Obama merchandise: Bright spot for stores
New York, NY — Retail sales have contracted as consumers slow their spending, but gear linked to President-elect Barack Obama is generating sales for many retailers and designers.
Businesses including Amazon.com (AMZN, Fortune 500), niche clothing line Sean John and a score of haute couture designers are among the those celebrating Obama’s inauguration.
On Amazon.com, the most popular items are T-shirts, hats, tie clips and beanies emblazoned with Obama’s visage. Obama paraphernalia even has its own section in the Amazon Inauguration store, where top items are ranked, according a company spokeswoman.
Obama-related merchandise is a bright spot in a dark time for retail, said Dawn Robertson, president of Sean John, media mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ clothing brand.
She said the company has sold “hundreds of thousands” of Obama-related T-shirts since launching the items in mid-November in department stores and specialty stores across the country. The $28 t-shirts sport slogans such as ‘Voted and Won’ and ‘Yes We Did.’
