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After a mob of President Trump’s supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday in an attempt to halt the certification of the 2020 presidential election results, retail trade groups, brands, and commerce platforms across the industry felt compelled to disavow the siege.
From trade groups: Leading organizations including the Business Roundtable, the National Retail Federation, and the American Apparel & Footwear Association condemned the mob’s violence while demanding action from the federal government.
- "Our retailers, the millions of associates they employ, and the communities they serve across the country want and need our elected officials to focus on the priorities that ensure faith in our government through stability," NRF CEO Matthew Shay said.
On social media: A small cohort of brands—Ben & Jerry’s and Under Armour among them—released individual statements. Consumerresponses were split: Some users praised brands for their posts condemning the rioters, while others questioned brands’ involvement.
A step further
Shopify shut down two online shops managed by the Trump Organization and Trump campaign on Thursday, the WSJ reports. A Shopify representative said its terms of use prohibit stores associated with people or groups that "threaten or condone violence to further a cause."
- Several other stores with similar items are still operating on Shopify’s platform of 1+ million sellers, per the NYT.
Zoom out: Other e-commerce platforms aren’t taking a uniform approach to moderating their listings.
- eBay told Vox it would not take down “politically affiliated merchandise,” but it will remove “any merchandise glorifying the violence incited on Capitol Hill.”
- Business Insider reports that Amazon, which currently lists similar Trump merchandise, hasn’t pulled products or sellers from its marketplace this week.