MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants - Page 16

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

i've generally had pretty good service at mac counters, and don't think any of my even slightly bad experiences have been to the extent of some of the scenarios posted in this thread!

i often tend to go shopping for makeup without much on my face, because i like being able to try stuff, but i've also never been one to get overly dolled up for shopping. i find i get A LOT more snobbery from mua's at the very high-end luxury counters than mac, by far. more often than not i just get ignored by the ladies at the other counters, presumably because i look like 'riff-raff' or something. the girls at my current local mac are usually run off their feet, but always courteous and helpful, so i can't really complain!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I noticed the opposite. I tend to get treated worse when I wear makeup and am shopping for makeup. However, I have been treated bad at clothing stores when not wearing make up. Once I was at a Dior counter and wearing Chanel make up. The SA was basically tried to tell me all of my make up was "wrong" for me. They were all "That eyeshadow is too dark for you" I was thinking yeah I'm really gonna buy make up from someone insulting me. I also think from the stores I live near, not saying all make up store/counters, if you don't do your make up to their liking/standards they feel you know sh*t about make up. I like my make up a bit on the dramatic side. I don't enjoy wearing very neutral subdued make up. Over here, that's the only way the SAs style you and do make up. Once I was at the Lancome counter next to the MAC counter. This was about a year ago. The lady asks if I want a make over. I ask how much. She said free. I said do I have to buy any products. She told me no. So, I agreed because at the time the only Lancome I had ever used was make up removers. My make up didn't come out the way I like it. Was it bad? No, but I wasn't happy with it. I didn't like the colors at all. When she was all, do you want anything? I was all no thanks. She got a tude. Maybe I wrong for not buying anything, but I didn't ask. She kind of presured me into a make over. So, she should have taken the hint and left me alone. I think in a nut shell, that's the problem with bad SA, not just make up. Either they're lazy/dislike you, could be even a racial thing, or they're too overzealous to sell you things they know you don't need or even want. I think a good SA is someone who is helpful, but not bossy. I think a good SA, not just make up, should know we all different styles and respect that. There's some style, clothes and make up, I don't wear but I understand it's pretty in its own right and appeals to someone.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

when i went to my local mac counter to buy my art supplies haul [just over £100 worth] i was 'served' - and i use that term very loosely - by a SA who spent more time chatting to a colleague than paying attention to me, and as a result gave me a wrong item. i didn't realise this till i got home, so i had to go back and get it exchanged. i explained to a different SA what had happened, and told her that it was busy and probably just a misunderstanding. the whole time i was at the counter, the first SA was glowering at me. and to top it off, i think this woman is the manager at the counter. i could be wrong, but i'm sure she is.

the other SA's are excellent - very attentive, helpful and friendly - it's just this one who is awful! i've got half a mind to complain about her

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

my friend and i went to mac in times sq to get a concealer for her undereyes. a mua came up to us, very friendly and nice.

he first put the select coverup on her.. decided it wasnt the right color... then tried some primer, then the select again, then some face and body, then some other concealers/foundations. eventually it got so bad he had to cover her entire face with foundation to match the mess he made on her undereyes.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I have never had anything too nasty happen, but a few days ago I ran into a new sa while I was looking for lipstick that they happened to be sold out of. I asked if she would call to see if the other counter had it, or if the store at the other mall had one. She told me no, but I could always run around and check. ...nice.
Then again, I always find I am snubbed if I am in jeans and a t-shirt, unless they are the girls who usually wait on me. Guess I'm not pretty enough to be worth their time?

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

Most MAC SA's that I've met have either been too busy chatting to other SA's to serve me, or think they're god's gift to the world because they work at MAC, and STILL don't serve me.

Saying that, all of the nasty SA's I've encountered have been in London. Maybe it's a London thing. Sigh.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

ive gone to macs in london and ireland (galway i think) and i was SO unimpressed with the snotty service i got. i mean, i didnt look good considering i was backpacking, but none the less, i want a black eyeliner, so sell me one with a smile on your face!
actually, no offense to anyone from london, but igot shitty service all around. I went to a starbucks and someone walked off with my drink. When i told the baristashe said "So??" i had to actuallu respond "So i paid for my drink and someone else took it! Make me a new one!!" shesh.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I've had several weird experiences in MAC store. I'll start with this one. I went in and asked for my favorite MA that I followed from Norstrom to MAC...

