Comments on BritishBeautyBlogger: Whoops, Blaggers.

There's a lot of fingerpointing and outrage in...

2010-07-03T13:45:23.140+01:00

There's a lot of fingerpointing and outrage in this thread.

I don't think selling samples on is a good idea at all, but neither is it an outrageous crime. It's a fine way for a blogger to look shabby, underhanded and untrustworthy certainly, and to break trust with brands and PRs. Grubby, yes, but criminal, no. Ultimately it's up to the blogger to choose how to conduct him/herself.

Unfortunately, "sample abuse" is one of the possibilities brands have to consider when they take a leap into the unknown and give out samples to bloggers.

Bloggers represent the consumer at large, and within the blogger spectrum there are ethical and upstanding bloggers, as well as unscrupulous types. Just like real life - which is what the blog landscape is there to represent.

My main concern is that as time goes on brands should dedicate time and resources to identifying which bloggers are trustworthy and worth working with. Brands and PRs, blog relationships CAN work if you take time to sort the wheat from the chaff. But please don't tar us all with the same brush based on a few people's actions.

I have seen several people do this and it makes me...

2010-07-01T16:49:50.778+01:00

I have seen several people do this and it makes me so angry!

One particular blogger was called up on selling the lovely illamsqua sirens pallette that she had received for free not too long ago by quite a few people and she couldn't care less about it!! Mind you, this is the same blogger who 2 days ago said pixiwoo were 'up their own arses' - so she is clearly a bit crazy in the head!

I think it is out of order and these individuals should not be sent anything!!

I have a small box, in a drawer, of items that I k...

2010-07-01T16:44:14.291+01:00

I have a small box, in a drawer, of items that I know I will never use and have often come as part of a bag of items. I tend to give these away to good friends and family as they will have a good home and hopefully they will repurchase and tell their friends too.

I don't need full sized products and often prefer samples as if I like a product, I buy a full size.

I did a blog sale at the beginning of the year, anything that wasn't bought by me, the profits went to the Haiti Disaster Fund and a UK Cancer Charity. That's allowed I think. I needed the space and the opportunity to do something good was there.

My advice and warning is that if you need cash that badly, get a job and stop making us look like a bunch of grubby shoplifters. It's infuriating to those of us with standards and who take blogging seriously (as a hobby) and spend time making good links with PRs and companies.

I do think that PR companies should do a bit more research about who they trust with their samples. Let's hope those who got scorched will learn from this bitter lesson but not enough to give up on us completely.

just wrote something inspired by this, have a litt...

2010-07-01T16:44:14.290+01:00

just wrote something inspired by this, have a little read if you like xxx

http://ooglemakeup.blogspot.com/2010/07/selling-your-swag.html

really interesting to read all the comments and de...

2010-07-01T11:13:47.264+01:00

really interesting to read all the comments and debate. As a beauty PR I have to say this has been going on for years and is definately not a blogger only trait.
In the early days is was kind of acceptable for interns and other non-paid work experience to 'take advantage' of freebies etc but under no circumstances has it ever been ok to sell them for profit.
We are all lucky to work in an exciting and vibrant industry and i think its a two way street - PR's and journalists need to earn respect and show respect to each other. @veritycash

I think My Lips But Better has the best idea. A le...

2010-07-01T11:02:56.151+01:00

I think My Lips But Better has the best idea. A legal, brief contract.

I think it's all about respect and ethics for ...

2010-07-01T09:20:47.811+01:00

I think it's all about respect and ethics for the brands that have established themselves. There's no written rule that one can't sell products that they are given unless you did sign something agreeing not to, but be morally aware about what you do. I just started my blog and although the idea of a near future blog sale has crept into my head recently, I decided that I wouldn't sell anything on my blog only because um...I just want to keep it simple, stuff I write about stuff I love, maybe a giveaaway later on. I do admit I made a few as in around 3 purchases on ebay for stuff from other countries like Japan that are only available there when I was a new makeup enthusiast. I try to imagine myself standing in front of these Brands founders with pride. I don't think I can see myself doing that unless I pay honest money and get the item from an official sale. If a friend sells something she has to me in person, that would feel a bit different, and of course I'd want it to be boxed and brand new :)

I'm not a lawyer, so perhaps this isn't po...

2010-06-30T23:41:06.269+01:00

I'm not a lawyer, so perhaps this isn't possible, but couldn't companies include a short letter with each package that says something like "by accepting these products you agree to not sell them. If you do not accept, please return using the enclosed prepaid shipping label."

Then if a blogger is caught, the brand can send a quick note requesting that they remove the offending item from their sale... and blacklist the blogger.

Also, is this happening in the US as well or is it mostly a UK phenomenon?

http://mylipsbutbetter.blogspot.com

I really don't understand why people do this -...

