Shop Jeen Customers Aren’t too Happy With Its New Website

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Shop Jeen, the beloved pop-culture and social media obsessed online retailer, is back after temporarily ceasing operations. But if you expected things to be as they once were, you’re in for a rude awakening.

The web store’s founder, Erin Yogasundram, decided to temporarily shut down the website back in May, citing “operational and financial difficulties.” And since its relaunch on June 17, a lot has changed.

Once known for its wide selection of internet and millennial-inspired clothing, accessories, and trinkets — think platform jelly sandals, baby pink sweatshirts that read, “Trust Me, Daddy,” and glitter pipes — Shop Jeen has not only changed its inventory, it has reevaluated its entire business model.

Photo: Screengrab from archive.web.org.

“We’ve pivoted our business model to only feature print-on-demand products,” Yogasundram shared over Snapchat last week. “Companies have found this model is a great solution to all the challenges that an inventory-holding multi-vendor retailer faces. This means that we will always be able to meet the demand and always be able to fulfill orders in a timely manner.”

In short, Shop Jeen will no longer sell wares from other vendors. If you head on over to Shop Jeen right now, you’ll see that “print-on-demand” literally means individually screen-printing clothing items — which would explain the stock-like images of faceless models in Photoshopped emoji-printed basics that now take up the majority of the website.

There’s a white hoodie with the angel emoji for $45, a $25 iPhone case that simply reads “disgusting,” and a plain cap with “Trash” written on it for $35. The site even carries screen-printed bedding, like $140 duvet and pillow cases covered in emoji roses.

“We switched it up a lil to all feature stuff we made, and are making everything to order so that we don't have issues fulfilling orders,” reads an Instagram caption on the Shop Jeen account.

While some shoppers have embraced the new selection of goods, others don’t seem too impressed.

“If you're going to start only using original content you should consider doing more than printing shit on generic clothes cuz damn ma your site went from full online store to an overpriced print shop you can't even customize,” reads one commenter on Instagram.

Shop Jeen’s clothing inventory isn’t the only thing shoppers are confused by. If you click on the “Cool Stuff” tab in its navigation bar, you’ll be whisked off to a page where you can shop interactions and experiences with the Shop Jeen team. You can buy a Skype date with Yogasundram for $100, a real life date with Yogasundram’s business partner Amelia Muqbel for $1,000, and you can take both Yogasundram and Muqbal to prom for $5,000.

It doesn’t stop there. Other experiences you can purchase include having Muqbel tattoo “WYD” on her body for $500 and watching Muqbel stuff a bunch of bananas in her mouth for $1,000.

In her Snapchat announcement last week, Yogasundram revealed just how grim their finances were, which would explain the unfortunate new direction of the site. She even opened up about how her and Muqbel had to “let go” of their office space and apartments.

Despite these setbacks, Yogasundram concluded her Snapchat spiel with an optimistic outlook on the future of Shop Jeen.

“It’s not about the fall; it’s about how you get back up, and, like, we have been through some shit,” she said. “We’re gonna get through this just like we’ve gotten through everything else.”

Correction: June 22, 2016

A previous version of this article misspelled Amelia’s Muqbel’s name.