Meghan Markle’s big comeback to the retail scene with her lifestyle brand As Ever definitely grabbed attention—but not all of it’s glowing. Last week, her collection of artisanal goodies hit the market, and within just 30 minutes, everything reportedly sold out across the U.S. Meghan hopped on social media, buzzing with excitement: “We’re live! Come shop the As Ever collection—I’ve poured so much love into this, so excited to share it with you!” But while she’s over the moon, that lightning-fast sell-out has people raising eyebrows. Was it a smashing success, or is something fishy going on?
On the surface, As Ever looks like a win. The store’s lineup includes fancy artisanal stuff—$28 jars of honey, $14 fruit spreads, $12 herbal teas, and $15 edible flower sprinkles. These aren’t your average grocery store finds; they’re priced for the upscale crowd. Yet, they vanished in record time. Industry insiders, though, aren’t buying the hype. Some are calling it a textbook marketing trick—fake a sell-out to drum up buzz and make the brand seem exclusive. A source spilled to The Telegraph, “It’s obviously a marketing ploy. New brands fake demand all the time—showing a sell-out is super common.”
Here’s how it might work: lots of businesses, including As Ever, use a made-to-order setup. They roll out a small batch of products, see how much interest they get, then make more based on demand. It’s smart—keeps costs low and waste minimal. The insider added, “Once that first stock sells out, Meghan’s got all the data from people who signed up. She knows what to produce next.” Sounds like a solid, eco-friendly plan, right? But critics say there’s a catch: if you hype up “overwhelming demand” with fake sell-outs, you’re tricking customers into thinking the brand’s hotter than it really is.
And then there’s the outsourcing drama. As Ever teamed up with Snowcommerce, a U.S.-based web fulfillment company, to handle sales. Big mistake? Snowcommerce’s rep is a mess—think non-delivered orders, wrong items, and awful customer service. Daily Mail reports show furious customers venting online. One wrote, “Do NOT buy from any company using this joke of a service.” Another said Snowcommerce charged them for stuff that never shipped and ghosted their complaints. With a one-star rating on the Better Business Bureau, this partnership’s raising red flags and piling more heat on Meghan’s brand.
This isn’t As Ever’s first stumble, either. Back in 2022, Meghan’s team tried to trademark the name for a bunch of products, including clothing. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shot it down in 2023 because it clashed with a similar name tied to a cheap Chinese retailer. She tweaked the application, dropped the clothing bit, and got it approved this year—but legal headaches could still pop up. Meanwhile, Meghan’s pushing high-end fashion through affiliate links, raking in commissions on $600 Saint Laurent sandals and £1,000 gowns. It’s got people debating: does her business vibe match the down-to-earth image she projects?
So, is As Ever a legit hit or a hyped-up scam? The jury’s still out. Between the questionable sell-outs, Snowcommerce’s flops, and past legal snags, Meghan’s retail return is stirring up more skepticism than celebration. What do you think—genuine success or clever marketing mirage?
