Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand As Ever is facing scrutiny following claims about its handling of customer data. The concerns were recently brought to light by the magazine Private Eye, which revealed that the brand might be collecting more than just fashion preferences from its users.
According to the report, As Ever allegedly allowed customers to complete their full orders—including submitting sensitive information like credit card numbers, phone numbers, IP addresses, and mailing addresses—only to later inform them that the products were sold out.
This approach stands in contrast to most e-commerce sites, which typically indicate when an item is unavailable before any checkout details are entered.
The publication highlighted that this method may have enabled the company to gather an extensive amount of personal information. This includes not only what products customers viewed or purchased, but also their preferred sizes, styles, and overall shopping behavior.
It doesn’t stop there. Users exploring the wine section of the site are reportedly asked for their birth dates, a move likely intended to verify age but which also contributes to a growing pool of personal data.
Additionally, As Ever is said to log information like the date, time, and location of site visits, as well as the types of devices used to access the platform.
The report further noted that As Ever collects “geolocation data such as IP address and shipping address” and also stores “site account login credentials and payment details such as a credit card number.”
While customers do have the option to opt out of some of these practices, the brand has openly stated that, “we may engage in certain marketing activities that may be considered ‘selling’, or ‘targeted advertising’.”
This admission has raised eyebrows, as it suggests that unless users take action to opt out, their data could be used for advertising or potentially shared with third parties.
Private Eye also pointed out that this collected data “will also be on file should Markle ever decide to sell the firm.” This remark has added another layer of concern regarding long-term data usage and the brand’s future intentions.