A technical error on the official website for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle brand, As Ever, has inadvertently shed light on the venture's impressive sales figures, sparking widespread online discussion.
The Glitch That Revealed All
In early January 2026, an online malfunction on the As Ever shop allowed savvy social media users to deduce inventory levels. By attempting to add abnormally high quantities of products—like the brand's signature strawberry jam—to their digital baskets, the site would display the maximum available stock. This glitch, now fixed, indicated that close to one million jars of jam had been ordered since the brand's launch in March 2025, with approximately 130,000 remaining.
This led to initial speculation that the Duchess was struggling to shift stock, before the full context emerged. A source with knowledge of the business operations clarified to Newsweek that the visible items represented only the leftover portion of a much larger wholesale order, vehemently denying any narrative of commercial difficulty.
"Exceeding Expectations": The Brand's Holiday Success
Contrary to the negative spin, insiders have revealed that As Ever's performance has robustly surpassed forecasts. The 2025 Christmas period proved "incredibly successful" for the brand, according to a confidential source. They emphasised that the venture has "exceeded everybody's expectations" in terms of its reception and sales velocity.
Another industry insider speaking to The Sun provided further clarity on the jam figures, stating, "It doesn’t take a genius to work out that 87 per cent of what has been ordered has sold." They described the business as not merely successful but as "flying off the shelf".
Looking Ahead: Expansion and New Products
In response to the incident, the As Ever website has implemented new purchase limits, restricting customers to 50 gift boxes or 20 bottles of wine per transaction to prevent future inventory exposure. Looking forward, the brand appears poised for growth.
The source indicated that the substantial stock order was part of a strategic plan for international expansion beyond the United States. Given the strong sales during the festive season, they suggested inventory will need to be significantly increased to meet anticipated demand in new global markets.
Meghan Markle has previously spoken about the challenges of inventory planning, telling Bloomberg's The Circuit in August 2025 that sell-out scenarios are a "double-edged sword." She noted that for a subsequent product drop, As Ever increased inventory tenfold, only for it to sell out in a matter of hours.
With rumours of new product lines and the restocking of popular items, the future seems bright for the Duchess's entrepreneurial endeavour, despite the brief and unintended transparency caused by the website error.
