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ABSTRACT
The triumph of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube over the past decade has greatly impacted America?s social fabric and how business is conducted in America. With the information age maturing, and consumers increasingly being connected to online devices, department stores and other retailers must consider creative ways to engage their target market. Retailers have been quick to adopt technology for operations and utilize their websites for ecommerce through social media and online advertisement strategies to generate revenue. This paper analyzes and evaluates JCPenney ?s implementation and outcomes of social media and online advertising strategies that improve customer engagement and revenue. This study presents a model for other department retail stores to follow when determining methods to engage their target customers online and generate revenue.
INTRODUCTION
Retail Industry Background
The department retail store in America has changed dramatically over the last few years. The impact of the Great Recession of 2008 coupled with the maturing of the internet has mortally mangled many retail icons and has deeply damaged their surviving counterparts. These changes have directly impacted the landscape of how department stores identify their target market, reach their customer and generate revenue.
The competitive American retail department store chain industry's playing field requires companies to have a strong brand, pocketbook opening deals, and quality products. J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (JCPenney) was on the forefront as the rise of the department store transpired during the 20th century (Whitaker, 2006). During this period, department stores erected in metropolitan downtowns across America as these areas were the central hub for commerce and leisure activity. The retail department stores benefited greatly from the emerging middle-class. The culture of consumption and everyday fashion was fueled by marketing techniques that, for example, displayed women accompanied by friends or enjoying the shopping experience alone (Whitaker, 2006). After World War II, the American economy and values shifted from urban and overcrowded cities to the American Dream of white-picket fence and a cozy residence in the suburbs. The expansion of the American suburb introduced vibrant, spacious shopping malls that were traditionally anchored by big chain department stores. The shopping malls were deemed as conveniently located near your neighborhood and bustling, as they offered many stores under one...