Bas Smit uses his docile supporters to sell Happyflops, but according to media expert Victor Vlam, that is quite risky. “It is a form of scams,” he says.
The image of Bas Smit is again affected. The influencer and husband of Nicolette van Dam is under fire because he talks to his loyal supporters that they have to pay fifty euros for Happyflop slippers, supposedly Swedish top quality. In reality, according to De Telegraaf, it is cheap Temu roop of three euros.
Scam
Victor Vlam, the media arric who also causes a furore as a talk show guest, is critical. “De Telegraaf revealed that it is probably a dropshipper and that makes it a form of scams,” he says in the podcast Victor explains TV.
He continues: “Your in fact is actually people, because those slippers that cost 50 euros, it is suggested that it is a Swedish product that is high -quality, but in reality they are very cheap slippers from China, who you can buy at Temu for 3 euros. That will probably be the reason where many customers are dissatisfied.”
Ton For Bas
Bas encourages people not to buy one, but several of those slippers, for example in multiple colors, and for inside or outside. “I have to tell you very much that I really find one pair for 50 euros extremely much money, because I can’t remember that I have ever spent 50 euros for slippers,” says Victor.
“But yes, of course they have to ask for a high amount for that, because a very large part of the costs of that product go to influencers such as Bas Smit. (…) How much would bass get it? If you look at what his reach is and how many videos they have made, then I think the amount of a ton is quite realistic.”
Promote stuff
That is a lot of money, says Victor. “Yes, then I would also be very enthusiastic about that product. Then I would also encourage people to buy ten pairs of them, because that is of course exactly what he is doing. The question is: is he minding that it is a bad product? To be very honest: I think he is just very businesslike.”
He continues: “I think he makes a business assessment. Yes, promoting this kind of mess is not good for your image, because there will be people who follow you and be disappointed that you have put them on a bad product. But on the other hand: you will be financially compensated for that. The two have to keep each other a bit in balance.”
In balance?
Is that now in balance with Bas? “If that is the case, then it is worth it. I think that is the way Bas looks at this, and that applies to a lot of influencers. But yes, it means, and that is the moral aspect of this story, that you are the people who see you as their hero.”
“That is actually the very crazy thing about influencership. The same slippers could have buyed people for three euros instead of fifty euros. So you are really nipped if you fall for the story of Bas Smit. But yes, that is what apparently many people have done. They have fallen for it.”