Bloggers / Influencers releasing products [Please read note in post #966]

Siobhnk

So when bloggers say it takes months for all these projects to come together... Are they just talking about the AliExpress shipping times?

silvervixen84

mod This isn't a general chat thread. Keep on topic - and I don't mean updates on the instagram account's followers.

As previously mentioned, please remember the charter:

No unfounded allegations about influencers or brands that could lead to libel action against Boards. No proof, no post.

Ray37

Yeah, the stuff is probably stuck in customs for ages, plus shipping from China takes a while

Ray37

The Taylor and Rose website is now down, 'under construction'....

Gunslinger92

Actually can't believe some people are saying Ali express are copying yer wan. This is how brain washed some people are. Frightening really.

gossipgirl10

I actually can't believe people think that aliexpress have copied Taylor and Rose are they that naive? I saw a girl on that galz who snap page saying no the stuff you buy on aliexpress is terrible quality when it arrives her stuff is proper gold and silver... that aliexpress use other people's images to promote their stuff and it's not the same when it arrives.

if people still don't want to believe it when presented with the evidence then what can you do except let them spend their hard earned cash

retro:electro

Or maybe she's adding in a little disclaimer like she hasn't crafted the pieces but sourced them?

Anyway apart from some on GWS page, it's good to see so many on the Insta page have their eyes opened.

wolfmoon87

gossipgirl10 wrote: »

I actually can't believe people think that aliexpress have copied Taylor and Rose are they that naive? I saw a girl on that galz who snap page saying no the stuff you buy on aliexpress is terrible quality when it arrives her stuff is proper gold and silver... that aliexpress use other people's images to promote their stuff and it's not the same when it arrives.

And the AliExpress images are different anyway, they haven't stolen Ciara's images.

Ray37

Anna you could be right! Someone mentioned that lots of ladies on the page are wannabe bloggers/influencers, and won't dare criticize, and think that's bang on the money. They don't wanna be on the outs with any big names that might see their comments. 

I wonder will COD address this at all, or will she go silent and hope everyone forgets?

wolfmoon87

Does anyone know her Snapchat name? I've tried googling and can't find it. Is it @ciaraodoherty ?

Edit: ^^got it. that is the Snapchat handle above

retro:electro

Gunslinger92 wrote: »

Actually can't believe some people are saying Ali express are copying yer wan. This is how brain washed some people are. Frightening really.

I think they know the truth but are trying to push it this way as they have vested interests themselves as aspiring bloggers, and they know this is a handy way of making money in the blogger industry in Ireland.

gossipgirl10

At the end of the day no one wants to knock someone's business but it's just the greed in the level of markup on the products that had to be shown. A high price point implies a certain level of quality and there is no way that these things look good in the flesh if they cost a couple of euro to buy.

And to say you want to bring unique, luxurious and affordable products to Irish women is just taking the mick there is nothing unique about something bought from China and they aren't exactly that affordable, for a lot of women €100 is a lot of money.

It also implies that there isn't a single Irish designer making anything worth buying since she "searched high and low" and found nothing and she is a stylist.

Stheno

Site is backup and appears to still have the aliexpress stuff

laylag

Girls fair play to whomever has set up the Instagram page. I have definitely purchased some jewellery that I could have bought for a tenth of the price in Ali express.
Whatever about buying it and selling it on for a small profit...but the mark up on some of these items is astronomical.
I'm annoyed with myself for buying it now!!

wendydoll

laylag wrote: »

Girls fair play to whomever has set up the Instagram page. I have definitely purchased some jewellery that I could have bought for a tenth of the price in Ali express.
Whatever about buying it and selling it on for a small profit...but the mark up on some of these items is astronomical.
I'm annoyed with myself for buying it now!!

Ah laylag you have every right to be annoyed. But you shouldn't be at annoyed at yourself for buying. Its the sellers that you should be annoyed at. At least you won't be caught out again

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

retro:electro

Yea some people need to go back to school and scrub up on their business studies!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

God what the hell did I start with a simple scroll through ali express while waiting for my towel to heat up for my shower ... this has snowballed

retro:electro

LexieOnRale wrote: »

God what the hell did I start with a simple scroll through ali express while waiting for my towel to heat up for my shower ... this has snowballed

Off you popped then ya wagon and let this sh|t storm commence in your wake :pac:

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Had to go to work because I can't build my business on a shipment of ali express orders sadly and come back to find someone made off with my blog idea, spilling the tea that was a trademark!!!!!! 900% markup on my idea pls babes.



