Rant - chintzy samples at Sephora, Santa Monica

[athena123]

Hi ladies, wasn't sure where to post this so if it needs to be moved I'll understand. I hope management at the Sephora store in Santa Monica, CA is reading this so you can make improvements at your location. I will NOT shop there again because my experience last Saturday was so negative.

I stopped by Sephora to purchase Makeup Forever Matte + foundation because I'm tired of my mineral makeup dripping off my face in this heat. The makeup artist was young and nice, but she started off with a shade that makes my face too yellow. When I told her it was too yellow, she said it was fine and looked good. (it didn't) I told her that many makeup artists have a tendency to select a shade that makes me look too yellow and can we try something else? She found another shade with pink undertones and it looked perfect. She even admitted that it looked better than her original shade. She was actually the best person I encountered.

At the register, where I spent nearly $100 dollars I requested a sample. She said I was a few dollars short of the Beauty Insider goodie. I told her that's not what I'm talking about, nearly every time I come to Sephora I'm loaded down with samples without even having to ask. So she grudgingly gave me one chintzy little prepackaged skincare sample. I asked her if they have any fragrances they were trying to promote and she said no. I asked her if they have any makeup they were trying to promote and she said no. I paid for my goods, a little bit miffed then went over to the fragrance wall and found a jasmine scent I'd like a sample of. The woman at the fragrance wall gave me a sample of it and I asked her if she had any more along that line. She said no. How about a sample of a light floral? She took me over to Marc Jacobs and said she didn't have a tester bottle to make a sample for me. (Not the Daisy, I don't like it) so in the end, I only got one sample of fragrance and one stupid skincare sample in a tiny little package after interacting with 3 people at this store and spending nearly 100 bucks. Before I left, I did express my dissatisfaction with lack of promotion and being so chintzy with samples and was met with a shrug.

I really wish it would have occurred to them to give me a sample of MUFE HD finishing powder since I bought 2 products from this line but didn't know about it until today so it didn't occur to me to ask. Shouldn't someone who cares about customer service have suggested something from MUFE's HD line? WTF??? I guess I'm spoiled by shopping at the Sephora in Victoria Gardens, where they take the time to introduce you to other products within the same line based upon something you're interested in.

I'm just venting, that's all. A Sephora is opening up a little closer to me in Riverside and I'm hoping the culture there will be a vast improvement over the beeyotches (except the nice makeup artist) I met in Santa Monica.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Actually, I don't think I get samples unless they are Beauty Insider samples at the Sephora in Chicago.

 

[Mabelle]

i dont ask for samples of something unless i really want to try it and am afraid i might be allergic to it (im allergic to everything..)
No offense,but i think they're used to people free loading off of them with samples. I wouldnt entirely blame them for not wanting to hand over tons of samples. If you asked, they should have given you some, but i dont think that just because you spent 100$ there that you should automatically get "loaded down with samples". I spend a lot of money at sephora as well, like i said, i only request something to make sure im not allergic, or the sample sizes for the beauty insiders.
Anyway, thats just my opinion.

 

[Simply Elegant]

It might just be their policy and I'm sure that there are customers who try to abuse that policy, either buying very little and asking for many samples or buying nothing at all and repeatedly asking for free stuff etc. Maybe it was a bad day for that and asking them a few times for different products may have possibly set them off thinking that you wanted as much free stuff as they would have allowed.

 

[HeavenLeiBlu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simply Elegant It might just be their policy and I'm sure that there are customers who try to abuse that policy, either buying very little and asking for many samples or buying nothing at all and repeatedly asking for free stuff etc. Maybe it was a bad day for that and asking them a few times for different products may have possibly set them off thinking that you wanted as much free stuff as they would have allowed.

Not only that, but is having a sample really that serious? They don't owe you that. They are nice, and very generous with samples when they offer them, but nobody is obligated to give them to you; it's a simple courtesy that may not always be available.

 

[frocher]

,,,,,,,,

 

[Beauty Mark]

Yeah, that's how I end getting samples from Sephora. I think I received a foundation sample once, because I asked.

 

[MACForME]

I go to Sephora in Willowbrook Mall, Wayne NJ.. and I am a beauty insider also.. I buy ALOT there and have YET to receive a sample of anything.. ever.

 

[M.A.C. head.]

I always get at least one sample when I go there *shrugs*

I do think you were being a bit of a diva about it. Samples are a gift not a guarantee.

All of that "do you have a sample of this?" and "why not" and giving them a hard time just because they didn't have something is not a good look on your part.

