Men’s Wearhouse’s Zimmer Ouster Prompts Facebook Fan Outrage
George Zimmer’s Men’s Wearhouse ouster last week just ahead of an important scheduled meeting came as a shock to the business world and retail fans, and no place is this more evident than the brand’s Facebook page — which is currently en fuego with angry shoppers.
If Men’s Wearhouse thought fans hadn’t been very closely linking George Zimmer with the brand he founded, perhaps they really were as out of touch as the former company head said as he addressed the shock firing in a letter this week:
“Rather than thoughtfully evaluating the idea [over which Zimmer and Men’s Wearhouse eventually parted ways] or even checking the market to see what value might be created through such strategic alternatives, the Board quickly and without the assistance of financial advisors simply rejected the idea, refused to even discuss the topic or permit me to collect and present to the Board any information about its possibilities and feasibility, and instead took steps to marginalize and then silence me.”
Men’s Wearhouse may have silenced George Zimmer, but his Facebook army hasn’t kept mum. On every post posted to the Men’s Wearhouse page, fans of the stores and Zimmer himself vow to spend their dollars elsewhere unless the company restores Mr. You’re Gonna Like The Way You Look.
Over on Facebook, fans are literally turning every shirt, shoe, or saying posted by the brand into a veritable Occupy Men’s Wearhouse protest.
One post asking if fans would wear a suit has the following replies:
“I would totally buy this suit. But you fired George Zimmer. No Sale.”
“Firing George – to me – wasn’t smart. I’m on the outside looking in, I know. But, I promise you it’ll do more hurt than good as far as your bottom line. EPIC FAIL.”
“People Do NOT shop at this store..they tossed an icon and an original! this store needs to be boycotted! they chose not to listen the the damn person who started the company … personally I think he should raise some capital and take the company private and fire the whole damn board!”
Lower level Men’s Wearhouse employees pleaded with angry shoppers to reconsider, saying:
“Jeff is right … we as MW employees still love our customers and what we do. Please think twice people before posting all of these toxic comments. Trust your local MW team. We still strive for world class customer service … and are at your service.”
“I currently work for the company and I agree with many of you that the board of directors should have kept George. However, when you don’t shop you aren’t hurting the company, you are hurting the men and women that are trying to sell the merchandise. Almost everyone in the company works on commission so you are really hurting the employees more than the company.”
But customers continued:
“Mr. Zimmer was an asset now all you have is liability… -1 customer.”
You can view the George Zimmer Men’s Wearhouse Facebook brouhaha on every single post over on their page.
