Typically I don't shop at JCPenney unless I'm with my mother. I think JCP has lost itself to an older generation. You don't really hear too many 20-somethings saying, "Oh I got this at JCPenney" or "I shop at JCPenney ALL THE TIME!"
Normally I think JCP is good around Christmas. They always have amazing sales and you can find really cheap kids toys here strangely enough, such as RC cars and helicopters. You can also find good stocking stuffers, especially for the older people in your family. I have also noted I can find cheap running shoes here as well.
As for their clothes selection I never find anything I like. Their junior/petites section definitely does not speak to me and the clothes, to me, all look pretty cheap and junky. I rarely find anything I like.
They do have a decent small appliances/kitchen section and if you get their catalogs/sales in the mail you can often find a pretty dang good deal on certain things. This past Black Friday I got 24 Lock-N-Lock storage containers for $19.99. Very cheap.
This particular JCP is lacking in customer service most of the time and often I find that the customer service people have problems running coupons or being able to point out where the deals that are being offered in the catalog are. Management could do their store a favor by training on the weekly/daily deals a little better.
It's an okay store, but it's really good for certain things. Just keep that in mind.