Sorry, but THIS is why I don't buy MAC...

nukacola

Member
Reading this makes me really upset. Sounds like those girls are very elitist and shouldn't be working with people... If I had an experience like that I don't think I'd ever buy from my counter again.

Personally my local MAC counter here in the UK has absolutely lovely MA's who always acknowledge me even when they're busy with a customer, are always very patient even when I'm being indecisive and extremely helpful with colour matching and advice. It's a shame that not all stores are like this.
 

Goat Goat Etc.

Well-known member
Next time ask for all of their names and the number and name of their district manager. Call their dm and tell them what happened and all hell will rain upon them! You can go higher ask for a regional manager!
 

pemily

Well-known member
And don't be discouraged about buying MAC because of this.... I think its an issue with the entire makeup industry culture, not specifically the brand... Next time you go in, demand service! Call the girl out on her behaviour! They have no right to be so rude...

I totally agree with the culture point you make, in all honesty girls will be girls...... Sometimes I feel I need to put makeup on just to go there so they know I am serious then I stop and think... thats BS* I'll go how I like.......
I have some girls at the counters here who I truly believe think they are better than most customers but then there are a few really lovely ones too......
 

pemily

Well-known member
hey hun, although i totally agree with what you are saying... at the end of the day dont forget YOU are buying from THEM... not the other way round you act how you like to act...... They should be the ones worried about being knowledgable.... I think we give them too much credit.... I'm not saying we are better than them but I would never ignore a freakin customer or judge them.... If I get treated nicely I will be nice back... otherwise I will just do what I have to do in a professional manner!
I have experienced this alot myself with MAC over here in Australia.... until my last visit started to restore some faith in the mac girls, someone actually helped me!!!!!

Im the same usually ignored and the last served even before people come in after me, and i need to chase people down. The last two store visits I have had I have walked in asked for products by their names and not by eyeshadow called or lipstick called and then asked questions about up coming releases so they knew I knew what I was talking about.... then the comments started to flow about my makeup.

Perhaps its all in the confidence we show or the impression we give off as well? letting them think they are better than us is a quick way to get ignored or going in with that attitude that we wont get served... When i was confident and looked straight at them when I walked in, I got assistance straight away and valuable advice, even a sneak peek at glitter and ice before it went up on display

In saying that, I still buy more products online from overseas... too expensive here!
 

gooblyglob

Active member
Sometimes I feel I need to put makeup on just to go there so they know I am serious then I stop and think... thats BS* I'll go how I like...
what's funny is... if I am going to buy something that I need to test out first, I go in WITH NO make up on!
 

pemily

Well-known member
what's funny is... if I am going to buy something that I need to test out first, I go in WITH NO make up on!


That's what iI plan on doing after Xmas when the shops open!!!
im not spending $200 on Chanel without knowing wtf to do with it!!
 

redambition

Well-known member
Welp, I'm resurrecting this thread seeing as it's number 4 on the page!

Problems aren't just localised to us. My partner went to Vegas for work last week, so of course I armed him with a list to hand over at MAC - half price yay!

The MA (who apparently was very friendly and helpful) didn't get the 5 empty palettes on the list, and sold my partner Matchmaster in a shade darker than what was on my list, because they were out of stock of my shade. My partner was assured "it is the same". Um, no, a shade darker in foundation is not the same. I can't blame my partner for this as he has no idea about makeup... and kudos for him for trekking to MAC to get these things for me! <3 (Though I am dirty about the MA forgetting the palettes. Now I have to trek to Paddo!)

With that said, There are some new staff members at MAC in DJs Sydney City who are just the sweetest! I've been there a few times to speak with them now and they are wonderful to deal with and super helpful. Going to be spending more money there!
 

gooblyglob

Active member
Quote: Originally Posted by redambition

Problems aren't just localised to us. My partner went to Vegas for work last week, so of course I armed him with a list to hand over at MAC - half price yay!



That's ridiculous but true *sigh*... US prices of high end makeup just seem so cheap! Last time I was in the US, I went nuts buying MAC... it was like buying Maybelline in Australia... but MAC with Aussie Maybelline prices LOL
 

Venusian

New member
a little closer to home MAC is about 50% off in Hong Kong relative to Au prices.

However, their range is a little different - they didn't have a few eyeshadow colours or Studio Tint, but they did have some interesting pressed powders in chrome packaging (only in NCs though) and I'm sure would have been other stuff to
 

redambition

Well-known member
If I had reason to go to HK, I'd definitely shop there! Unfortunately I need to schedule the binges around when friends and partner are somewhere it's cheap... Though maybe I may find a reason for a HK stopover next time I go os...
 

legendoflauren

Active member
I sadly have to agree. Majority of MAC makeup artists are really unhelpful and unfriendly. They make you feel like you're bothering them! Most of the time I'm more informed about the upcoming collections and product finishes than they are - and it's their job.
I've visited numerous counters in Australia and overseas. There are a few nice ladies in Perth though, the ones at Myer Garden City are lovely for example, they're happy to give you a sample or try a product on you. But I've also had poor service at MAC counters when I visited the US. I visited two counters in LA and both were incredibly rude, thankfully the service was better in New York. But seriously, MAC needs to pay more attention to their staff and customer service. Weird :/
 