Me: Is Rachel here?

MA: um... who?

Me: Rachel.

MA: um... I don't know anyone by that name.

Me: She was here recently, I bought stuff from her about a month ago.

MA: um... um.... um.... I think you have the wrong name.

OMG I wanted to strangle her. This went back and forth for quite some time. Finally...

Me: Do you mind asking someone if they know her?

So she goes in the back and comes out with...

MU: She doesn't work here anymore.

So apparently this chick was new. Why didn't she just say that in the first place? Do I have to almost have a stroke because her CS skills are in the freakin toilet?

Rant over. Stay tuned for more fun exchanges I've had in the MAC store.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

The pro store in London is just the most horrific mac shop I have ever been to and really the people who work there are awful!

I love learning and one of the best things about some of the high end pro courses you can take is that they are run by real industry professionals.

One course the teacher had been the make up director at Versace or D&G for 6 years and had an amazing impressive career - and even he only had horrendous experiences at the Mac pro store and to be honest that REALLY upset me. Yeah ok have attitude with me I'm a nobody - but to do the same to my heroes and people who really every aspiring make up professional should look up to and respect - that's piss poor.

Thankfully I am near enough to Liverpool to go to the free standings store in Liverpool and they are the nicest SA's you could wish for. SOHO - joke staff! Their attitude is legendary...

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

i've only been in there once, and the man who served me was lovely.

but i have noticed that there are a LOT of MAC MA's who think they're above customers. that kind of attitude in ANY store really annoys me. most of the time i'm nice to shop workers because it can be such a crappy job [i work in primark... yeah] but when they're unhelpful and have such poor customer service skills i just want to kick them in the shin. there's no excuse for rude people!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I've never had a nasty experience but I have experienced incompentent MUA who had no basic knowledge of MAC products. I don't care of you're new or not but you should know what moisturelush, oil control, and studio tech is.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

A few weeks ago I was looking around the MAC counter at my local Nordstrom and one of the SAs started talking to me and asked me if I wanted to pre-order for In the Groove.

Knowing that Stereo Rose and Petticoat would be in that collection and I knew they would be sold out I said absolutely!

I told him I'd like to pre-order 1 Stereo Rose and 1 Petticoat. He told me Stereo Rose wasn't coming out with this collection. I didn't really know what to say...I was kind of just like "Oh...I could have sworn it was!" But I pre-ordered Petticoat and figured I'd just go back for Stereo Rose the morning it came out. I thought he might new or something so it wasn't a big deal.

Then I asked him if the counter was getting Alice + Olivia or was it just MAC stores and he said that's a really old collection that's not coming out now! And I knew he was a. lying to get me to go away or b. had no idea what he was talking about.

So on Saturday morning I went to the counter to pick up my Petticoat and it was SUCH a big deal. They found the pre-order books and found my name and everything. They kept going into the back and whispering to each other. Then the SA that I pre-ordered with came out and told me he mailed it to my house and it should be there in a few days.

I thanked him and said it was very nice of him to do that and I left. I didn't want to be rude but I was a little confused. They never said they were sending it to my house! He told me to come pick it up in-store. It was just such a weird experience...plus I've had a few problems with this counter before. I went up and tried to B2M for Angel lipstick (my staple!) and the SA told me that it was discontinued for a few months now, which I know is not true. Ugh.

I'm one of those customers who never gets upset or mad...but this counter really needs to get it together!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

One time I convinced my bf to drive me to a 3-hours-away Mac counter (we had no Mac counter where I live then, we do now) to buy some LE products and a 129 brush.
The SA found the BPs i wanted and then she turned to me and said that Mac does not have a 129 brush. I told her that I'm 100% sure they do since I already had one. She told at me that i should get my eyes checked, that i had no idea what i was talking about and that she wouldn't waste anymore time helping me!! All the customers were looking at us. My bf looked at me and realized that it was going to get ugly... Since I always carry powder, eyeliner, lipstick, blush and a blush brush (129 or 116) with me, I smiled at her and took my brush out of my purse to show it to her. She took a look at my brush, rolled her eyes, went back to the counter, picked up her coffee and kept drinking!!! Quite a waste of our time driving all the way there!!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I agree!! i went there once, all excited to buy some pro products, and they were awful! My sister in law and I were the only customers in there and nobody asked if we needed any help for 20 minutes... I was walking around trying to decide what i was going to buy waiting for somebody to talk to me, but my sister in law got tired of them ignoring us so she asked for help. The MA gave her a really nasty look. She wanted to leave but there was nooooo way i would leave without some pro l/s and glitters!!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

