Do you ever fall victim to the ads that infiltrate your social media feed? I scroll right past most of them, but every once in awhile, an ad will catch my eye. I’ll click over to the product’s web site, read about it, look at pictures and reviews. Ponder. Then, if I’m in a shopping type of mood and sufficiently hopeful that I’ll love the product, I’ll hit “buy”.
Here’s a wrap-up of my ad-generated purchases of the past few years. (FYI, this post is just for fun. I’m not an “influencer” for any of the below, more’s the pity.)
Purchases that were HITS
Spanx Clothing
We’re probably all familiar with Spanx’s shapewear — which I do admit to shimmying my way into when wearing certain dresses. The company took the idea of supporting and flattering a woman’s curves and rolled out a clothing line.
I started with these camo leggings…
I loved them SO MUCH that I’ve gone on to buy several items from Spanx: jean leggings, white flare jeans, and twill shorts. (p.s. Spanx items are pricey so here’s a 15% off coupon you can use if you want to try something from them.)
Make-up
I’ve been really happy with all of these items. From Jones Road: miracle cream (I use this as a cream blush that also has a highlighter effect to it), liquid eye shadow, concealer stick. From Perbelle: CC cream with 43 SPF. From Thrive: Eye brightener eye shadow stick.
Avara Clothing
I started with this top…
And have since bought several more tops and dresses from them. Avara has a shop here in Dallas, so I pop into their boutique whenever I’m in the market for a piece that’s fun and unique.
Earrings
I’m a big fan of this lightweight, sparkly pair from Sarah Cornwell.
Purchases that were MISSES
These Shoes
They don’t bend at all. They weren’t a complete waste of money because they are cute and I do wear them from time to time. However, when I wear them, I can’t do much actual walking, since these feel like wooden boards strapped to my soles.
This Dress
This dress looked adorable on the model in the ad and was priced at less than $40, so I took the plunge. When it came, it was very flimsy and too small. I attempted to return it and found that there was no possible way to do so. So… that’s $40 I’ll never see again.
“Why do you still have it?” you ask. Because the penny pincher in me is hoping my 13 year old daughter will want to wear it. Which, to be honest, is probably highly unlikely.
As you can see, I’ve been burned a few times. But I’ve been very satisfied with my purchases many more times.
Have you bought anything because of an ad that turned out to be a hit or miss?
Becky Wade
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Yes! A couple pair of shoes. BO pair, GO free. They looked sooo cute in the ad! Looks can definitely be deceiving. :/ They came squashed in a small package, practically shrink-wrapped. They were made out of the cheapest shoe material I’d ever seen. They weighed next to nothing, but were extremely stiff. One pair was so misshapen that I don’t know who would’ve ever had feet to fit them correctly. I think I only wore the other pair one time. Like yours, I couldn’t really send them back & they weren’t cheap, but thankfully at least they were BOGO! I learned my lesson!!! 😀 😀
“One pair was so misshapen that I don’t know who would’ve ever had feet to fit them correctly” Ha ha ha! Yep, I learned not to buy from ads unless the selling company seems completely reputable.
The only ads I’ve even been tempted to try (I have personalized ads turned off on my phone) have been for one of my absolute weaknesses – SHOES. Facebook once showed me a pair of sneakers that had books on them. So not only did they hit my weak spot, but they tossed in my favorite thing to do… so naturally, I clicked on over and hit the buy button at a rather alarming speed. The price wasn’t even a speed bump along the way. But oh, they are the best sneakers I’ve ever owned. I love them! And I’ve received plenty of complements from other book-lovers when I’ve worn them. 🙂
I’m laughing that the shoes were so much your cup of tea that the price wasn’t even a speed bump. 🙂 I’m glad you ended up loving them!
It’s sponsored stuff on Twitter that will more often than not send me to do more searching. Oftentimes I end up buy a similar product on Amazon, if I buy at all. It was a Twitter ad that finally helped me find a phone holder for my car. The placement of my car’s vents and the shape of my dashboard (a car made before smartphones) have made it almost impossible to find one that works. I’ve tried and failed more than once. But finally that ad took me to a product that works for my vehicle. So, success!!
It’s fabulous to have a great phone holder for the car!I use mine ALL THE TIME.
NEVER click on an ad in a social media feed, or any Google entry identified as AD. These sites are notorious for sneaking viruses, or even malware, into your computer. (Per our computer guru and personal experience.) If you see an interesting site, access it via your browser (again, not through the AD entry) and check it out. Always determine return and shipping policies before you order. This goes for Amazon, too. Not all items are included in Prime. Now I will get off the soapbox! 🙂
I think that’s excellent advice!
I love seeing lists like this! Most of my favorite clothes are ones bloggers/influencers have shared. It is so helpful to have a real person try items on and give their thoughts + fit tips!
Yes! I’ve also bought items modeled by Instagram influencers (and ended up thoroughly enjoying them). 🙂