More Retailers Drop Ivanka's Label

As an update to yesterday's post about Ivanka Trump's unprofitable brand name and Kellyann Conway's unethical promotion of the same via the White House, the news was shared by CNN earlier today that Sears and Kmart have also dropped Ivanka's goods from their stores. This is to be expected. Online sales of Ivanka's brand dipped 26% this past January by comparison to January of 2016. Brick and mortar stores have not done any better with it. There's no reason to continue wasting space on something that does not sell. Something that seems a bit convoluted and warped is the statement make by a senior marketer at "Ivanka Trump" Rosemary Young stated, "We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but by the integrity it maintains."

That's interesting. Every successful retailer measures its merchandise by the profits it generates. Elected officials, however; are measured by the integrity they maintain. It appears that the Trumps and their employees have mixed up priorities. At no time in Donald Trump's public life has integrity been a measure of anything he considers important. Generated profits, on the other hand, are a different matter, altogether to the Trumps.

Kellyann Conway Ethics Violation

An interesting trend we often see when we have a republican president is that fashion also becomes more conservative and less lavish. If Ivanka was really that good at the business and planning aspect of her enterprise, she would have anticipated this. Recessions are much more common during Republican administrations, and Ivanka Trump should have updated her collections to reflect that phenomena. Nordstrom and a handful of other retailers that once carried Ivanka's label have taken the step of dropping her brand, due to slumping sales. Ivanka's paternal DNA unit, Donald Trump, noted businessman and Clown In Chief, feels otherwise. He thinks it is only spite, not a business decision, and has even taken time away from state decisions to tweet that Ivanka has been "treated unfairly!"

As if this nonsense was not enough for one day, Kellyann Conway jumped on Fox And Friends and plugged Ivanka's line! The fact that such an action violates CFR §2635.71, federal ethics law stating that one may not use public office for private gain. Conway's self described "free commercial" was inappropriate and unlawful. Reportedly, Donald Trump was displeased with her actions, but as Conway has not been "fired", we really do not know what "the donald" thinks; except that he has the notion that Nordstrom has an obligation to carry a line of clothing that does not sell. If Donald Trump is truly such a great businessman, he should know better.

This is an huge conflict of interest.  The White House is not a private market for womens' ready to wear, and it is also not the president's personal market place. Nor is it the personal market place of any member of his family. As for the contrast between "fair" and "unfair"; Trump should take a look at Kellyann Conway, and the fact that she has gotten away with violating an ethics law, and yet remains employed. He fired Department of Justice attorney, Sally Yates, for simply doing what is right, yet Conway gets a free ticket to do things that are wrong while she is at work. That's unfair.