Macy’s under pressure to drop Ivanka Trump line of merchandise

07 Feb 2017

1

Retail chin Macy's is facing pressure to drop Ivanka Trump's line after Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus stopped selling her merchandise.

Business Insider reports that a customer service rep for Macy's told a customer they were in the process of dropping her shoe and apparel line.

But there's been no comment yet from Macy's if Trump's merchandise will stay. Still, Fox News reports that almost everything (with the exception of some shoes) in the Ivanka line is drastically marked down on Macy's website.

Senior Director of Marketing at Ivanka Trump, Rosemary Young, told Fox News that on the contrary, the brand is continuing to expand.

''The Ivanka Trump brand continues to expand across categories and distribution with increased customer support, leading us to experience significant year-over-year revenue growth in 2016. We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but the integrity it maintains. The women behind the brand represent a diverse group of professionals and we are proud to say that the Ivanka Trump brand continues to embody the principles upon which it was founded. It is a company built to inspire women with solution-oriented offerings, created to celebrate and service the many aspects of their lives.''

Last week, Seattle-based chain of luxury department stores Nordstrom Inc said it plans to stop selling Ivanka Trump's name-branded line of clothing and shoes, a company representative said yesterday. The move comes after threats of boycott and concerns about the country's "First Daughter's" conflicts of interest (See: Nordstrom Inc to stop selling controversial Ivanka brand).

Customers took to Macy's Facebook page to request the department store follow others in dropping the line. One wrote, ''Nordstrom dumped Trump, please follow suit. I would never put plastic Ivanka Trump boots on my little daughter.''

Another wrote, ''Half my wardrobe (and a very extensive wardrobe it is) has been purchased at Macy's. I will no longer step in that store until they dump Ivanka Trump.''

Nordstrom's decision to stop carrying her line came after the "Grab Your Wallet'' campaign, which has been calling for a boycott of retailers that carry Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump merchandise. Neiman Marcus took Ivanka merchandise offline late Thursday afternoon as well.

Neiman Marcus released the following statement to Racked: ''Neiman Marcus has a very small Ivanka Trump precious jewelry business which is comprised 100 per cent of consigned merchandise (merchandise owned by the vendor). Based on productivity we continuously assess whether our brands are carried in stores, on our website, or both.''

A Nordstrom spokesperson didn't say whether the decision to stop buying the brand was permanent, only that they make buying decisions each season. Nordstrom also said it offers thousands of brands and cuts about 10 per cent each year based performance.

Shannon Coulter, a co-founder of Grab Your Wallet, could not have been happier with Nordstrom's decision.

"I am absolutely thrilled, and I know the vast majority of Grab Your Wallet participants will be as well."

Macy's and Neiman Marcus did not return Fox News' requests for comment.

Business History Videos

History of hovercraft Part 3...

Today I shall talk a bit more about the military plans for ...

By Kiron Kasbekar | Presenter: Kiron Kasbekar

History of hovercraft Part 2...

In this episode of our history of hovercraft, we shall exam...

By Kiron Kasbekar | Presenter: Kiron Kasbekar

History of Hovercraft Part 1...

If you’ve been a James Bond movie fan, you may recall seein...

By Kiron Kasbekar | Presenter: Kiron Kasbekar

History of Trams in India | ...

The video I am presenting to you is based on a script writt...

By Aniket Gupta | Presenter: Sheetal Gaikwad

view more