You see the stores when you're driving to work or running errands and there's no doubt that you see the commercials on television. Over the years, TJ Maxx has become one of the most prolific types of discount department stores in the entire country. That being said, most people don't really know that much about the company, except for the fact that a lot of them like to shop there. If you really want to know more about their history and what they're all about, you can find out 20 more things about them below.
1. They have more than 1,000 stores
As a matter of fact, there are just a little over 1,200 stores operating currently. That's a lot of stores and it represents a franchise that has managed to be very successful over the years. In addition, most of the TJ Maxx stores are either already updated or are scheduled to be updated, complete with a total remodel to provide more room for shopping and an environment more conducive to luring shoppers into the stores in the first place.
2. They operate in both the United States and in Puerto Rico
Most people think that this is a company that only operates in the United States but that isn't the case at all. As a matter of fact, they also operate in Puerto Rico. The parent company isn't even based in the United States, but more information will be discussed on that in a later paragraph.
3. One of the main things they are known for is selling name brand products at lower prices
The company always bases its commercials on helping people find whatever they're looking for without spending as much as they would if they bought that same product somewhere else. In reality, the company does offer some very good deals and many people find it exciting when it's time to go shopping there because they never know exactly what they will find but they can almost bet that they'll get it for a lot less than they would in any other location.
4. They're considered one of the largest retailers in the US, especially for clothing
With so many stores in operation, they are indeed considered one of the largest retailers in the United States and that's especially true when you focus on the clothing itself. They sell more clothing than virtually any other department store in the country. As a matter of fact, the only stores that are capable of competing with them when it comes to clothing sales are discount stores like Walmart.
5. That being said, clothing is not the only thing they sell
While they do sell a lot of clothing, that certainly isn't the only thing they sell. When you shop at TJ Maxx, you can find clothing, shoes, handbags, things for your home, kitchen utensils, and even food bowls and toys for your best friend. It's kind of like a one-stop-shop, only you don't have to deal with the frustrations that naturally come with shopping at discount big box stores.
6. The company that owns TJ Maxx also owns HomeGoods
If you've ever been to HomeGoods and thought it felt a little similar to TJ Maxx, that's because the same company that owns TJ Maxx also owns the store. The layout is quite similar. The big difference is that HomeGoods doesn't sell clothing, but they do sell all kinds of goods for the home as well as kitchen utensils and products for your pets. They also sell furniture. Some people consider their products to be a little more high-end and therefore, a little more expensive but they also have some exceptional sales on products that they're trying to move. It's at those times that you can get some great deals on high-end items without paying a lot of money for them.
7. There is also another company called HomeSense
If you don't have a HomeGoods in your area, you might have a store called HomeSense. This is basically the same thing and it is operated by the same parent company.
8. They also own Marshalls
The same is true for Marshalls. When you shop at Marshalls and TJ Maxx, it's almost impossible not to see the similarities in some of the products that are available, as well as the store size and layout. Traditionally, Marshalls is considered to be a little more economical and many of the products they sell aren't quite as high-end. That being said, both they and TJ Maxx are very similar.
9. The company owns Winners and Sierra Trading Post
There's also an off price store called Sierra Trading Post that is operated by the same parent company. If you live in Canada, you have probably heard of a store called Winners. This is also operated by the same company. As you can see, this is a corporation that operates a lot of different stores and they do so very successfully.
10. The company owns stores that operate in several countries throughout the world
While TJ Maxx primarily operates in the United States and Puerto Rico, the parent company that owns the stores operates in several countries throughout the world. Typically, they cater the particular store in question to the area in which it is operating. That's precisely why they have so many different stores operating at one time.
11. The company was founded in 1976
TJ Maxx was originally founded in the late 1970s and opened their doors in 1976. They were a hit with the general public almost instantly and they've been around ever since. However, like many larger corporations, they have gone through some ups and downs and one of those came during the late 1980s when the store found itself struggling financially. More on that will be discussed in the following paragraph.
