Brand expert says the Duchess of Sussex risks undermining her lifestyle venture as products sell out almost instantly
Meghan Markle is facing criticism over how her lifestyle brand As Ever is being managed, with a branding expert suggesting the sell-outs may reflect poor planning rather than clever marketing.
The Duchess of Sussex has taken great pride in the brand, but questions have emerged after several of its products reportedly sold out within minutes of being released.
Renae Smith, founder of PR and branding agency The Atticism, told the Daily Express that such issues point to weak demand planning rather than intentional scarcity.
“Demand forecasting is not especially complex in 2026,” she said.
“You can analyse waitlists, traffic data and social signals. If you are repeatedly caught short, that’s not mystique, it’s mismanagement.”
Smith acknowledged that the brand has experienced a noticeable rise in online attention.
“A 36 percent traffic increase from October to January looks like strong growth on paper. For a relatively new lifestyle brand without a traditional retail footprint, that’s respectable,” she explained.
However, she stressed that website visits alone do not guarantee real business success.
“Traffic is not the same as traction. What matters more is conversion rate, repeat purchase behaviour and inventory management.”
She also pointed to the speed at which some products disappear as a possible warning sign.
“We’ve seen items sell out in minutes, including the recent bookmark that reportedly went in under a minute,” the expert noted, adding that such rapid sell-outs can frustrate customers if stock levels are not carefully managed.
