JCPenney's CustomerFIRST Initiative Delivers High Ranking in NRF Foundation/American Express 2008 Customer Service Survey

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2009--J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP) was recognized for its leading customer service by the NRF Foundation/American Express 2008 Customer Service Survey at the National Retail Federation conference held in New York this week. JCPenney ranked first in customer service among department store retailers, and jumped five spots to achieve seventh place overall in this year's survey. The survey polled more than 8,000 people to determine consumer attitudes toward retailers' customer service.

The results come on the heels of JCPenney's CustomerFIRST initiative, which was launched in spring 2008. Through comprehensive customer service training, CustomerFIRST focuses on empowering every JCPenney Associate to make customers their No. 1 priority by delivering an easy, exciting and engaging shopping experience to the more than half of America that shops at JCPenney each year.

"We recognize that customers have a choice of where they shop, particularly in today's economic environment," said Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, chairman and chief executive officer of JCPenney. "Achieving a top ranking for customer service - particularly for retailers like us that have a multi-channel customer service model - is a testament to the commitment our Associates have in bringing our 'Every Day Matters' philosophy to life, showing our customers that what matters to them, matters to us."

"Through customer service, JCPenney has captured the attention of its shoppers, which is more important than ever in today's retail climate," said NRF Foundation Vice President Kathy Mance. "This is a particularly noteworthy accomplishment for JCPenney given their nearly 1,100 stores as well as their significant online and catalog presence."

The NRF Foundation/American Express 2008 Customer Service survey was conducted by consumer marketing intelligence firm BIGresearch from Sept. 2-9, 2008. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percent. Consumers answered the open ended question, "Thinking of all the different retail formats (store, catalog, internet, or home shopping), which retailer delivers the best customer service?" In order to develop a fair comparison, regardless of a retailer's size or geographic coverage, the consumer survey responses were compared to each retailer's 2007 revenues to develop the overall rankings. The survey data and the process for selecting the winners were reviewed by Professor Martin P. Block, Ph.D., of Northwestern University.

NRF Foundation/American Express rankings were as follows:

Overall BEST

Rank

1      L.L.Bean

2      Overstock.com

3      Zappos.com

4      Amazon.com

5      Lands' End

6      Newegg.com

7      JCPenney

8      QVC

9      Coldwater Creek

10     Nordstrom

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.

About jcp.com

jcp.com is JCPenney's largest, most dynamic store, offering the largest assortment in sizes, colors and year-round product categories well beyond the scope of JCPenney's store-based offerings. Posting annual revenue of $1.3 billion in 2006, jcp.com is one of the largest general merchandise sites on the Internet and the hub of JCPenney's multi-channel strategy, which includes three integrated shopping channels: stores, jcp.com and catalog. jcp.com provides an array of information on more than 250,000 exciting merchandise offerings as well as tips and ideas through a variety of online "Solution" pages. Available at more than 35,000 point-of-sale, in-store registers, store Associates are able to use jcp.com to stock-check merchandise in all JCPenney stores as well as place orders on jcp.com, allowing them to engage in the highest level of customer service. All jcp.com orders can be easily shipped, and returned with an immediate refund, to more than 1,000 locations across the country including stores and catalog desks.

CONTACT: JCPenney Corporate Communications (business and trade media relations):
Rebecca Winter or Kate Parkhouse, 972-431-3400
jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com
Source: J. C. Penney Company, Inc.