An Instagram influencer named Arii has 2 million followers online and still, she failed to sell 36 t-shirts for her company. The 18-year-old Instagrammer endorses clothing brands through her page to live a lavish lifestyle.
At a very young age, she has learned to earn in a very creative way. But her technique backfired when she tried to sell her own product. After failing to meet her target of selling 36 t-shirts she wrote a heartfelt note.
“Unfortunately, the company that I’m working with goes based on your first drop sales.
In order for them to order and make my products (even to keep working with them), I have to sell at least 36 pieces (knowing I’ve become super irrelevant, I already knew it was gonna be hard) but I was getting such good feedback that people loved it and were gonna buy it.
No one has kept their word so now the company won’t be able to send out the orders to people who actually bought shit and it breaks my heart.”
She later deleted the post but the damage has already been done as very soon it went viral on social media and started a debate about the role of influencers and followers.
See how people reacted to her confession post.
The influencer bubble is bursting. This young lady has well over 2 million followers and couldn’t sell 36 shirts. Focus on genuine engagement and not followers cuz they ain’t gonna buy a thing. pic.twitter.com/uOSVxc2k4D
— Bey-Haw 🤠✨ (@kissmyelite) May 27, 2019
“I’ve supported everyone’s music or whatever” – sounds like the kind of fan I’d want for my art 🙄 you really do get what you give, and you have to have gratitude and a sense of wonder—you gotta have fun and not be grabby or entitled. Great example here of how things unfold.
— gplewis is iceman shaking free (@gplewis) May 28, 2019
skimming her ig, it looks like she just didn't have a real "brand" other than taking cute photos of herself, there was no videos, no comedy, nothing inspirational. i thin she mistook people liking her aesthetic as "a brand"
— Helly R (@angeltenders) May 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/alexlath/status/1133077741899780096
https://twitter.com/B_Effin_G/status/1133115543937060864
The truth is that her followers aren't her customers.
Understanding who will actually buy from you and what they will buy is a key business lesson.
— Tamara Sykes 🇧🇧 (@baydiangirl) May 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/keawmanee_jun/status/1133025438530514945
https://twitter.com/tonykingnyc/status/1133061575827435521
Some called this a publicity stunt to gain the attention of her followers and some even asked her if her followers are real.
An influencer w/ 2.6 million followers launched her fashion brand. She now says she failed to sell more than 36 units.
A quick thread: https://t.co/nOo61Pjcov
— Jack Appleby (@jappleby) May 27, 2019
Look at her feed vs her product line. These aren't even close to the same aesthetic.
If you can't imagine her wearing any of these, why would her followers? pic.twitter.com/5CdEdxKUjf
— Jack Appleby (@jappleby) May 27, 2019
Maybe I missed her IG Stories or promoted posts, but looks like she announced w/ video, only put up one more video, then said she failed 13 days later?
Not one single pic of her in product.
Only two posts even about it?She basically didn't even try to promote her own product. pic.twitter.com/W28NAd1ogM
— Jack Appleby (@jappleby) May 27, 2019
There's something fishy here tho.
At 2.6 million followers, 36 units should've been easy, no matter how bad the product is – she presumably has 36 crazy diehards who'd do anything for her.
Suspect there's a lie here somewhere. pic.twitter.com/IAJG06BKAB
— Jack Appleby (@jappleby) May 28, 2019
Her two most recent posts have good, real engagement. She definitely has a bunch of real followers.
Does she have 2.6 mil real followers? That's up for debate, as these engagement # are low for 2.6m. But she definitely has enough real followers to sell 36 of literally anything. pic.twitter.com/oNZJX3tdqR
— Jack Appleby (@jappleby) May 28, 2019