(FoxNews.com) - Planned store closures have lured more shoppers than expected through J.C. Penney's (JCP) doors.
The struggling retailer confirmed to FOX Business Thursday evening it has pushed back planned liquidation processes at 138 stores in 41 states from April 17 to May 22. What’s more, those stores, which were set to close in mid-June, will now shutter on July 31.
Since the announcement of the store closures last month, which represent about 14% of Penney’s overall store portfolio that produces about 5% of total annual sales, the impacted locations have seen better than expected sales and traffic, a spokesperson for the company explained.
“Traffic typically increases in closing store locations for a variety of reasons, including curiosity, nostalgia and the lure of lower prices,” the spokesperson said. “It’s advantageous for the company to continue selling through spring and summer merchandise at current promotional levels by pushing liquidation back another month.”
The decision to slim down its bricks-and-mortar portfolio is part of a previously-announced plan from February to jump start growth at the company and pivot focus to boosting sales and traffic on JCPenney’s e-commerce platforms.
While the company saw double-digit sales growth online in the fourth quarter, sales at stores open at least a year – a key metric for the retail industry --- slid 0.7%, which compared to a 4.1% bump during the same period the year prior. At the time of the announcement, CEO Marvin Ellison said JCPenney’s buy online, pick up in store initiatives have been effective but the company needs to better coordinate its overall online and in-store strategies.
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