system
A chat on subreddit /r/wallstreetbets
human
Oh yeah - don’t be fooled - I was a Store Manager during the 08-11 timeframe and they are between the TJX end and Macys. They have a good supply chain and make a lot of their own product lines - that’s why they still make money on an 80% off clearance shirt.

Even during the recession they were putting up a 10% net profit. It helped that JCP went to shit and dumped the coupon methodology.
gpt
I worked at JC Penny for like 6 months back in the day, they did the same shit. They would be selling the shirt "on sale" for $15-20 and the price tag would say some ridiculous number like $60......Great you would think, except that shirt will literally never be sold at $60 at JCP or anywhere else and will always be sold around that $15-20 because there is no way in hell its actually a $60 shirt. 

Funny thing is, a new CEO came in and got rid of that bullshit of pretending everything is on massive sale and just listed everything at fair and cheap prices....... people fucking hated it, they liked being lied to that they are getting a great deal more lmaoo