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April Fools' Day has come and gone, but a more than a few people are questioning the authenticity of a new marketing stunt from the e-commerce startup Lyst. The site announced on Tuesday the launch of a "Canine Collection," which is not a range of accessories for pooches. Oh yes: shoppers can now purchase pups online through Lyst for as low as $320.
While it's easy to see how this sort of project might be construed as cheeky and cute — as with any other product category, you can filter 33 dog breeds by type (gundog, hound, toy, terrier), color, and size — the copy is more than a little icky. The website refers to the dogs as "one of a kind accessories guaranteed to make an impact," suggesting shoppers "find the right dog to match your wardrobe from our curated selection of breeds that are as stylish as they are loveable."
Obviously, people are pissed. Dogs are family, not accessories. And adopting a rescue, rather than going through a certified breeder like this, is always a good route.
We are very excited to be delivering these pups to their new homes today! pic.twitter.com/Tgd5nE9mGl
— Lyst (@lyst) May 10, 2016
Don't buy a dog bc it matches your damn outfit. Buy (or adopt!!) the dog because you can provide a great life and companionship @lyst
— Jamie Chung (@jamiechung1) May 10, 2016
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK GUYS https://t.co/e0WywWtTSX
— Rebecca (@ohkalukalay) May 10, 2016
What the actual blazes are you playing at with this bullshit @lyst?
— David Ross (@sw1ayfe) May 10, 2016
no
No
NO
this is not acceptable https://t.co/PixIBDPQ2g
Update: This was, as many people had hoped, a hoax. Given the wave of vitriolic tweets Lyst received this morning, it certainly elicited a lot of social media pickup — if not much goodwill toward the company.
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