In all seriousness though I feel a bit bad because although she is ripping people off it's no different to most of these influencers

SpillingTheTea

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Had to go to work because I can't build my business on a shipment of ali express orders sadly and come back to find someone made off with my blog idea, spilling the tea that was a trademark!!!!!! 900% markup on my idea pls babes.



In all seriousness though I feel a bit bad because although she is ripping people off it's no different to most of these influencers

Yeah I feel feel bad about it too, but just shows the influencer market rips people off so much

Cria

WhiteRoses wrote: »

No better time than now, given today's events!

Exactly

wendydoll

At least Pippa and Holly Carpenter are actually creating their brands.

gossipgirl10

Ya I feel bad too that majority of the examples shown to highlight the overall issue relate mostly to one or two people but it just shows how easily sourced their items are, a quick search on aliexpress for gold crown will give you most of the taylor and rose stock. It's one thing to import things and resell them that aren't readily available to the general public but I can go online and buy any of those things and get free shipping

SpillingTheTea

wendydoll wrote: »

At least Pippa and Holly Carpenter are actually creating their brands.

Isn’t it sad that we are praising people for ACTUALLY doing something right?

Cria

It's great that this is being highlighted let all the people hiking up prices be exposed

wendydoll

Obviously Pippa's jeans would also have a high mark up but at least she's going to look at fabrics, factories etc. Not just randomly picking things off a chinese website.

blairbear

The comments re; business and how it works on Galz Who Snap are ludicrous.

I went into a shop recently and tried on a dress. I really liked it on me but it was 85e and I remembered seeing it on asos, not on sale, for 65e. Free shipping. I was hardly going to buy the dress for 20e more and when the girl said "oh you should buy that, it's gorgeous on", I actually said "It's 20e cheaper on asos." Asos can afford to sell stuff cheaper cos it's a huge business and 20e isn't a massive difference but I still felt disgruntled as a customer. I can only imagine how you'd feel if you paid 90e over the odds for a hair accessory!

It is mainly brides and girls going to debs buying those pieces. When else would you wear one? Weddings are dear enough and teenagers aren't exactly flush with cash either.

I think it's great that we're highlighting this and giving people a choice.

retro:electro

Yep nothing wrong with highlighting it. People can still buy from her and support her if they wish!

Siobhnk

AliExpress is so easily accessible it'd be mad to buy off of these other websites. It was mentioned on the Facebook post that it's no different to river island making a huge mark up on their clothes. Yeah sure they might be making a fortune, but I can't exactly go online to their factories website and buy from there.

gossipgirl10

Siobhnk wrote: »

AliExpress is so easily accessible it'd be mad to buy off of these other websites. It was mentioned on the Facebook post that it's no different to river island making a huge mark up on their clothes. Yeah sure they might be making a fortune, but I can't exactly go online to their factories website and buy from there.

Exactly... people saying about river island and topshop etc how they put mark up on their stuff too. Well if I found a link on aliexpress to a topshop dress that I knew was definitely the same one then I'd obviously buy the cheap version it's a no brainer...

retro:electro

You'd want to be a special kind of stupid to even make that comparison.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I hope this doesn't affect genuine bloggers designing their products from scratch

SpillingTheTea

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I hope this doesn't affect genuine bloggers designing their products from scratch

THIS

gossipgirl10

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I hope this doesn't affect genuine bloggers designing their products from scratch

Well the ones that are designing from scratch should be able to show some of the process involved like Pippa's snaps from the jeans factory. If people who share their entire lives online can't share any tiny part of the process that leads up to a product release then it speaks volumes.

If anything I think that exposing the ones who are reselling from aliexpress at inflated prices will help other bloggers who are genuinely creating their own products.

At least all of this has opened up the discussion on the issue and brought it to the attention of some people who other wise would have had the wool pulled over their eyes.

AiB123

Considering Retro Flame is always very pro transparency with regards to bought followers etc., I wonder what she makes of it considering she often promotes that brand?

gossipgirl10

AiB123 wrote: »

Considering Retro Flame is always very pro transparency with regards to bought followers etc., I wonder what she makes of it considering she often promotes that brand?