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena123 Hi ladies, wasn't sure where to post this so if it needs to be moved I'll understand. I hope management at the Sephora store in Santa Monica, CA is reading this so you can make improvements at your location. I will NOT shop there again because my experience last Saturday was so negative. I stopped by Sephora to purchase Makeup Forever Matte + foundation because I'm tired of my mineral makeup dripping off my face in this heat. The makeup artist was young and nice, but she started off with a shade that makes my face too yellow. When I told her it was too yellow, she said it was fine and looked good. (it didn't) I told her that many makeup artists have a tendency to select a shade that makes me look too yellow and can we try something else? She found another shade with pink undertones and it looked perfect. She even admitted that it looked better than her original shade. She was actually the best person I encountered. At the register, where I spent nearly $100 dollars I requested a sample. She said I was a few dollars short of the Beauty Insider goodie. I told her that's not what I'm talking about, nearly every time I come to Sephora I'm loaded down with samples without even having to ask. So she grudgingly gave me one chintzy little prepackaged skincare sample. I asked her if they have any fragrances they were trying to promote and she said no. I asked her if they have any makeup they were trying to promote and she said no. I paid for my goods, a little bit miffed then went over to the fragrance wall and found a jasmine scent I'd like a sample of. The woman at the fragrance wall gave me a sample of it and I asked her if she had any more along that line. She said no. How about a sample of a light floral? She took me over to Marc Jacobs and said she didn't have a tester bottle to make a sample for me. (Not the Daisy, I don't like it) so in the end, I only got one sample of fragrance and one stupid skincare sample in a tiny little package after interacting with 3 people at this store and spending nearly 100 bucks. Before I left, I did express my dissatisfaction with lack of promotion and being so chintzy with samples and was met with a shrug. I really wish it would have occurred to them to give me a sample of MUFE HD finishing powder since I bought 2 products from this line but didn't know about it until today so it didn't occur to me to ask. Shouldn't someone who cares about customer service have suggested something from MUFE's HD line? WTF??? I guess I'm spoiled by shopping at the Sephora in Victoria Gardens, where they take the time to introduce you to other products within the same line based upon something you're interested in. I'm just venting, that's all. A Sephora is opening up a little closer to me in Riverside and I'm hoping the culture there will be a vast improvement over the beeyotches (except the nice makeup artist) I met in Santa Monica.

Not okay! Instead of saying no, she should have offered to make you a sample of something, and specifically ask you what you'd like to try. And if they didn't have a tester, they should have opened one, regardless. And beauty insider gifts are not the same as the regular samples clients can have upon request, and stores should always have empty containers to make samples.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Actually, I don't think I get samples unless they are Beauty Insider samples at the Sephora in Chicago.

Again. Not okay. Consultants are supposed to offer you samples without even your asking. I'll admit, we don't always do it, and sometimes we get people who use our policy to get samples so they can avoid purchasing, but we still have to give you samples.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simply Elegant It might just be their policy and I'm sure that there are customers who try to abuse that policy, either buying very little and asking for many samples or buying nothing at all and repeatedly asking for free stuff etc. Maybe it was a bad day for that and asking them a few times for different products may have possibly set them off thinking that you wanted as much free stuff as they would have allowed.

We have tons of customers who abuse our sampling policy, and our return policy, but you know what? We still have to abide by them, unless it's something ridiculous or it's a repeat client who asks for repeat samples to avoid purchasing, and there are even ways around that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeavenLeiBlu Not only that, but is having a sample really that serious? They don't owe you that. They are nice, and very generous with samples when they offer them, but nobody is obligated to give them to you; it's a simple courtesy that may not always be available.

It IS that serious, unfortunately. We are obligated to give samples if requested, if they aren't available, we need to make them available or offer a similar product sample. That's how we roll lol
There are only a few things we can't/shouldn't sample, and they are very DUH things, but people still ask.
Foam cleansers - they'll evaporate once they're in the jar.
Lipgloss - Duh.
Lipstick - Duh. But people still want us to CUT a piece of lipstick off for them. I refuse to do it, let them get upset, but I will not do it.
Mascara - Duh.
Tarte Cheekstains/ Stick Blush - Again, duh. I'm not going to cut a piece off for you.
Sunscreens with Meraxyl - Corporate doesn't allow us to sample these products, I'm not sure why, but we can offer a patch test application in the store, or the client can purchase the whole product and return it if they are dissatisfied or have an allergic reaction.
Pressed powder products - Duh.
Certain skincare products that are in glass (essential oils, unstable forms of vitamin C etc) because these products will deactivate or become "toxic" (not lethal) when kept in plastic, or exposed to the air but not used.

