J.C. Penney, the troubled retailer, began to harpoon itself when it introduced “fair and square” pricing seven years ago. The chain eliminated all things sacred to the department store shopper—namely, discounts, sales, and promotions. Plans backfired when psychologically conditioned customers weren’t sold on the notion that a $50 coat presented greater value than a $100 coat, marked down by 50 percent. As if the imposing shadow of ecommerce retailers wasn’t enough, J.C. Penney’s pricing foibles saw sales plummet by nearly 25 percent in 2012, and its downward spiral—greased by bankruptcy rumors—continues in 2019.