12. Its current parent company purchased it in 1987
When the store was having a hard time making ends meet financially, its current parent company came in and purchased it in 1987. They made a few changes here and there and the store became TJ Maxx, the very same store that so many people know and love today. While that hasn't completely dissolved some of their ups and downs, as you might expect, the store still remains strong and people still have the opportunity to enjoy shopping there to this day.
13. TJ Maxx stores are often considered the flagship for the parent company
Out of all the stores operated by this company, TJ Maxx is typically considered the flagship. That's because they offer some of the more high-end items and some of their stores are even designed to be more upscale. That being said, HomeGoods is definitely running neck-and-neck with them for this title so it really depends on whether you're looking for clothing or something specific for your home that you might not be able to find at T.J.Maxx.
14. They sell a lot of high-end products for far less than most department stores
One of the things that people love so much about the stores that they don't feel duped when they shop there. In fact, you get high end products that you might expect to find at much more expensive locations but you end up paying a lot less for them. It's a lot like shopping at big-box stores like Walmart as far as the price point goes, but you get a lot of high-quality items that you can't necessarily find at these big box stores.
15. These stores manage to compete with major department stores like Macy's and Dillards
As a direct result, the store is capable of competing with high-end department stores like Dillards and Macy's. In many cases, you can get the same exact products at T.J.Maxx that you would get at one of these stores and you'll probably pay half as much or even less by the time it's all said and done. That's precisely what made them popular to begin with and it's why these stores are still so popular today.
16. The stores can be found in most communities throughout the United States
Another thing that makes these stores stand out is that they can be found in most communities. You don't have to live in a major city in order and have access to a TJ Maxx. You might not find them in an especially small town but a lot of mid-sized college towns have them and it gives you the opportunity to enjoy shopping there when you might not even have access to other stores like Dillard's or Macy's in the first place. In other words, you have a chance to shop for nice things without traveling a long way in order to do it.
17. They were part of a massive data breach a few years ago
By and large, the company has always been seen in a positive light by the general public but that changed a few years ago when it was discovered that they were part of a massive data breach that went on for quite some time. This data breach affected of whopping majority of TJ Maxx customers and it went on for an exceptionally long time before anyone figured out what was happening. More on that will be discussed in the next paragraph.
18. That breach lasted for two years
The thing that really shocked most people is that the data breach lasted for two full years before anyone even discovered that it was going on. Obviously, during this time most of the people that were routine customers of TJ Maxx were adversely impacted. Even those who were only casual shoppers found that their information had been compromised as well. Furthermore, many people realized that their information had been compromised time and again and that since it had been going on for such a long time, there was a very real chance that their identity had been stolen without them knowing it. For some, the problem wasn't discovered until they started noticing odd charges on their accounts or getting calls for collection on loans that they never applied for.
19. Hackers installed software using Wi-Fi
If you're wondering how such a data breach was accomplished, it was done using some very high-tech software by people who really knew what they were doing. It seems that hackers got into the system and then installed software using Wi-Fi that would basically copy all of the information of the customers and then report that information back to the people that had installed the software in the first place. This is obviously way above the heads of most individuals so unless you're a computer expert, you may not have a clue how this can happen from a technical perspective. If that's the case, you're definitely not alone. That being said, the thing you need to know is that this provided the hackers an opportunity to steal people's information and no one had a clue that they were doing it.
20. They were able to cloak the software so that no one found it
You're probably asking yourself how they can possibly steal that much information without someone finding out, especially when it goes on over the course of two full years. Somehow, they were able to cloak this software that they installed so that no one would be able to see what was happening except for them. As previously mentioned, there's a better than average chance that this could have gone on for several more years if it hadn't been for the fact that some customers started reporting that they were receiving collection calls for loans they did not make. Eventually, investigators started putting two and two together and figured out that most of them were TJ Maxx customers. Obviously, this is something that took some time to discover and that's precisely why this software was installed for two years. As you might imagine, it took a long time for anyone to figure out there was a problem at all and it took a lot longer to trace that problem back to a single location. As soon as the problem was discovered, T.J.Maxx alerted their customers and made changes in order to ensure that the software was removed.
