As Never?! Big questions swirl over why Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand has not been restocked for nearly two months
Nearly two months after it first launched Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand is facing questions over why its sold-out products have still not been restocked.
The Duchess of Sussex released her 'As Ever' line, first teased more than a year ago under a different name, on April 2 with the limited pieces hitting her online site at eye-watering prices.
The eight products on sale included a wildflower honey with honeycomb, priced at an eye-watering $28 (£21.60), and some flower sprinkles at $15 (£11.60).
Meanwhile, a jar of raspberry jam set punters back $14 (£10.80), while the abundance of other goods on sale included shortbread and crepe mixes, both being sold for $14, alongside various herbal tea mixes for £12 (£9.30 each).
Fans snapped up the unique product range within minutes, with the range selling out within just half an hour of going live.
Reveling in the success, 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!'
Pictured: some of the sold-out products within the As Ever collection. Exclusive products on sale included a wildflower honey with honeycomb, priced at an eye-watering $28 (£21.60), and some flower sprinkles at $15 (£11.60)
But now, nearly two months later, keen shoppers who had initially hoped to get their hands on the exclusive product range have been left bitterly disappointed, with the sold-out stock still unavailable to purchase online.
At the time of the opening day, some had began to cast an element of doubt on the success of the 43-year-old's latest business venture.
It was claimed the items had been made available in small quantities and then quickly marked as sold out in order to generate interest.
Meanwhile, one industry insider told MailOnline today: 'Showing that there is a sell out is very common for new brands to fake demand. There is no warehouse full of jams.'
Described by Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's Diary Editor, as 'one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book', Richard was also quick to brand the As Ever range as 'pathetic' due to the limited range of products available.
During MailOnline's hit Youtube show, Palace Confidential, Richard remarked: 'Have you looked at her lifestyle website As Ever? It went live yesterday with the prices and everything. It's really pathetic. There's only about ten items. I was expecting quite a nice range.
'Come on', "Sold out". I mean, give me a break. That's the oldest marketing trick in the book.'
Meanwhile, Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's revered Royal Editor added: '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.
'It was kind of slightly all over the place.
'She has put on the site that there 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 this is one of the oldest tricks in the book.'
Now, Mark Borkowski, one of the UK's leading publicity gurus and crisis managers, has described Meghan's management of the sold-out launch as 'chaos', questioning 'what the true story is' behind the long-standing unavailable products.
Reflecting on how offering no explanation for the lack of stock could be harming her brand's image, Mr Borkowski told Newsweek: 'As soon as nothing's happening, people as questions but therefore her PR has always been chaos.
'Maybe the fact it's not restocking gives them the opportunity to refresh the story, but there's just no logic and now of course questions are going to be asked. Do they have the answers?'
The expert even theorised that perhaps Meghan could be being 'let down by the very people who were surprised by her success'.
Nevertheless, despite the ongoing stock issues, Mr Borkowski was quick to stress that Meghan's public image of 'create noise, create chaos', has continued 'business as normal'.
And, while Meghan continues reaping the success of her podcast Confessions of a Female, alongside making vast profits from As Ever, a key question remains: 'What happens to Harry? How does he exist in this crazy world of their making?'
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