Ya very true I wonder do other bloggers realise that this is what her brand is or are they not aware... have seen a lot of them wearing her stuff which are obviously freebies (when you pay so little for them what's a few freebies here and there to send out). Wonder are they also paid or just doing her a favour wearing them.... like they all did the #sp on that make up girls new place even though they said they were her pals so if she was paying them to come in for a review I wonder is Ciara paying them something to wear the earrings and post on Instagram

MuffinTop86

Well done for highlighting this! If the papers report people selling concert tickets for three times the price I don't see why something fifteen tomes the price shouldn't be outed.

Ray37

I'd say Retro wouldn't be too bothered tbh, and I am saying that as a big fan of hers. She is very anti buying followers, but she isn't the best at disclosing affiliate links etc, so I'm not sure if this would bother her... I really do like Retro, but I've noticed she hasn't always been 100% upfront. I know affiliates are different to large mark ups, but I hope my point comes across.... i.e that it's ok for bloggers etc to make money, and not by always being whiter than white.

SpillingTheTea

Some people are suggesting that Holly Carpenter’s Love Lift line is actually on ali express too! I am genuinely shocked because I thought she’d be one to create her own brand

GingerLily

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

Some people are suggesting that Holly Carpenter’s Love Lift line is actually on ali express too! I am genuinely shocked because I thought she’d be one to create her own brand

Is there anyway to ask her?

SpillingTheTea

GingerLily wrote: »

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

Some people are suggesting that Holly Carpenter’s Love Lift line is actually on ali express too! I am genuinely shocked because I thought she’d be one to create her own brand

Is there anyway to ask her?

I’d be afraid to ask for her to block me and call me a hater ha

gossipgirl10

Well I know why the site was under construction last night she's dropped the prices on loads of "her products" from what I can see. Obviously she knew there would be some scrutiny on her page <removed>

GingerLily

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

I’d be afraid to ask for her to block me and call me a hater ha

Has she said she's designed them? If not she must have got them from a supplier, but maybe a whole sale only supplier so the products aren't available to you and me in small quantities.
Her prices don't seem ridiculous either, similar to the high street.
Probably best to give her the benefit of the doubt until there's some evidence!
(I don't particularly like HC, BTW )

SpillingTheTea

GingerLily wrote: »

SpillingTheTea wrote: »

I’d be afraid to ask for her to block me and call me a hater ha

Has she said she's designed them? If not she must have got them from a supplier, but maybe a whole sale only supplier so the products aren't available to you and me in small quantities.
Her prices don't seem ridiculous either, similar to the high street.
Probably best to give her the benefit of the doubt until there's some evidence!
(I don't particularly like HC, BTW )

Yeah exactly, I think it’s something that’s you can give the benefit of the doubt for tbh

Lougarden

Made no accusations, just asked COD on twitter if it was true buying pieces from Ali Express and inflating from $2 to €145. Also posted Ali link to a feature done by beaut.ie on T&R twitter asking if it was same headpiece. Have since been blocked by both accounts. Don't have enough posts to put up screengrab..had a feeling though that being blocked would be the answer received.

SpillingTheTea

Lougarden wrote: »

Made no accusations, just asked COD on twitter if it was true buying pieces from Ali Express and inflating from $2 to €145. Also posted Ali link to a feature done by beaut.ie on T&R twitter asking if it was same headpiece. Have since been blocked by both accounts. Don't have enough posts to put up screengrab..had a feeling though that being blocked would be the answer received.

Why am I not surprised tbh!!

gossipgirl10

Almost sure someone here yesterday had the text from the About section of her site? It now says she founded the brand it definitely used to say created.

Well at least she's dropped her prices overnight (albeit still with big markup) and maybe is being more transparent about whether she created the pieces or not? So at least the general public have the facts now and can decide themselves if they still want to buy the products.

I hope she gives some kind of an update and doesn't just pretend none of this even happened

Siobhnk

That picture feature on the aliexpress app is very handy!! Picked myself up two clutches popular in Irish boutiques. It's payday after all!

JaMarcusHustle

I'm a lad who - up until today - was fairly certain I'd never find myself posting in the Social Media forum on topics about Beauty Bloggers and the like. I've often seen some of your posts show up on the home page under Most Thanked (I make it a point to read the top 20-30 most thanked posts each day) and due to missing out on a lot of backstory, I often close out of the tab thinking "if you don't like them, don't follow them. Simple."

But never realised there was this much scandal going on in the background. What you've uncovered over the past couple of days is fantastic. Fair play, I've really enjoyed reading this!