Uh oh! Meghan Markle’s lifestyle empire may have a much bigger problem on its hands than simply keeping products in stock!
According to a new report, the Duchess of Sussex could be staring down a potentially massive financial headache if her As Ever inventory doesn’t move quickly enough. After enjoying a wildly successful launch that apparently saw products disappear from shelves almost instantly, Meghan reportedly made an aggressive bet on future demand. But now, that forward-looking inventory gamble could come back to haunt her in a BIG way, according to a report published by DailyMail.com over the weekend!
The story goes back to the early days of As Ever. When the brand debuted, customers rushed to buy everything from jams and teas to baking mixes and flower sprinkles. The sellouts generated plenty of buzz and seemed to signal that Meghan had a hit on her hands. Naturally, the success encouraged the company to think bigger. And by bigger, we mean much bigger.
Following the enthusiastic response, Meghan reportedly ramped up production in a major way. What started as relatively modest inventory orders quickly transformed into plans involving enormous quantities of products. At the time, that probably looked like a smart move. Demand was hot, the headlines were positive, and customers appeared eager for more.
But retail can be a brutal business.
Reports from DM now claim that hundreds of thousands of units may still be sitting in inventory. And because many of the products have a limited shelf life, there is reportedly a ticking clock attached to those items. If they are not sold before expiration dates arrive, the financial consequences could be significant. In fact, that outlet suggested the jam inventory alone could represent as much as $5 MILLION in lost profits, with other products potentially pushing that figure even higher.
Yikes!
Making matters worse, reports suggest traffic to the As Ever website has cooled off considerably over the past several months. While visitor numbers reportedly fluctuate throughout the year, the alleged overall downward trend has raised questions about whether the brand can maintain the same level of excitement that it generated during launch.
Of course, website traffic doesn’t always tell the whole story. A dip in visits doesn’t automatically translate to weak sales, and official company figures have not been released publicly. Still, critics are pointing to the numbers as a possible sign that the initial frenzy surrounding the brand may be settling down.
Related: Meghan Markle’s New Approach To Reaching ‘Hollywood’s Inner Sanctum’ Revealed!
Not everyone is buying the doom-and-gloom narrative, though. A rep for Meghan strongly pushed back against the latest round of reports, telling Page Six on Saturday:
“The problem with all of these repetitive Alison Boshoff Daily Mail ‘As ever’ doom stories are that they’re like Groundhog Day: the same prediction, the same unnamed sources, the same certainty, and somehow we’re still waiting for the apocalypse they promised in 2024.”
Damn!!!
But TBH, the spokesperson’s argument isn’t without merit. Meghan’s brand is still relatively young, and there’s plenty of time for future product launches, promotions, and partnerships to change the conversation.
Still, if the DM report is accurate, the next several months could be crucial. Moving a huge amount of inventory before expiration dates become an issue is no small challenge. The question now is whether Meghan’s devoted customer base will keep showing up in large enough numbers to clear those shelves.
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[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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