2010-06-30T22:36:45.364+01:00

I really don't understand why people do this - ok if something doesn't work for you personally pass it on for someone else to try, some bloggers get sent nothing and would jump at the chance to try something new just don't use it as a money making scheme. I have been sent things twice that I haven't ended up keeping - one parcel contained items that I already owned so I gave it away in a giveaway and reviewed the products I already owned for my blog (I informed the pr that I was going to do this if it contained things I already had )and the other one I reviewed for my blog and then swapped with a fellow blogger who might get more use out of it. It never occured to me to sell the items it's not in my nature if I don't want something I tell the pr / company that I don't want it

This is really a shame. Okay if they were selling ...

2010-06-30T20:13:39.008+01:00

This is really a shame. Okay if they were selling it and gave the money to charity, but to get some extra cash from samples that PRs sent you for consideration is really nasty.

I came to a point where PRs do contact me but I do choose if I want or don't want any sample product(s). I really don't want to receive products which I won't use because there's probably someone who will use it so why not send it to someone else, right?

http://www.beautyaddict.net/

totally agree. great post.

2010-06-30T18:21:20.951+01:00

totally agree. great post.

That's just wrong and creepy. I would never se...

2010-06-30T16:40:14.012+01:00

That's just wrong and creepy. I would never sell anything sent to me for review, I just would feel totally gross about it.

It does give bloggers a bad rep. Most of us DON'T blog for free stuff and turn around and sell it; we blog because we are passionate about something and love it.

I mentioned this issue on my blog if you want to a...

2010-06-30T15:38:29.272+01:00

I mentioned this issue on my blog if you want to answer some of the questions asked. Thanks for bringing it up! http://lovelyandroid.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/blog-ethics/

This makes me beyond furious. How can anyone just...

2010-06-30T15:22:27.917+01:00

This makes me beyond furious.
How can anyone justify selling products that they have been given free?
I agree totally that the brands should take a hard line.

Many a person ruining their own future here.

I've been considering writing something simila...

2010-06-30T15:00:15.432+01:00

I've been considering writing something similar for the last couple of weeks, and have been chatting with various PRs regarding how they feel about it, (BBB, I guess probably the same company that you have!), but its such a sticky area as to whether its 'right' or 'wrong' or just becoming the norm...

Anyway, what is coming up is that its beginning to become an epidemic. In less than 2 weeks, I heard from 6 different companies regarding catching people selling their samples, and one in particular sadly, won't deal with bloggers at all, which is a shame as their product would be well placed in the blogging world.

I also had a phonecall from a small company recently who wanted to include a product in a feature I'm doing, but they were very apologetic in saying that it would have to be a small sample jar. They went on to explain that they kept seeing their full size jars on eBay, and as a new company, desperate for publicity, but with little budget, it was crippling them.

I had no problem with that, and suggested they invest in some 10ml jars for decanting!

the sample they sent was actually a very good size, and was duly sent off to my product tester who looks after bodycare.

There's a great company in London who follow Twitter and facebook, and whenever they 'catch' someone selling on ebay etc, they actually get in touch with that blogger and have it out with them!

I think some forget that Twitter, Facebook, and indeed blogs, are public forums and therefore who knows who is reading/watching.

As I cross both the blog/journalist divide as a dotcom but with advertisers that I report to etc, my site kind of falls into all categories and as a result, we get samples from all sorts of people. There's no way on earth that I could test everything out myself, I don't have enough skin, body, hair, clients, and even the other writers and artists wouldn't necesarily have time, but I do have a team of about 30-50 product testers on the forum who willingly test for me and give their reviews, and likewise, I'm sure many bloggers do similar, give products to friends etc.

When it comes down to whether you should or shouldn't make money from selling products, if the blog is taking up so much of a person's time that they feel they 'deserve' something back for it, and thus sell off samples and freebies, then that's the blog to stop reading. Their love for it and unconditional reviewing has probably gone by the wayside anyway...

@lipglossing, I also saw that MrClive blue dahlia sale, and have asked Estee what their thoughts/actions are... still waiting for the 'on the record' reply...!

I completely agree and it gives us all a bad name....

2010-06-30T11:56:47.095+01:00

I completely agree and it gives us all a bad name.

While I fully reserve the right to write an honest review of anything I'm sent I would never sell anything on because I do want to be taken seriously and to be honest if I sample something properly I am using it for some time.

Surely it would just have been better all round (a...

2010-06-30T10:16:59.384+01:00

Surely it would just have been better all round (as cosmetic candy said previously) to simply name and shame the small amount of bloggers doing this or take it up with them directly rather than this rather unpleasant, passive aggressive stance? It's all a bit 'finger pointy', nasty and vindictive to be honest even if I don't agree with stupidly selling as yet unreleased product samples.

