Why I Don’t Use LIKEtoKNOW.It

My blogger friends are all obsessed with LIKEtoKNOW.it The same it seems with the rest of the Instagram world and I’ve honestly never been a fan. I get the concept. I’m all about empowering influencers and properly compensating them for their stellar content creation. But instead of people using it for good to promote products that are made ethically and sustainably, I only see mass produced, fast fashion brands represented. Every now and then if Nordstrom picks up a private label brand that “just so happens” to be ethically sourced, THEN I might see them tagged, but that’s very, very rare.

We all know why. This post isn’t going to dive into the massive 1.6 billion dollars in sales that LIKEtoKNOW.it claims to have profited for their retail partners or their rapidly growing 11K influencer user base that extends across 80 countries. Or the fact that the platform was founded in Dallas by a blogger who basically only posts brands carried in department stores like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

In general, I don’t have a “problem” with the platform, I just think they had a massive opportunity to help brands who already have a difficult time connecting to consumers due to accessibility and limited resources. Is it really that beneficial to the fashion industry and consumers to make it one click easier for you to purchase an item from Nordstrom? You literally know nothing about that item or brand besides the fact that a blogger you admire looks cute in that item so you visualize yourself looking as cute (if not more cute) and have to purchase it immediately. Wouldn’t you rather be able to discover small batch brands you didn’t even know existed that you can’t purchase by driving to the nearest mall? I would have zero issues with impulse buying a piece that was guaranteed to be sustainably made. Impulse buy all day!

Also, the fact that the platform claims to be “invite only” means that they have even more control over the type of content influencers are promoting and the brands represented. Their annual conference has recently received major negative press due to the lack of diversity in bloggers privately invited to the event. I just have really bad vibes when it comes to this company the more and more I research, and encourage you to look at your own personal values if you’re currently a blogger using LIKEtoKNOW.it

Thanks for hearing me out and I’d love to learn if you are a consumer who has noticed these same negative trends with the LIKEtoKNOW.it platform. I’m hoping I’m not the only one!