Influencer Emma Chamberlain Slammed For Reportedly Charging $10,000 For Instagram DM

Model and influencer Emma Chamberlain is now facing backlash online for allegedly charging $10,000 for an Instagram DM on her merchandise website. Her online store – shopemmachamberlain.com – apparently gave shoppers the option to spend $10,000 on a "personal thank you note" from Emma through Instagram messages. Another option was added to pay monthly installments for $902.58, according to users' screenshots.

It is currently unclear whether or not this price tag was intentional. Some people are speculating it was an accident and that it was a "test page," but others are not so convinced. "why is emma chamberlain charging 10K for an instagram DM this is wild," @ laylaanna_ tweets.

Another Twitter account, @tsukxnolegacy, writes, "sad to see emma chamberlain developed a god complex mindset, sad to see this not even hating just genuinely disappointed."

"You can put it in your cart and start the check out process," writes Reddit user @hedgehogwart. "(I didn’t attempt to fully check out because I wasn’t gonna risk accidentally losing 10k lmao) but if it WAS supposed to be a joke, there should be a mechanism to stop anyone from actually purchasing it."

According to some people, the DM tab wasn't originally linked from the main page. "Because it’s likely a test page that shouldn’t have been published. I work with websites and I’ll put ridiculous things in all the time when testing functions, I just make sure not to publish. The fact that it doesn’t have a description and isn’t linked to from the main page screams ‘this was a test page that was accidentally published’ to me," adds @naphappyjazzy.

Emma became a YouTube sensation at just 18 years old and was later named among Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2021. Her popularity was largely thanks to her relatability, authenticity, and humor, so it's hard to believe the model and influencer would charge 10 grand for a single message ($11,025 after taxes, by the way).

In 2019, Emma founded Chamberlain Coffee to sell ethically sourced, special-grade coffee beans, tea bags, and other merch. While it's true the young social media personality is wealthy now (and thus deemed "unrelatable" to many), it would be incredibly unlike her to grift off her young followers. So, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say the listing was likely an accident. If this is the case, she'll probably address it soon – we'll just have to wait and see.

Update: Cozack, Inc. has addressed the allegations.

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