JCPenney's CEO: E-Commerce Is Not a Priority

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"When we start changing the menu, the store is going to happen," JCPenney's controversial CEO Ron Johnson said in a presentation at WWD's CEO Summit yesterday, referring to the new lineup of brands headed to Penney's this spring. That lineup includes Joe Fresh, Marchesa, Martha Stewart, Lulu Guinness, and a capsule with London-based Duro Olowu, among others. (Also, it's rumored that there are a whole bunch of juice bars involved in the redesign!)

Interestingly, in an era where the digital and online shopping are crucial to the survival of department stores, Penney's isn't focused on e-commerce. "Ninety percent of our sales are in stores today. That's where the customer chooses to shop. Tomorrow, it will be much more of an omnichannel approach, but that's tomorrow. You've got to focus on where they are shopping today, and that is the physical store," said Johnson. "The digital environment you can change quickly. The physical environment takes time."
· WWD CEO Summit: Ron Johnson [WWD]
· JCPenney Amps Up Overhaul [Racked]