Thank you for stating this so well and you're exactly right... (I work at Penney's at ground level).
We who faced the customers daily took a beating from customers rage over the coupons and the loss of brands they were accustomed to.
Employees began to leave because the customers not only were verbal but abusive as well..I know I saw and experienced it..it was unbelievable!
Johnson wasn't listening to customers..and in fact quite the opposite of what he told the public, evidenced in his own team leaving left and right.
Managers tried many times to explain how things were on the floor...what was happening to the customer traffic and how sales were crashing in various departments....and why. But he was on a mission all his won.
When the announcement came Ellen was to be the spokeswoman for Penney’s you could have heard a pin drop in that meeting.....mouths dropped opened while the management team attempted to be positive about it. The worst meeting I'd ever been in...the silence was deafening....but spoke volumes. Employees were not on board but couldn't say so.
The Gays featured in catalogs just added to the already offended and angered customer...but even they said little about that...except in whispers.
But you are absolutely right ..and I thank you for stating so.
Burlington Coat Factory did the same thing some years ago. They hired some little queer designer who had a TV show. Guy was creepy. I went in to buy bed clothes, and couldn’t find anything masculine. Nothing! Headed for Kohl’s, and haven’t looked back.