Other than that and other obvious products I was unable to think of for my list, they should have made you a sample or offered you what they had in premade packets, and they should have done it with a big smile, even if they didn't want to.

 

[talste]

I agree with M.A.C Head a sample is a gift to you not an entitlement & $100 is not a lot of money to spend on cosmetics so I dont see why spending that amount should make you feel entitled to freebies.

When I shop at MAC I'll buy an entire collection if I really, really love it (sonic chic for example) I spend a fortune yet dont expect to be given freebies & I never ask. Some times I get some (from sample pots of creams to L.E brushes), some times I dont, its no big deal to me.

 

[SuSana]

^^^I want to go to your Sephora MACPixie!

I will agree about the Victoria Gardens Sephora though, everytime I've gone there I only bought 1 or 2 things and they always throw 2 or 3 samples in the bag, without me asking. The downside to that store is that it is always crowded & kinda stuffy. But I still like it

 

[Beauty Mark]

MACPixie, I never knew that. I think that's an extremely generous sample policy.

 

[emeraldjewels]

I come over to the us at least twice a year, usually to NY or Vegas and everytime I spend about $300-500 because I get so excited at the cheaper prices and brands we don't get in the UK, and I can honestly say I have never been given a sample. Its no big deal to me, I didn't even know they gave samples. But I don't think that is really bad customer service, I know I certainly have had a lot worse.

 

[n_c]

MACPixie04: I wish I can come to your store, I bet you give excellent customer service. Im up in SJ, CA though

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuSana ^^^I want to go to your Sephora MACPixie! I will agree about the Victoria Gardens Sephora though, everytime I've gone there I only bought 1 or 2 things and they always throw 2 or 3 samples in the bag, without me asking. The downside to that store is that it is always crowded & kinda stuffy. But I still like it

Even in large volume stores--who get more premade samples so that they don't have to spend time making them--are expected to sample. On our client surveys, there's a whole page asking about whether or not you were sampled and whether the samples you received were relevant to products you purchased or inquired about. It's a BIG deal in our company; it's one of the things that sets us apart. Usually at counters, you can't get samples. Sometimes you can only get samples if you bring in those bounceback coupons from magazines, i.e., 10-day sample of your perfect match foundation from EL/Lancome etc. We're expected to sample all the time, even if we just hand out something random. It keeps our clients coming back. If I sample something and like it, I almost always purchase it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark MACPixie, I never knew that. I think that's an extremely generous sample policy.

I think so too, and unfortunately, we still get people who aren't happy. We have 2 sizes for sample jars, small standard size, and then larger ones for products you need more of, like Shampoos, Conditioners and body products. I had a woman ask me for an eye cream sample, and when I opened my supply drawer to get a jar, she saw that I had large body jars and demanded that I give her a large sample so that she can make sure the product would actually work. As many of you know, it takes 4-6 weeks to visually SEE results from a skincare product, because that's how long it takes for you to turn over cells. She basically wanted me to give her a 4-6 week sample of a $150 eye cream. I politely refused, gave her the small one, and she still complained about me. My manager basically restated everything I had already told her, but she still wasn't happy. So even though we have a pretty remarkable sampling policy, people still take advantage or aren't satisfied.
Quote:

Originally Posted by n_c MACPixie04: I wish I can come to your store, I bet you give excellent customer service. Im up in SJ, CA though

I wish you could come to my store too! I wish I could work at all the stores so that I wouldn't have to read about complaints about other stores, because single incidents at other stores don't reflect us as an entire company. We've been #1 for client service in all our years as a company, and we aim to keep it that way. I try my hardest to provide great CS because I'm a consumer too, and I know how it feels to be treated awfully while I'm shopping or browsing, and I also know that people are 5-10x more likely to talk about a negative experience anywhere than a positive one.

Even if I'm having a shitty day, or I get a rude client...what's the point in spreading negativity? There are nights where I'm work and really wanna just burn the place down and everybody in it lol but I don't say that or express it through attitude, because people aren't stupid. They pick up vibes and moods just like we SAs and MAs do, and it's contagious.

I'd rather squirt a whole tester into a sample jar than have someone go off on me or put me in a bad mood, and sometimes that's just how it has to be. Do it, even if it kills you, and do it with a big shit-eating grin!