Ulta vs. Sephora

[Liz_Love]

Where do you prefer to shop? Why? What do you think are the pros and cons of this?

I prefer Ulta, mainly because of the points system. I think it's great that you can spend them as real cash and Ulta has most of the brands I like and all the drug store products as well. Plus they have a better nail polish selection that Sephora. I do like Sephora's layout better though and it certainly looks cleaner in a Sephora than Ultas.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I don't know if I have a preference. There are some products I just go to Sephora for and some I only go to Ulta for. However I will say that Ulta has the better point system. Either way both stores get way too much of my coins.

 

[shellygrrl]

Sephora gets the majority of my money. They have most of what I use and love, and even simply browsing a physical store (or a SiJCP) is a nice experience.

Ulta is okay if I'm going into a store, but I find online shopping frustrating. I live in a very small town wherein almost everything is sent to the post office for pick-up, even if the retailer asks for a street address to ship to. My PO box is my billing address, which for most etailers is also my shipping address, but Ulta doesn't accept PO boxes. They insist on a street address. (And yet they use UPS Mail Innovations. What?!) When I go to check out I never get the free shipping option if I've gone over the $50 threshold. And I can forget ordering any nail polish or various haircare (anything in a spray bottle) from them, because I get error messages about how they can't send them to me. (At least Nordstrom will ship various bits separately if necessary, and they do deliver to the house, in those cases. I digress, though.)

I find fault in both stores' points systems. Sephora's because you can't use points toward discounts, Ulta's because points expire if you don't use them.

 

[Jayjayy]

Sephora. Ulta stores are terrible They're always a mess, no applicators to test product, no samples and major attitude if you ask, no associates on the floor, open products on the shelves, etc...Their website is barely any better. I did have my most recent package ship within 1 business days which is a miracle but it won't be here for 6 days. Ridiculous! Honestly, Ulta is just no fun online or in-store. Sephora could certainly improve its mediocre rewards system, but I enjoy the experience of the website and some locations. The associates are more knowledgable about the products, and as a WOC its easier to find a decent shade match in luxury lines. I still shop at both but I find myself looking more to Nordstrom, Beautylish, and Ricky's NYC these days.

 

[Liz_Love]

My PO box is my billing address, which for most etailers is also my shipping address, but Ulta doesn't accept PO boxes. They insist on a street address. (And yet they use UPS Mail Innovations. What?!)

I had this problem the other day actually. I have a P.O. box because though I live with my boyfriend, I am not on his lease and we don't want the apartment complex to make things complicated for us. I had to ship my package to the apartment under his name and when he went to pick up a huge Ulta box he said the women in the office looked at him like he was crazy.

I think though, I just need to go into Sephora a buy something. I go in a lot but I never buy anything because I always think "Oh I can get this at Ulta and add towards my points" but I think if I just spent a little money in Sephora I would enjoy the store a bit more.

 

[bunnypoet]

I do much more beauty shopping in Sephora than I do in Ulta. Sephora carries more of my favorite brands, the website has free 2-day shipping (Rouge), and, at least where I live, the Sephora stores have better customer service (it's not great, but better than the few Ultas near me).

 

[Monsy]

t Ulta's because points expire if you don't use them.

not if you are platinum

 

[Monsy]

Sephora. Ulta stores are terrible They're always a mess, no applicators to test product, no samples and major attitude if you ask, no associates on the floor, open products on the shelves, etc..

well this is not really ulta's fault it's more about customers being assholes

I had a girl bring at least 10 nyx products from the mass side to prestige makeup station, plus multiple real technique brushes, opened everything up and used it on her face. i told her multiple times that she is not allowed to do that and that is a live product not a tester. do you think she cared?
of course at the end she didn't buy anything she just left everything dumped on the makeup station

 

[Alysse011]

well this is not really ulta's fault it's more about customers being assholes

I had a girl bring at least 10 nyx products from the mass side to prestige makeup station, plus multiple real technique brushes, opened everything up and used it on her face. i told her multiple times that she is not allowed to do that and that is a live product not a tester. do you think she cared?
of course at the end she didn't buy anything she just left everything dumped on the makeup station

That is ridiculous! Are y'all allowed to do or say anything other than to ask them to stop?

 

[Monsy]

Well as an ulta employee you are really not allowed to do anything not even ask them to stop i just get annoyed and tell them...