J.C. Penney Targets College-Bound Teens

Hoping to cash in on the back-to-school season, J.C. Penney has launched a new line of home goods geared for college-bound teens called Dorm Life.

Designed, developed and sourced inhouse, the mix-and-match line includes bedding, bath items, lighting, area rugs, decorative accessories, and furniture such as desks, shelving, chairs and ottomans. Prices range from $3.99 for towel to $159.99 for over-the-bed shelving.

Jeff Allison, executive vice president of home for J.C. Penney, said in a release that the new line is designed to let teens “express their own decorating style.”

“We believe Dorm Life – with its coordinated looks and convenient functionality – will resonate strongly with this customer segment,” he said.

The new line will be sold instore, online and via the J.C. Penney catalog. Students visiting www.jcp.com will find a link to a Dorm Life Facebook page, which features the line of dorm furnishings.

Through J.C. Penney’s “Shop Here, Pick Up There” service, all items bought online can be shipped directly to a local store in the student’s college town for pick-up.

The launch of Dorm Life is part of an overall effort by J.C. Penney to boost back-to-school sales by attracting more teen buyers. The store has expanded its selection of teen clothing to include six new brands -- including Decree and Fabulosity for young girls, and American Living for young men.

The Plano TX-based retailer has also launched a new series of “Breakfast Club”-themed advertisements, which will appear in movie theaters this summer and also on television this fall.