Pretty much every day on Twitter I see a blogger say that they regret purchasing something (usually a beauty product) and that they’re going back to what worked for them before. Compared to average consumers I believe bloggers are more aware of new releases and although this can be great if it’s something you really want this can also have damaging consequences too. I’ll admit it, I’ve booked experiences or bought products because a blogger has recommended it but sometimes I think we can be too quick to do this.
I wrote my dissertation on the influence of bloggers and it’s true they/we are influencers in the true definition of the word. However, do we buy products just so we can photograph them and be seen to own the new must have item? Do we go to cafe’s, venues or places to be able to not only say we were there but to be take photographs and then add tags on Instagram and Twitter?
A while back I made a joke when I’d been shopping that I’d become a stereotype but I realised the other day that I wasn’t joking and I had become a blogger stereotype. I have a Kate Spade handbag, an Olympus Pen with a 45mm lens and I always have my iPhone glued to my hand. My main thought is have I been influenced by bloggers or am I starting to become someone I’m not?
My make-up collection has been influenced by the beauty bloggers I love but I don’t use half the products that are in there. I know I’m not the only one who’s bought soemthing they’ve seen on Twitter in the hope that it would make them fit in.
Basically, I think we need to take our time when making purchasing decisions and not just buy something because it’s the next big thing. For me, it’s time to take my time and read blog posts and search for information before making a purchase. I also work on the do I love it principle. If I can walk away from something in a shop or click away when I’m shopping online then it’s obvious to me that it’s soemthing i don’t really want and to spend my money on something else.
Are bloggers too quick to buy into the hype? Probably, but you know what? We’re only human and it happens to everyone.
