Fashion site pulls a Netscape, then hides
AOL Netscape head Jason Calacanis has started a trend in user-buying. Fashion site StyleHive followed Jason's lead by e-mailing fashion bloggers, asking them to post fashion-related bookmarks on StyleHive for a dollar each.
Now Almost Girl fashion blogger Phil Leif and his colleagues are trying to reach StyleHive for comment on the rising controversy. They want to discuss whether the program is ethical, especially since StyleHive seemed careless about having its users disclose that they're being paid.
As shown here, the StyleHive staff is less than responsive. And that's a dumb move, when bloggers might be won over if the company talks.
They've learned from Jason Calacanis how to fake a healthy social bookmark site, but they haven't learned Jason's other lesson: Always talk back to your critics.