The only time I've ever had a bad experience is when I don't spend alot of money. I've gotten attitude when I've only bought a lipstick or a blush and spend $20 instead $200. I love make up but I'm not rich. Maybe it's because I'm younger and they think I'm wasting their time. I don't know.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

A few months ago, our Nordstrom had a Trend Show and all the makeup counters were doing makeovers. I booked mine with MAC because the $15 I paid towards the Trend Show ticket would be good towards a purchase of any product that day. The girl who worked on me, spent literally less than 10 minutes on my "makeover" (my friend who got her makeup done at Bobbi Brown was there for an hour). She color matched me as NC40 (I'm NC30) and used a blush that was already sitting on the counter where I was sitting (Peaches), rather than choosing a color that would match my skin tone better. I looked really orange! She only lined my lower lash line, so I had to ask her to line my upper lash line which she did extremely crooked. After that, she disappeared! The only thing she did somewhat okay was the eye shadows. I was going to drop a lot of money at that event, but after that horrible experience, I ended up going to the MAC freestanding store and buying what I wanted there instead.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

Yesterday i went to the only MAC counter in Helsinki (at the dept store Stockmann) to get the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural that i'd been longing for. I wasn't sure about which shade i should get so i asked the MA for advice. After having to wait for almost ten minutes (both were busy with other customers) she just blankly stared at me and said "Oh, do you mean you don't remember what shade you're using?" A little shocked i just replied, "No, i'd like your help in choosing the right shade because i'm not quite sure which one i should get because i'm new to the product." Well then she just took the Medium Plus and the Medium Dark into her hands and without even opening the cover of the powder quickly modeled it next to my face and said "Yeah, this one" about the darker shade.. I looked at them for a second and told her that one's definitely too dark and yellow for me, and ended up getting the lighter one. Initially i was contemplating to get either Medium Plus or Medium Light, and now in hindsight i think i should have gone for Medium Light because the Medium Plus is still a little bit too dark for me. The Medium Light was not in the rack of products because she had just used it on the previous customer, and she couldn't even be bothered to put it back so that i could choose that one!! raging! And I also can't believe she wouldn't even bother to try them on my skin to see which one actually suited me best!

This is not the first time i've gotten bad service from this particular counter, about a year ago i bought some eyeshadows and two eyeliners. After i left i noticed she'd given me the wrong shade for the eyeliner.. I got Tarnish instead of Rosemary & Thyme. i was raging..

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

take it back and tell the manager what happened. it's appauling that you were treated like that, but from some of the stories in this thread, it's not unusual. you should be able to swap it for the shade that suits you. i would also ask for the assistant's name, and say you're going to put in a formal complaint to head office about your poor service.

MAC really need to rethink their staff training, because there are some assistants that are clearly lacking in basic courtesty as well as customer service skills. seems like there's too many of them who take the 'i work for MAC, so i know best' mindset too far.

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I've never had any utterly AWFUL experiences, but a few somewhat cringe-worthy ones.

My first MAC experience was not a good one. This was a while ago before I actually owned any MAC myself. My mom had sent me to pick up a lipstick for her, and didn't tell me the name but read me the batch number instead (lol...we were both clueless). I told the SA at the counter "I'd like lipstick A89 please" or something like that. She rolled her eyes at me and practically yelled "I HATE when people ask me for that. You can't get a lipstick with a number!" Yikes...sorry?

