LTK Day Sale FAIL: Why I Had a Bad Feeling

LTK Day Sale Fail

The LTK Day Sale is here, and it made history, just as predicted. As the first ever influencer-driven sale, the stage was set for more sales than ever to be made through the LIKEtoKNOW.it app. However, the day did not go according to plan. The app crashed for 12 hours, and maybe 1% of influencers who promoted the sale, mentioned the IT difficulties that customers were facing. Personally, I didn’t receive an email or any communication from RS saying what exactly the issues were and what they were doing to resolve them. It was confusing.

Now, I’m not bashing the fact that the app crashed. That’s one of the best things that can happen to a tech company. A crashed app means there was so much traffic that your server couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t be happier that the app crashed actually. I love connecting with girls on Instagram who find me through LTK. The app has genuinely changed my life.

This isn’t about LIKEtoKNOW.it or RewardStyle.

This is about the integrity of influencers.

Now, the reason why I started this blog isn’t to push you to buy something or shop just because there is a sale. I truly want women to feel more beautiful in their bodies, in their clothes, and by doing that, lead more successful lives.

How Commission Links Work

They call it the “post and ghost”. Share a few photos to get attention, feel better about yourself, and check a box. That is what almost 100% of the influencers who backed this sale did. At least, that is what the influencers did that I follow. They posted about discounted products, but didn’t give a dang when customers felt frustrated with the crashed server, android issues, and discount code failures.

The thing is that it’s 2019. Everybody is shopping online. When you shop, somebody gets that commission. If you go directly to the retailer, then they get the whole piece. By shopping through a RewardStyle link, the influencer gets part of that piece. Who do you want to get part of your money?

I DIGRESS BECAUSE I DID SHOP THE SALE.

LTK is Still One of My Fave Apps

I have used and LOVED the LIKEtoKNOW.it app for about 5 years now. I am always hesitant to use new apps, but after I downloaded it I was like, “OH WOW. Ok, I really have been missing out.” Basically, if you don’t know what to wear, you can pull up the app, search “casual outfit”, “white denim shorts”, or use the influencer search to find someone in particular.

Alllll the world’s RewardStyle influencers from Becky Hillyard to McKenna Bleu appear & boom, instant outfit inspo with linked products. It doesn’t get any easier than that to shop! LIKEtoKNOW.it doesn’t stop with outfits, you can also shop home decor, wedding, and kid fashion. Things always look so different when a real human has styled them in their house, and it isn’t just a store merchandising the product. I appreciate that realness.

Mastermind of LTK

The creator of RewardStyle & LIKEtoKNOW.it is Amber Venz Box. She has a cool name, but an even cooler story. Amber and her husband, Baxter, built a $1 billion dollar fashion-tech empire when she was just 23 years old. I mean, what a boss!

ANYWAYS. This is getting tangential. Let’s get back to why I unfortunately had a bad feeling about this LIKEtoKNOW.it Day Sale, shall we?

When I first got the email that there were going to be exclusive sales through the app, I was excited! We were sent multiple email attachments on what to expect with the sale, posting guidelines, etc. Then, by looking at the sales….they just weren’t impressive to me. If you can go directly to the retailer and punch in your email address for the same discount, why would anyone want to go through the steps of downloading and shopping through an app?

I’m always one to sit out the first round of something because there will inevitably be kinks that need to be worked out. In this case, the kinks were a seemingly good thing for the growth of LIKEtoKNOW.it, but that sums up why I had a bad feeling about the execution of the sale day.

LET’S GET TO THE GOOD PART.

LTK Day: Which Retailers are Having Sales?

Abercrombie & Fitch – 25% off, excludes fragrance and abercrombie kids merchandise

Anthropologie – 15% off, exclusions: sale items, BHLDN, Terrain, FP Movement, Mara Hoffman, Spanx, Rachel Comey, Birkenstock, Sirciam, NICHA, Stasher Bag, Curated by Anthropologie, previous purchases, and/or the purchase of gift cards.

Colleen Rothschild – 25% off, excludes eGift cards.

Express – 25% off $125+, Not valid on Featured Brands, NBA or MLB merchandise, Insta Sale items, Edition Collection, clearance or previous purchases.

Kendra Scott – 20% off, excludes fine jewelry.

Outdoor Voices – 20% off, excludes gift cards, 3rd party merchandise, kits, or other already-discounted merchandise. One time per customer.

Serena + Lily – 15% off, excludes art, sale, gift cards, and bike

Sole Society – 15% off $80+, excludes sale

The Styled Collection – 30% off, sitewide! 

Urban Outfitters  – 20% off $100+, excludes gift cards

Victoria Emerson – 40% off, sitewide!

9 Things I Bought From the LTK Day Sale

1. This acid-washed denim jacket
2. This unique bracelet stack
3. These Patsie Wedges / similar to the discontinued ones I wore here
4. Big Sur Baskets: poms. enough said.
5. Georgina Bangle: great dupe of the Yurman X Bracelet
6. Gleaming Primrose Mirror
7. Paper Bag Pull-On Shorts
8. Initial Pendant Necklace in “C”
9. Rolled Sleeve White Blazer

So, pros & cons. LIKEtoKNOW.it is one of my favorite apps and will continue to be one of the best shopping apps ever created. Do I think there is room for growth next year? Absolutely, and I’m excited to see how LTK uses this growing pain to take the platform to the next level.

xx, Chelsea