JC Penney To Expand Curbside Pickup Service To More Locations

(RTTNews) - J.C. Penney Co. said it will expand its curbside pickup services to 50 more locations across the U.S. following encouraging response to its pilot at the department store chain's brand-defining store.

JCPenney "Style on the Go" Curbside Pickup offers customers the option to quickly grab online orders without leaving their car. The new service is part of the Plano, Texas-based retailer's efforts to boost sales by providing customers convenient shopping options.

"Style on the Go" will be available in several markets across the U.S, including locations in California, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.

"We continue to make shopping at our stores even more convenient as we adapt to our customers' needs so they can shop when, where, and how they want," Jim DePaul, JC Penney's executive vice president of stores, said.

Under the curbside pickup service, customers can first opt for "Free Same Day Pickup" or "Ship to Store" while viewing their digital cart and before they proceed to checkout.

Customers pull up to a reserved parking spot to pick up their orders. They can then either call or send a text to the number posted on the reserved parking sign and provide their parking spot number as well as order number. The order will be delivered to the customer's car by a JCPenney associate.

"Style on the Go" is available during local store hours at participating JCPenney locations.

Last week, J. C. Penney had reported a 64 percent fall in profit for the fourth quarter from the year-ago period to $27 million, while revenues declined almost 8 percent to $3.49 billion. However, both revenue and adjusted earnings per share beat analysts' estimates.

The results of a recent survey by the National Retail Foundation or NRF that was released in January found that convenience is increasingly influencing the behavior of shoppers and playing a major role in shaping the retail industry's future.

The survey showed that customers are increasingly prioritizing convenience while making purchases, and expect retailers to offer innovative ways to save them time and effort.

The new options offered by retailers such as buy online, pick up in store and two-day shipping can contribute to brand loyalty. 93 percent of shoppers surveyed said that they are more likely to choose to shop at a specific retailer based on convenience.