Another one was at a MAC store in TN. I was on vacation and we were at the mall and stopped in the MAC store. I was picking out an l/s and a SA was sorta helping me (sorta as in if I asked her something she'd go "Huh? Oh..uh..." before answering my question, then she'd go back to daydreaming). I was literally in the middle of asking her a question when another customer came up to her and asked her something, and she just walked away from me to help them. What the heck?! Do you not see me here? Hmph. Not to mention there were a few other SA's just standing around chatting, not helping any other customers. Not so great customer service if you ask me...

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

All the girls at the store I frequent are very friendly except one. I think she's very very shy. One day, when the store was packed with the customers, and I really needed a help. She kept checking herself in front of the mirror over and over and never offered any help to the customers. Is she scared to talk to people or she thinks she's too cool? I've given up getting a help from her. Oh, well, everybody is different, so. But all other girls are so nice!

Re: MA Rudeness/Bad MAC experiences/Rants

I really like my girls - two in particular. They are very friendly to me and I enjoy talking to them. The other girls are nice too but I do feel that one or two of them are not very experienced.

I went to a mac store with my sister and everyone was super nice and I bought a few things. Then we went to the mac counter in macys because my sister wanted a 222 brush and she had a macys card. So we ask this girl for help and when I asked for a 222 she says Oh that isn't a mac brush. I tell her we were just in a Mac store and they just used it. So she says "Well i've worked for Mac for 3 years and i've never heard of it." So my sister and I just walk away. This is the SECOND time the same MA has been rude to us. I don't understand WHY some ms are SO rude when a lot of other people would kill for their job.

Neither of the MACs near me are great. It's really frustrating.

 

The freestanding store is full of incompetent, unhelpful, and... somehow suspicious MAs. Literally ever time I've gone there I've had a negative experiance in some way. When TT was released, they put the wrong item on hold for me and although I said "Wait.. wasn't the packaging supposed to be blue for Play it Cool?" and the MA was like "No. It's yellow..." I figured I was wrong, but checked the bag before I left. Yup, I was right. She had given me Twists of Tartan, I believe. I went back to the register and asked her to fix it. When she called her manager over (no idea why she needed to do that) the manager actually started scolding her in front of me, which is very unprofessional. I never feel welcomed here, nobody ever offers to help without seeming put upon that I've walked into the store.

 

And then there's a counter in Macy's at another mall near me. This counter definitely has better MAs and I prefer going there, except it is CONSTANTLY understaffed. I've only been there one time without having to wait ages and ages to receive any help. This is not of any fault of the MA of course, they can't help that they are busy with other customers, but it still bugged me. When I was there to get matched for foundation, there were only two MAs and they were both doing makeovers for clients. I kinda felt like that isn't something that should happen because obviously the clients getting the full face of makeup deserve the MAs undivided attention, but then how is anyone else supposed to shop there?
I've had three good MAs there, but then I guess they hired some seasonal help because when I was there in December and when I went on Sunday, the girls I spoke to were completely clueless. In December I ended up just finding one of the MAs I know and had her help me (I wasn't trusting someone who didn't know shade numbers to match me for foundation) but Sunday, there were only two people working and the MA who helped me had no idea what Vintage Selection Paint Pot or I Get No Kick liner were. It took her ages to find the product and she had to keep flipping through the collection book to figure it out. I would have pointed them out to her if she made eye contact with me. I totally get that MAC comes out with 1,000 LE products a month and since I work retail I certainly don't know about every single item we sell (I work in clothing, and I'm a cashier not a salesgirl so I don't need to, but still) but obviously if I was asking about them, I knew what they were. I would have been totally happy to show her exactly what I wanted, but she just kept huffing at me and digging through drawers (at one point she looked through the returns bin. Ummm. I'm happy to buy used makeup from the clearance bin, or swap for it, but not for full price, thanks).

Edited by hilaryrose - 1/5/11 at 5:45am

I've been to the Pro store in London a few times, I've never had any deliberate rudeness, but they have been rushed, but then, it's always been real busy when I have gone in there.

 

In Wales, we have just one counter in Debenhams, and one store that are hardly far apart.  In the store there is a guy there who is SO rude. One time I went in, at the beginning of my MAC loving and asked if they did Pro blush palettes and pans.  I as fairly new, knew that they were available online and thought they might be in the store, like the shadows.  He was so snotty - "Urgh, no, those are only available in the Pro store in London, for pro artists.".  He didn't believe me when I told him I'd seen them online.  I've seen him at the counter too, although he has yet to serve me again.  I am more secure in my MAC knowledge to respond now, I'd probably ask to be served my someone else.

