Within hours of James Milne being turned away from the Mt Omnaney JB Hi Fi store in Queensland on Monday, a Facebook post by his sister Victoria went viral with more than 48,000 shares by yesterday morning. Today the post has received 161,000 likes, 39,000 comments and 94,000 shares. Claire Moffat and Emily Bencic report.
Even after JB CEO Richard Murray apologised many JB shoppers upset about the incident responded with outraged comments on the JB page. The JB Hi-Fi Facebook apology post garnered 2,500 likes, almost 400 shares and over 2,000 comments. One consumer, Shaun, went so far as to say, he would now rather pay a bit more and go to Dick Smith.
Another regular JB shopper, Kristie, was so appalled that she said she will be returning a game bought from their store and paying extra for it at Target.
The apology post has been flooded by comments from consumers who suggest that they would never walk into, or shop, at a JB Hi-Fi store again, and want the store manager and security guard of the Mount Ommaney store dismissed immediately.
Other JB shoppers, such as Mareesa, said that the action taken by the retailer would determine whether her friends and family shop at JB Hi-Fi again.
Jac urged JB to train its staff about discrimination and “start looking at a better social media crisis communication plan,” and Jason described the handling of the situation as “disgraceful.”
Lisa said the security guards at JB stores discriminate against who gets their bag searched when leaving the store.
“The Ipswich store will ask young people and people with young children to show their bags, yet elderly people are free to leave the shop, even with a full shopping trolley, and the security does not say a word.”