StyleIT is written by the lovely Sarah Conley…

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 representative of the company, I notified the company of my policy of requiring a sample for any product review that appears on the site.  The representative 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

Image by Rebecca Cotton