baghdad81

Well-known member
I sadly have to agree. Majority of MAC makeup artists are really unhelpful and unfriendly. They make you feel like you're bothering them! Most of the time I'm more informed about the upcoming collections and product finishes than they are - and it's their job. I've visited numerous counters in Australia and overseas. There are a few nice ladies in Perth though, the ones at Myer Garden City are lovely for example, they're happy to give you a sample or try a product on you. But I've also had poor service at MAC counters when I visited the US. I visited two counters in LA and both were incredibly rude, thankfully the service was better in New York. But seriously, MAC needs to pay more attention to their staff and customer service. Weird :/
RiGHT!!! I always know the product names and launch dates better than the SAs (and I don't' call them MUA's because really hun...your makeup is the run of the mill neutral eye)...Even on launch day, I know the products better and possible dupes from the perm line (Shoutout to temptalia.com who does awesome dupe lists). Our freestanding store ladies and gents are generally better, but the counters are just clueless, rude and think they know their stuff when they really don't. Re: Samples....if you ask for samples or a demonstration using a particular brush or product, and you end up having to think about it, no one offers you a sample of the foundation, concealer, cream etc...and they hate it if you don't buy right away and immediately act turned off. Am sorry, I bought a foundation once that I haven't tested from your company and it broke me out, forgive me for wanting to try it a couple more times before I decide. Sephora on the other hand always hand out samples which is why they have my business.
 

legendoflauren

Active member
Re: Samples....if you ask for samples or a demonstration using a particular brush or product, and you end up having to think about it, no one offers you a sample of the foundation, concealer, cream etc...and they hate it if you don't buy right away and immediately act turned off. Am sorry, I bought a foundation once that I haven't tested from your company and it broke me out, forgive me for wanting to try it a couple more times before I decide. Sephora on the other hand always hand out samples which is why they have my business.
Hahaa, yup - I feel you! It's so frustrating! I rely so heavily on online swatches and dupe lists (Temptalia is amazing!!!).
I have two MAC ladies I 'harass' often that actually offer me samples and happily do makeup demos for me. In fact I didn't know MAC handed out foundation samples until I was offered one last year as I was pondering the new Matchmaster foundation.
But I remember a few weeks ago I asked to try a bronzer and she picked one out for me, put it on my face and yeah, I said liked it - so she just assumed I was going to buy it right then and there. Pfft... I told her I wanted to see how it wore and she seemed so annoyed!
It's just super lame that their customer service is so poor on a global scale -_-
And if I worked at MAC... forget neutral makeup... I'd paint leopard print down the side of face and go cray-cray ;)
 

kelseyemmma

New member
Im from the Uk but have had both terrible and great experiences at MAC. One perticular incident truly ruffled my feathers. I took a list to the MAC free standing store and asked one of the girls to get me a few items from it. I was after a few cream bases for highlighting and contouring and had been researching these products for months. I know a fair bit about makeup as I do beauty blogging aswell as it being my passion. The woman point blankly said I wont sell you these products you wont know how to use them. I can be very shy at times especially when intimidated by a 6ft beauty. she basically packed me a bronzer and a blush which was not what I even wanted. She wouldnt test any of the products on me and was just rude.

10 mins later I returned to the store to take back the products as Id plucked up my courrage. The woman who had served me had gone on her lunch break minuets after I left,( I was informed by another mac employee) She clearly only had interest in getting a slice of commison before she rushed of for her break. I returned the products and went to smashbox instead. It really annoys me how they dont put the customer first. On this ocasion I had no makeup on as I had intended to try the productsd on! I have noticed on ocassions where I have worn no makeup I have recieved shitty service and when I've shown my makeup ability wearing complex eyeshadow they have been more than friendly!
 

style-addict

Well-known member
Anyone here live in central Texas? I'm in Austin and wondering where you ladies like to buy MAC from?

So far, I try to stick to Nordstrom- they are so helpful and nice. I had a terrible experience at Macy's in the Lakeline mall.
 

CaroLynn

Well-known member
Im from the Uk but have had both terrible and great experiences at MAC. One perticular incident truly ruffled my feathers. I took a list to the MAC free standing store and asked one of the girls to get me a few items from it. I was after a few cream bases for highlighting and contouring and had been researching these products for months. I know a fair bit about makeup as I do beauty blogging aswell as it being my passion. The woman point blankly said I wont sell you these products you wont know how to use them. I can be very shy at times especially when intimidated by a 6ft beauty. she basically packed me a bronzer and a blush which was not what I even wanted. She wouldnt test any of the products on me and was just rude.

10 mins later I returned to the store to take back the products as Id plucked up my courrage. The woman who had served me had gone on her lunch break minuets after I left,( I was informed by another mac employee) She clearly only had interest in getting a slice of commison before she rushed of for her break. I returned the products and went to smashbox instead. It really annoys me how they dont put the customer first. On this ocasion I had no makeup on as I had intended to try the productsd on! I have noticed on ocassions where I have worn no makeup I have recieved shitty service and when I've shown my makeup ability wearing complex eyeshadow they have been more than friendly!
If I have to worry about receiving service based on how I've applied my makeup that day I think I'm going to be a little intimidated the next time I'm in a MAC store! OTOH, I visited one last night to purchase a Wash and Dry Highlight Powder and the MUA couldn't have been nicer - even complimented my lipstick (which was MAC, of course!).
 

Sexy Sadie

Well-known member
OMG! that is terrible. I'm in N.Z and the MAC counters at the department stores are just useless, if you ask them wether something would look ok with your skintone they just say yes and dont ask if youd like to swatch/try it on. ANNNND if you ask them lots of questions and ask to try lots of things you can see them either rolling their eyes or they say "Ill leave you to it" so un helpful. I have had good experiences though, there is a loovveely tall asian guy who is very helpful at the chancery pro store in Auckland
smiles.gif


I agree with aurora, go to the Mac stores just walk around swatch stuff get a good look, then go buy on the internet! LOL then you know whatll look good, the snooty assistants sales will go down annnd youll get it much cheaper e.g. ACW
smiles.gif
)) muahahaha
This is what I have been doing the last 5 years or so, the makeup counter culture has been putting me off using money there.
 

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