JCPenney Testing Home Department Concepts

JCPenney (Plano, Texas) is testing out a number of concepts to expand its home department and bolster business.

For instance, in February, the retailer began testing selling of kitchen and laundry appliances in three markets. That proved successful enough that it announced plans to add home appliance departments and showrooms in 500 additional stores this fall and offer appliances online later this summer. The retailer also has plans to expand its window dressings department by 25 percent in the same stores that are getting appliance departments. In other stores, it is testing the idea of selling flooring and carpeting.

To make space for these new and expanded departments, it will be cutting back on less productive areas, including mattresses, reports The Dallas Morning News.