J.C. Penney is Testing Store Greeters

J.C. Penney has started stationing greeters at the entrances of its stores, The New York Post has learned. Penney’s greeters are already full-time employees who are being redeployed to front-of-the-store duty for just two hours of their shift. The use of greeters is said to be a test and is being deployed just in the Northeast region, employees said. The program was started this summer.

Total Retail's Take: Looking to emulate the likes of Home Depot and Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney is turning to greeters to help it welcome shoppers into its stores. The greeters are only there two hours a day (noon to 2 p.m.), and are being tested to see the impact they have on in-store sales. Will a friendly welcome drive more shoppers into Penney's stores, and once they're there, get them to spend more than if no one was at the door to greet them? Consider me skeptical. Greeters are a nice customer service and branding touch, but I'd argue that they have little to no impact on sales. Perhaps J.C. Penney's test will prove me wrong.