This month marks Shop Rat's three-year anniversary. Substack has changed a lot since I joined, and I’ve decided it’s time for me to make some changes too.
Starting today:
I will no longer accept offers for free products.
I will no longer use affiliate links or ones that might earn me a commission on a sale.
I will no longer accept offers for press trips.
And I will no longer accept offers for future sponsored Substack content.
I’m doing this because I want to recommit to this newsletter's original intention: being real about shopping. It’s why you subscribe. It’s what I want to write about. By eliminating the above, I believe I can devote myself to it more fully.
Not to be all “now more than ever,” but over the last year, shopping, writing about shopping, and engaging with shopping content stopped being fun for me, and I don’t think I’m alone. (See: This. This. This. And This.) So, I’m shaking things up. Maybe I’ll regret it, but I feel strongly that I need to try something different.
The great Lynette Nylander once told me that shopping should be hard, and I think she’s right. The same goes for travel, to a certain extent. You can’t click your way to personal style or a personal adventure. I started this newsletter because I wanted an excuse to leave my house, touch stuff, and talk to people, but I ended up more chained to my desk than ever. By cutting out some distractions, I hope to read, listen, observe, and follow my instincts better.
Of course, I’m also doing this because I think it will benefit my career. I may take a financial hit at first, but the brand partnerships I did over the last year allowed me to save, and I hope that by improving the quality of my content, you’ll be more willing to pay (a little more) for it. As Substack competition increases and the odds of me having a full-time job decrease, focusing on growing and retaining paid subscribers now seems like the best move for me, personally. This is far from an original idea, but, as the kids say, I had to fuck around and find out for myself.
To be clear:
I’m so grateful for every gift I’ve ever received, every press trip I’ve ever been on, and every brand partnership I’ve ever done. Especially with small, independent brands. I know what's on the line, and it was an honor and a privilege to work with such generous, talented people and help promote what they do. I’ve still got a few apartment-related things to show you that I was gifted this summer and genuinely love.
I’m proud of the stories I published over the last year, especially this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one, AND the sponsored content I created. I worked hard to make sure it was useful, authentic, and told a good story. I’ve got two more sponsored Substacks that I’m obligated and excited to see through this year. I promise they’ll be good.
I don’t fault or judge anyone for doing any of the above. I did it. I don’t know what I would have done as a freelancer without it. And I hope someone else gets the opportunity to do it better in my place.
I’m not doing this to be all “morally superior.” I work in fashion! Not possible! This is a personal decision and, in fact, a totally selfish one. It may sound like I’m punishing myself, but I actually feel a huge sense of relief and renewed energy now. Challenges are good. Easy is boring.
I still want to work with brands!!! On events. On special projects (let’s make a zine?). Heck, maybe I’ll even run ads one day—who knows. Obviously, brands help me make a living, and I can’t do fun, interesting things on a big scale without them. I’d love to host more summits and get creative. I love collaborating. I love meeting my readers in person. The point of all this is just to protect the integrity of the newsletter’s content. I’m not a cop.
I’m going to start charging more for this newsletter and paywalling more consistently. Sorry, but I warned you! Yearly subs will remain at $60 until Friday, so lock in your lower rate now. Then I’ll start charging $7/month and $70/year. I’m raising the price because I’m sending out this newsletter roughly ~2x a week now. I’m also committed to hitting the ground and making it more useful, informative, and personal.
Maybe all these changes don’t seem like a big deal to you, but they’re a big deal for me. (And Matt, who is sad about the press trips, but he’ll survive.) I’ve never drawn such strict professional boundaries before, nor been asked to by any of my previous full-time employers, and I’m probably going to make some mistakes, so please bear with me. I realize that being able to do this is an incredible privilege. I’m so grateful for your continued readership and support. For the first time since going freelance, I finally feel free.
Matt we are sad for you but we are thrilled for Emilia. Yay! Shop rat sacred space
I think this rocks