As far as I know, you are not suposed to let your customers know that the $50 min purchase applies to weekends only. In fact, I am pretty sure that coutners that share that info get a good talking to. So when someone asks about getting their makeup done you kind of investigate first, see when they want to get it done and then tell them "It's a minimum purchase of $50." or "Just so you know, you have to purchase at least $50." If people say to me "So I have to spend $50?" I say "Or more." There are ways around making it sound like they only have to spend $50.

I think there should be a minimum purchase at ALL TIMES unless you are slow and are offering up demos because you can. I think having it vary by days pisses of customers and causes a ton of confusion in the long run. When someone come sin that got a demo at one location on a wednesday and there was no minimum purchase and they come to you on a saturday and you tell them they have to purchase they usually think you are lying to them. It jsut causes problems. Plus you always want to avoid saying we charge on the weekend etc. because then that pretty much just encourages them to only come when it's free.
I don't know, I think the policy really needs to change to be a minimum purchanse at all times. Maybe Mon-thurs can have a $40 min and weekends can still be $50. I just don't think it's very effective or smart.

My favorites are the ones who come in for a free eye demo, knowing damn well that they're not buying jack shit and they get all picky about their make-up. Listen honey an eye demo at my counter consists of a highlight color, a crease color and a paint pot on your lid and carbon as your eyeliner. If you are looking for Seedy Pearl as your highlight, Passionate in your crease, sketch to deepen the crease, goldmind on your lid, carbon on the outter corners and some fierce winged liner you need to calm down and schedule yourself an appointment.

and let's not forget smolder in the waterline, vellum in the inner corner, matching colors under the eye, and mascara on the lashes which took 15 mins to pick out.

All while the mirror is held 1" from the face.

yeah, its kinda nice on the weekends. people roll up thinking they're gonna get their makeup done cause they're going to the club and we have to drop everything and make them look gorgeous. then we say, "sure, we can do your makeup. just to let you know it's with a $50 purchase." then their smile fades, and they get all shitty about it. yeah, keep it up. now i really wanna do your makeup. then they say they just want their eyes done. again, "sure, we can do your eyes. just to let you know it's with a $50 purchase." they aren't having that, so they turn around and walk off all pissed, yelling about how it isn't fair that they gotta pay.

My favorites are the ones who come in for a free eye demo, knowing damn well that they're not buying jack shit and they get all picky about their make-up. Listen honey an eye demo at my counter consists of a highlight color, a crease color and a paint pot on your lid and carbon as your eyeliner. If you are looking for Seedy Pearl as your highlight, Passionate in your crease, sketch to deepen the crease, goldmind on your lid, carbon on the outter corners and some fierce winged liner you need to calm down and schedule yourself an appointment.

Quick question:
So what do you do when a client comes by the counter, with a MAC store gift card, or with the willingness to purchase eyeshadow pans and palettes (both of which cannot be found at your counter), but wants YOU to try all the eyeshadows on her?
I just can't believe how impolite some people can be. If you are going to purchase pan shadows, or if you do not have a counter gift card, ask an artist at a MAC Store for help, and stop ruining my sales, kthxbye.

What we've started doing is kind of discouraging them when they ask to "get their eyes done". We all do this: " No problem, but just to let you know, it might take 15 minutes, it might take an hour. I will be walking away to help other customers."
If she's impatient, she'll go somewhere else. If not, I will sit her down, start explaining everything I'm doing, but IMMEDIATELY tell her I have to step away when someone approaches. 9 times out of 10, saying this with kindness will make them shut the ef up and not complain. We have no choice but to do this. I can't do a complete makeup in an hour without selling a single product.
Frankly, I'm all for the 50$ purchase. Do you walk into a hair salon and demand to get your hair done for free? And even then, with a set 50$ purchase, an complete makeup means 1 hour of of application wihtout interruption. This in turns means that in 1 hour, I will sell 50$. It's dreadful, especially when you're shift is 5 hours and you're goal is 956$$ and you kow that if you want to make it, you have to aim for 200$ in a single hour.

I know this amazing artist who has been with the company for years. She always always makes her sales. Her secret? During an eye demo, she'll complete the eye makeup, and when she's done, she will quickly say "So, what will you be purchasing today?! *with a killer smile* Works every time!