How J.C. Penney and Sears Could Have Steered Clear of the Slope of Death

Location, location, location. Meant figuratively as well as literally. J.C. Penney and Sears never cornered a market, giving them a confused place in the public mind. They're not Nordstrom, not Target, not really anything. Moreover, JCP isn't Apple, which can open a successful store no matter the location. Market research and solid execution should have been used.