America’s leading merchants including Walmart, Amazon, eBay and Sears have all announced that they support the controversial confederate flag to be removed from the state capitol grounds. These Top companies are pledging to taking it off the shelves, and will discontinue the sale of this flag. Gov. Nikki Haley announced in a Monday afternoon news conference that she supports removing the Confederate flag from the state capitol grounds.
According to CNN:
Johnna Hoff, an eBay spokesperson, said that the Confederate flag has “become a contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism.” It is banning the sale of Confederate flags and “many items containing this image,” Hoff said.
A spokesperson for Amazon told CNN Tuesday afternoon that the company would also remove Confederate flag merchandise.
Sears Holdings Corporation, which operates Sears and Kmart, also said it would remove confederate flag merchandise sold by third-party vendors online. It does not currently sell confederate flags at its stores, Sears Holdings spokesman Chris Brathwaite told CNN.
As of Monday, Walmart.com carried the Confederate flag as well as attire featuring the flag’s design, such as T-shirts and belt buckles, and the auction site eBay also carried the Confederate flag and accessories such as handbags and jewelry. Amazon.com list pages of Confederate flag-related products, ranging from the flag itself to folding knives, T-shirts, blankets and even shower curtains).
Sales of three versions of the flag were up 1,670% to 2,305% over a period of 24 hours, according to Amazon data. One of those flags, priced at $1.80 plus shipping, is currently the ninth best-selling item in the Patio, Lawn & Garden department and the top-selling item among all outdoor flags and banners sold on Amazon.