PLANO, Texas–J.C. Penney hopes Dorm Life will grant the retailer a bigger slice of the $5 billion back-to-college home market.
The line, with a modern aesthetic, includes bedding and bath, lighting, decorative accessories, area rugs and furniture—such as ottomans with hidden storage—as well as shelving and home organization products.
Dorm Life will be sold at the retailer’s top 600 stores from July 11 to Labor Day, online and via the Dorm Life catalog.
The line marks the first time the retailer is pulling together a comprehensive back-to-college home program, Jeffrey Allison, executive vice president of home and custom decorating, told HFN.
J.C. Penney is late to the back-to-college home game, and has been eclipsed by retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond and Target, he said.
“We know it’s a huge market … around $5 billion,” Allison said. “We want to capture a bigger share of the dorm market.”
The program was sourced and designed in-house and includes SKUs “in the low hundreds.” The line also reflects the input of students from different college campuses.
The result is a collection of merchandise featuring “striking patterns and prints to give it a very current, hip feel,” Allison said.
J.C. Penney has the teen customer in its store with its well-developed juniors and young men’s businesses, “but we weren’t reaching that customer to the extent that we could in the home category,” he said.
“We want to create a lifestyle idea around dorm relevant product,” so that shoppers can put their “unique personal style” on their living space, Allison said.
The line targets freshmen going away to college, but is also designed for wider appeal to speak to 15- to 22-year-olds.
“We didn’t want to make it so young that it could not be salable to older customers as well,” including first-apartment dwellers, he said.
The line will be positioned as “good” in the good-better-best equation. Price points include $7.99 for a bath towel, $40 for window panels, $80 for a comforter and $119 for an ottoman.
The line will be merchandised in a seasonal shop concept that showcases a guy’s room and a girl’s room. Lighting and seasonal pieces will also gain exposure in “hot zones” in the home area. Merchandise will also be featured via in-aisle table and tower presentations with other back-to-college goods that are not necessarily Dorm Life branded, such as KitchenAid housewares.
J.C. Penney is getting the word out about the line on Facebook, the popular online social networking Web site. Students visiting jcp.com can find a link to a Dorm Life Facebook page featuring the line, decorating tips and checklists.