Dear Readers,
As the owner of a fashion & beauty blog, I have daily interactions with various members of the industry. From makeup artists, publicists, designers and company owners themselves have by and large been a delight work with. It has been wonderful to see how what started as a hobby from a small town in Arkansas has blossomed to be known as Style IT. Since I started Style IT over 2 years ago I have been honored to be a member of the rapidly growing online media marketplace.
As you may have noticed I am putting together an extensive Holiday Gift Guide starting November 1 running through December 31. To find the most exciting new products on the market, I am reaching out to new companies and current relationships. One such new company I was delighted to discover was Purse-Lights. A novel idea, these clipable lights retail for $17.95 for 3. I reached out to the company for a press sample, a standard practice for media, so the author has experience of using the product, evaluating it's quality, and the company receives honest coverage.
While speaking with a represenative of the company, I notified the company of my policy of requiring a sample for any product review that appears on the site. The represenative responded by informing me that a sample would be sent only after I signed a form stating the product would be included in my Holiday Gift Guide and the review would be a positive one. While I can understand the company is looking out for it's best interest and bottom line, I cannot help but to feel offended and shocked at the request.
True, in the past I have received items from goody bags and publicists that I was not thrilled with, and I felt a fair amount of guilt for not mentioning a product no matter how much I disliked it. However I have always put the integrity of my writing and website above a company's return on their investment. As the popular saying goes, you canont make everyone happy all of the time. Not every product is for every person, and these simple facts are a business basic.
To put it simply, every review posted on Style IT is honest - pure and simple. If I don't like it, I don't write about it. Each feature comes straight from the heart and my belief in the product/brand. It is never my intention to badmouth a product or ruin a company's good reputation, however I have no desire to be associated with such questionable business practices.
Whew - feels good to clear the air. I look forward to bringing you a fantastic Holiday season filled with honest-to-goodness great products designed to make your holiday shopping easier.
Thank you for being a part of Style IT.
Warmest Wishes,
Sarah
