Many retailers have been cagey or simply silent. None of those that removed Ivanka Trump from their websites have said whether the brand will return there, and none of those contacted by Bloomberg have said they dumped Trump over politics. A representative for Belk said it still carries Trump’s brand, but declined to provide further details as to whether that means in-store, online, or both. Saks Off 5th declined to comment. Bed Bath & Beyond, TJX, Stein Mart, and Burlington didn’t respond to requests for comment.
All of this began, of course, back in November when her father won the election. Ivanka Trump-brand products started disappearing from such big-name retailers as Nordstrom Inc., Neiman Marcus, and ShopStyle. Anti-Trump activists called for boycotts against anyone who sold her family’s products, while Trump supporters called for boycotts of anyone who stopped selling them.
In February, Nordstrom confirmed it would stop selling her line, citing poor sales. It quickly found itself in the president’s Twitter feed, where he wrote that his daughter was being treated “so unfairly.” Kellyanne Conway, a White House adviser, defended the first daughter in a television appearance, delivering what she called “a free commercial.” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Conway was “counseled” for her actions (which appeared to violate a ban on executive branch employees endorsing products).
Both Ivanka Trump and Kushner now have formal roles in the Trump administration. In an attempt to distance herself from the brand, she announced earlier this year that she was handing day-to-day management to top lieutenant Abigail Klem.
Given the regular drumbeat of conflict-of-interest allegations by Trump opponents, and the pushback by some supporters, it’s no surprise most stores would seek to avoid the fray. Still, says one public-relations expert, it may be best for retailers to pick a side.
“You’re going to be criticized either way, so pick a team, pick a position, and stay on it,” said Dorothy Crenshaw, founder of PR firm Crenshaw Communications. If a company waffles, she said, “it’s bound to infuriate everyone.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.