 

I've been fairly lucky that I haven't had anything too major.  But I find the Debenhams counter girls are far more helpful than the store. 

 

My mother though, was treated terribly at the Fenwick in Brent Cross last week.  She went in to ask if they had Soiree for me as it was sold out in Wales and online, waited at the til for ages, eventually go the attention of some young boy, who worked for the store I think, and was just putting stock in the drawers.  My mum said she knew what she wanted and bless him, he found it.  But explained he didn't know how to use the tills, but if she waited there someone would serve her.  She waited 20 MINUTES for two MA's to finish chatting (others were all applying makeup) before she finally ame over and served.  Utter rudeness and then she had the cheek to be all "Hi honeeeeeey, what can I do babe!?".  My mother was not impressed, and told her so. 

 

Why busy ounters don't have one allocated person to ring up purchases I will never know, you can get some student or young 'un who doesn't know squat about makeup to do that on busy days.

Well I have only one bad experiences in MAC's stores, but honestly even if I love MAC I'd rather buy stuff in web ( expect LE) My bad experiene was last time I go to a MAC Corner, I wanted to know my true color' of face. So she was unfriendly doesn't smile. She made me feel like I'm mess. I hated that.

I'm already a bit shy when I have to go in MAC's store, maybe it's stupid ( no, not maybe It is ! ) but it's so little, it seems like everybody look at me, I'd rather be alone..

The MAC counter closest to me is about a half hour away, but honestly, I've only been there about five times. Maybe it's because I'm young (16 years old) but the MAs act like they want nothing to do with helping me! I always research a product before I buy, so I KNOW what I want and what I don't want. 

 

One time, I was picking out a few eyeshadows, and the MA that was literally HOVERING around me asked if I was done yet because she had other customers. I told her (with a bit of attitude, I will admit) that I was completely capable of choosing my own eyeshadows and I don't need her to supervise. 

 

She made the other lady check me out when I was done... immature much? 

So the MAC i went to 2 weeks ago, which is the usual one I go to, usually has good customer service...not GREAT but good. I've never cared about the SAs coming up to me and asking me if I need anything because it does feel a little awkward and I like browsing first. I went in at rush hour and the SAs were all busy with people, except one or 2. NO ONE offered to help me when I asked and I think I was ignored a few times. So I finally asked for help and the girl was nice and stuff and got my eyeshadow, etc. But no "THANK YOU" at all and didn't even put my stuff in a bag. Wow. I felt really low that day.

Has anyone ever had a rude MAC mua?

Yesterday, I visited the mac store and ended up purchasing three products but seemed very open to purchasing much more. The mua that was helping me was really rude, any time I attempted to bring up something else I was looking for or was interested in she would just roll her eyes like she did not want to help me and I was so shocked considering I was seriously interested in buying products from the counter. I mean from the way I was talking to her it looked like I was ready to spend about 75-100 dollars that day in purchases from them. Her demeanor was very interesting because she seemed nice and friendly at times, then seemed somewhat snotty by constantly rolling her eyes and looking frustrated, and lastly a bit of a know it all. I mean I'm sure she knew her stuff but I felt a bit like she was picking things out for me that I wasn't neccesarily sure I wanted or even needed. Anyways, I was just wondering if you girls have experienced a situation with a mua like this? Her rolling her eyes was completely off-putting.

I definitely would've been put off by the constant eye rolling. I do find it odd that she went back and forth between being friendly to "can't be bothered." 

 

I've been lucky at the mac counter here in that all the girls who work there are extremely pleasant. Of course, I'm pretty much a noob to makeup, so I find myself being unsure of what to buy pretty often. But, they do make me feel comfortable enough to say no to a certain color and they don't treat me like I'm dumb when we disagree.

 

I hope next time you won't have that kind of eye rolling treatment :)

Mac used to have a reputation for this sort of thing (a ways back). Most of the MUAs they have now are very good and give solid customer service, but you do get the occasional bad person in everything.