The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Retailers grapple with polarizing Ivanka Trump brand
NEW YORK >> Retailers are finding themselves walking a fine line when dealing with the politically charged Ivanka Trump brand, which is stamped on everything from pants to shoes to handbags.
Carry the items and get grief from shoppers opposed to President Donald Trump and his daughter’s role in the White House.
Pull the brand because it’s not selling, and risk facing the ire of Trump supporters and becoming a Twitter target.
Many retailers are opting for a Switzerland strategy: Avoid taking sides while trying to do what’s best for business.
“No choice is a good choice because they are going to upset lots of shoppers no matter which way they go,” said Allen Adamson, founder of the firm BrandSimpleConsulting. “That’s why they’re a deer in headlights. In this retailing environment, no one wants to give shoppers another reason not to come to the store.”
The latest example of how fraught the situation is? After Ivanka Trump’s branded diaper bags and other baby products disappeared from Bed Bath & Beyond’s Buy Buy Baby’s website in late March, a customer representative inaccurately told a shopper the chain was no longer carrying the items. That led to backlash on social media.
In response, Bed, Bath & Beyond clarified on its Facebook page that it will carry Ivanka Trump products in some Buy Buy Baby stores and stock them “where consumer demand and business performance justifies it.”
“We are not making our merchandising decisions based on anyone’s political beliefs,” the company posted. But when the retailer revealed it was still carrying the brand, some Trump opponents took to social media to complain.
Similar scenarios have been playing out as retailers try to navigate the political minefield of Ivanka Trump merchandise. Customers are increasingly voting with their wallets, getting behind the #GrabYourWallet boycott or counter-boycotts like #BuyIvanka.
Nordstrom was the first major retailer in the political spotlight, saying in February that it would stop selling Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories after the current spring selling season based on steadily declining sales over the past year, particularly in the last half of 2016.
That caused highly publicized shopper boycotts. The upscale department store chain was left tweeting back to enraged customers, saying it was merely a business decision. Then President Trump took it to another level, complaining on Twitter that Nordstrom treated his daughter “so unfairly.” And one of his top advisers, Kellyanne Conway, urged shoppers to “go
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“No choice is a good choice because they are going to upset lots of shoppers no matter which way they go.”