Sears Holdings, the company that owns retail stores Sears and Kmart, recently announced that it would be removing 31 Trump-branded items from its website. This decision was made in order to focus on the most profitable items, according to Sears spokesman Brian Hanover. The Trump Home line of furnishings was specifically mentioned as being removed from the website, although they can still be purchased through third-party vendors online.
Chris Brathwaite, another spokesperson for Sears, emphasized that the company wants to stay out of political controversies and that many Trump-branded products are still available through third-party sellers. He stated that the decision to remove certain products was not politically motivated but rather a business-focused one.
This move by Sears is part of a trend of retailers distancing themselves from the Trump brand. Nordstrom recently stopped carrying Ivanka Trump’s clothing and accessories line, citing brand performance as the reason. President Trump criticized Nordstrom on Twitter in response to this decision.
Other retailers, such as Neiman Marcus, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Belk, have also made changes regarding Ivanka Trump’s brand. While online sales of her products have seen a decline, the brand’s representatives maintain that there has been significant year-over-year revenue growth.
Despite the backlash faced by the Trump brand, retailers like Bloomingdale’s, Amazon, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, and Zappos continue to carry Ivanka Trump products. Ivanka Trump herself has taken a leave of absence from her company since her father’s presidency but is expected to have a voice on issues such as women’s empowerment and child care.
Overall, the decision by Sears to remove Trump-branded items from their website is part of a larger trend of retailers reevaluating their relationship with the Trump brand. The controversy surrounding these products continues to spark debate, with some companies choosing to distance themselves while others remain supportive.