Meghan Markle released her As Ever range this week and giddily claimed that it ‘sold out’ within half an hour of going live.
But the Duchess of Sussex, 43, has been accused of using the ‘oldest marketing trick in the book’ by one of the Mail’s Royal experts on the latest episode of Palace Confidential.
During the hit YouTube show, Richard Eden, the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, was quick to brand the As Ever range as ‘pathetic’ due to the limited range of products available.
‘Have you had a look at her lifestyle website As Ever?’ he asked Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s revered Royal Editor, and host of the popular YouTube show Jo Elvin.
‘It went live yesterday with the prices and everything.’ Richard said. ‘It’s really pathetic. There’s only about ten items. I was expecting quite a nice range.’
‘Quality not quantity, Richard,’ Jo said before Rebecca asked with a jeering lilt: ‘You didn’t try to get your edible sprinkles then, Richard?’
‘What? $15, I think, for a tiny little tin?’ a horrified Richard replied.
‘Well, according to Meghan, it’s sold out,’ Jo added.
Meghan Markle (pictured on her Netflix show) launched As Ever on Wednesday and the collection ‘sold out’ within an hour
During the hit YouTube show, Richard Eden (pictured), the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, was quick to brand the As Ever range as ‘pathetic’ due to the limited range of products available
Diving into more detail about the highly anticipated As Ever drop, Rebecca revealed the list of products including wildflower honey with honeycomb priced at an eye-watering $28 (£21.60) and some flower sprinkles at $15 (£11.60), while a jar of raspberry jam set punters back $14 (£10.80).
Other goods in the Duchess’s lifestyle range included shortbread and crepe mixes – both being sold for $14 – and various herbal tea mixes for $12 (£9.30) each.
‘I feel like we are doing an ad for her now,’ Jo quipped.
‘Come on,’ a despairing Richard begged his colleagues. ‘”Sold out”. I mean, give me a break. That’s the oldest marketing trick in the book.
Playing devil’s advocate, Jo replied: ‘Don’t be so cynical! There are a lot of people who would want to order that stuff.’
But Richard quickly questioned how many items the As Ever website actually had available.
Meghan herself stated on Instagram that there were ‘limited quantities for each seasonal drop’.
Adding her two cents to the spirited discussion, Rebecca said: ‘Interestingly, I went on the As Ever site when I heard it had gone live within about three or four minutes and already a lot of the items were either showing sold out or coming soon.’
Meghan’s As Ever products launched on Wednesday and seemingly sold out ‘in less than one hour’
The Duchess of Sussex’s jam jars retailed at $14 (£10.80)
The limited edition Wildflower Honey set punters back $28 (£21.60)
Meghan also sold peppermint tea, ready made crepe mix and shortbread cookie mix with flower sprinkles
‘It was kind of slightly all over the place,’ Rebecca added.
‘She has put on the site that this is a limited drop but obviously we have no idea of the number they are selling and Richard is right, there’s a lot of marketing experts saying that is one of the oldest tricks in the book.’
‘Oh, you old cynics,’ Jo said, shaking her head.
On Wednesday, The Telegraph quoted what they called a well-placed source as saying the items had been made available in small quantities and quickly marked as sold out to generate interest, which is ‘a common marketing ploy’.
In a gushing post to her followers after the launch, Meghan wrote: ‘Our shelves may be empty, but my heart is full!
‘We sold out in less than one hour and I can’t thank you enough…for celebrating, purchasing, sharing, and believing. It’s just the start @aseverofficial. Here we go!’
Referencing the ‘boasting’ post, Richard said: ‘She was on Instagram and Meghan was saying, “oh we’ve sold out and everything” and I just think hmm…’
On the latest episode of Palace Confidential, the trio of royal experts then go on to discuss the criticism fired at Meghan by none other than Lady Carole Bamford, a British pioneer of organic food as well as one of the King’s closest friend.
Daniel Martin, who is Meghan’s long-time makeup artist, posted about the As Ever range being sold out but noticeably didn’t display a screenshot of an order
Lady Carole Bamford (pictured), a British pioneer of organic food as well as one of the King’s closest friend has criticised Meghan’s As Ever brand as lacking authenticity
Meghan shared footage of her ‘fruit spread’ being made. A Netflix source claims that staff were asked to sign NDAs to ensure the location of the factory remains secret
Lady Bamford founded Daylesford Organic Farmshops and, according to Richard, spent 20 years nurturing farmland in order to sell authentically organic produce.
‘She is usually very discreet,’ Richard said. ‘But she has called Meghan “crazy” and she said basically that Meghan’s range lacks history and authenticity.’
Explaining her reasoning, Richard said that Lady Bamford has produced an ‘authentic brand’ where all the items have been ‘produced lovingly’, whereas Meghan ‘is just buying in fruit from goodness knows where and selling it as her own’.
The Diary Editor also noted it was interesting that Lady Bamford has so openly criticised Meghan in this way.
‘In the past, I think friends of the royal family would be nervous,’ he said. ‘It shows you how little concern there is about offending Harry and Meghan now.’
For more fascinating insights from the Mail’s team of unrivalled Royal experts, watch the latest episode of Palace Confidential in full on YouTube now and subscribe to the Daily Mail Royals Youtube channel.