Thanks BBB for bringing this to light. I've on...

2010-06-30T10:10:32.416+01:00

Thanks BBB for bringing this to light.
I've only seen this happen once and by a reasonably big UK youtuber/blogger and thought it was incredibly cheeky.

I'm lucky to have just got to the stage where PR folk are starting to send me things and everything I have been sent for review still sits in my drawers at home.

What irritates me is when someone elses actions spoil it for everyone else. I've loved seeing the increase in UK bloggers and seeing the industry give recognition to them.

Being invited to events etc is amazing & shows the trust & respect brands have for us. It just is so frustrating when this happens.

Having said that I know too that it's not just beauty bloggers who do this. I've been to several London bootsales & seen the products on sale where sellers openly admit they work as a beauty journalist.

This is really terrible. i think its not reflectiv...

2010-06-30T09:54:48.972+01:00

This is really terrible. i think its not reflective of the industry - especially the people of integrity you associate with, but more a case of sheer greed and a lack of values (and more than a little bit dumb - did they think nobody would find out??).

Sad.

I've never seen so many comments BBB! Great po...

2010-06-30T08:42:54.231+01:00

I've never seen so many comments BBB! Great post!

This is an issue that really worries me - and I think it's something being mentioned more and more - I was chatting to a couple of bloggers about the issue of 'blogging sales' only this week. After all the hard work I've done over the last two years, I'd hate a few greedy bloggers to ruin it for the rest of us.

If you really do have 'too many' samples - why not hold a small charity sale? This is what happens in magazines and newspapers all over London (I know, cause I've held them) and I now do this twice a year for The-Beauty-Pages.com (and my freelance bits and pieces). At the end of each season, I sort out my beauty cupboard and anything that I don't need (nb - seasonal bits and pieces) goes into a small charity sale for friends and family (nothing more than £2). It might be just me, but handing a cheque over to a needy charity is much more fulfilling that paying it into your own bank account. Last time, we donated to a homeless charity and I'm about to hold another one for a local cancer hospice. If there really is too much to hand over to friends and family - or keep yourself - then it's a nice way to handle things.

Thank you for highlighting it BBB - I'm off to do some detective work myself!

Great Post, I think it's appauling that Beaut...

2010-06-30T05:59:07.702+01:00

Great Post,

I think it's appauling that Beauty Bloggers would do such a thing. If I received anything for review purposes and didn't like it.. I'd find someone who did and give it to them for free...because that's how I got it.

People who do things like this, I wonder if they blog for the right reasons

I'm lucky enough to be at the stage where I ac...

2010-06-30T05:56:28.315+01:00

I'm lucky enough to be at the stage where I actually need to decline some offers of products because they don't suit my lifestyle or theme of my blog.

I would never accept something simply to sell it on just as I wouldn't accept something that I actually wanted just to profit from.

It's rude and a violation of trust and generosity.
Sure, we're giving free advertising, but PRs don't have to send us full sized products etc and they're being lovely by doing it.

A bit of mutual respect goes a long way and I hope these people don't spoil it for the rest of us.

Thanks so much for writing this. As a new blogger ...

2010-06-30T04:28:37.191+01:00

Thanks so much for writing this. As a new blogger it's frustrating to see how the actions of a few are going to make my 'job' harder.

As a fairly new blogger, I find this disgusting an...

2010-06-30T04:12:59.230+01:00

As a fairly new blogger, I find this disgusting and grimey. Why even accept the offer if you're just going to sell it off? (I doubt they magically get sent items, there's obviously some contact between the company and the blogger.)

The ladies I follow & read daily have my utmost respect. With the amount they post, and how thorough they are in their reviews, they deserve pay - But they do it for free, because they love blogging about beauty. Like BBB said, it's not a JOB, it's a HOBBY. There is no blogging law saying these ladies are entitled to receive free things. I feel it's a smack in the face to everyone else when someone turns around and sells a free item.

I would be honored to try anything out from a major company. If I wound up not liking something, a friend would get it or I'd do a giveaway. Not a big deal. You get PR samples because they want your opinion.. what's the point in them giving away free things if they're going to be tossed onto ebay the moment they arrive? I agree with some of the other commenters - name & shame.

It's disgusting that people do this and it mak...

2010-06-30T01:50:39.076+01:00

It's disgusting that people do this and it makes it very difficult for all of the other bloggers with good intentions.

I don't get sent many products to review but when I do I see it as a privilege. If I'm sent products that don't suit me I either give them to a friend to review for me, or use them as part of a giveaway on my blog. I don't blame the brands for not dealing with bloggers who sell the products sent for review.