00:24 (2,988 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)        
Ah, yes

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Joseph, "spinout."  Love the shot with the Super Roto Swirl swapped in...



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Post# 863416 , Reply# 22   1/22/2016 at 00:53 (2,988 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        

I wonder what company mfr. the gas range in the vintage photo?

Post# 863423 , Reply# 23   1/22/2016 at 04:13 (2,988 days old) by brucelucenta ()        

When I was a kid I always liked looking at the Penncrest washers and dryers they had when going to JCPenny.

Post# 880606 , Reply# 24   5/13/2016 at 15:38 (2,876 days old) by Stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)        

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.
This blog post questions Penny's remaining time as a "going concern".
Of course than can reorganize in a bankruptcy proceeding, cut their debt and reemerge like Kmart.


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