Do MAC MA's REALLY hate it when we return things?

[synthetic_soul]

I have never returned used make up. Infact, i didn't even know you could do it.

And they'll actually give you your money back?

That just seems strange to me. You should have tested it in the shop. Kinda like trying to return earrings. Or is that allowed and i'm just out of the loop on that one as well? lol.

 

[concertina]

I buy a fair amount of MAC online. I try to really weigh my options and deliberate over which shade would be better...but if something doesn't look right on, or isn't what I expected, you better believe I'm returning it!

I haven't ever gotten attitude from a MA about returns...no, they save their attitude for when I need help finding something.

 

[LMD84]

luckily i have never had to return anything to mac. generally i think hard if i want the product (usually whilst us uk folk are waiting to actually get the collection in!!) and weigh up what looks i can do with that prduct. so lucky for me i've always been really satisfied with what i've got. and if i ever have something i don't knwo how to use or don't know what to use it with i email an artist and always get a good reply.

i'm a store manager (not make up related but sales non the less) and it is sooooo frustrating when you've spent hours with someone and they then try to get you to refund stuff - in my case it's stuff worth £2500 plus sometimes! So i stick to my guns and say no! they can swap but no money back!

 

[II3rinII]

i dont understand why people have to lie. just say you " feel stupid for paying so much for makeup" it doesnt make it right, but at least its not a lie. for instance, one of my co-workers almost had a $200 plus return. the lady claimed "it showed her wrinkles", really?? the brushes showed your wrinkles? the lipstick and gloss showed your wrinkles?? furthermore how do you know it showed your wrinkles (none of the products had been opened or touched) . she basically had buyers remorse. but since she paid with a check, at the freestanding store we have to wait 14 business days to do a monetary return from a check, and she had bought it like 2 days before. oh wells!


another lady try to return a bunch of stuff because she READ THAT MAC BREAKS YOU OUT. she came in wearing our products, looking flawless and said she READ it was bad for skin so she wanted to return it. my manager was like " well are YOU experiencing break outs? are you wearing it now?" she says "no i havent broken out, but i read i will. and yeah im wearing it now, i love it" . he talked her into keeping it though.

 

[Shaquille]

Wow.. I never knew I could return MAC products.. can you really do that?
I bought this cream blush at MACpro in vancouver a month ago.. I would never buy that if I knew it wasn't a pro-shade (the MA said it was)
can I return it then?

 

[HOTasFCUK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaquille Wow.. I never knew I could return MAC products.. can you really do that? I bought this cream blush at MACpro in vancouver a month ago.. I would never buy that if I knew it wasn't a pro-shade (the MA said it was) can I return it then?

Yup! As long as your not past the return due date on your receipt!

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaquille Wow.. I never knew I could return MAC products.. can you really do that? I bought this cream blush at MACpro in vancouver a month ago.. I would never buy that if I knew it wasn't a pro-shade (the MA said it was) can I return it then?

why would you wanna return it? just cause its not a pro color? that doesn't make any sense.

 

[Shaquille]

yes, because it's not a pro color.. It has something to do with tax. Tax is more expensive in Vancouver, so I bought only pro shades, the normal shade I can buy in my own city..
But I haven't used the cream blush, so it shouldn't be a problem for them, right?

 

[hr44]

I never have any problems returning anything... maybe because they know me and I NEVER return anything used.

I can't do it. I just can't. I just return colors my family/friends buy that I already have. Now they stick to gift cards there. Lol.

I returned PORT Red the same day I bought it because when I opened it, I KID you NOT, the color wasn't in there. It was an empty case. ODD. The MUA and I were like... wtf? OBVIOUS return right there. Well exchanged.

Come to think of it... I don't think I've ever returned makeup... simply exchanged the duplicate colors.

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaquille yes, because it's not a pro color.. It has something to do with tax. Tax is more expensive in Vancouver, so I bought only pro shades, the normal shade I can buy in my own city.. But I haven't used the cream blush, so it shouldn't be a problem for them, right?

it won't be a problem to return it, as long as it falls within the return policy, but you do realize returns get thrown away, right? and just cause so you can save a buck or two on this one item this one time? obviously if there's a tax difference, buy it at the cheaper place, but you should just keep this one blush this one time and not return it. just my opinion.

 

[bebs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaquille yes, because it's not a pro color.. It has something to do with tax. Tax is more expensive in Vancouver, so I bought only pro shades, the normal shade I can buy in my own city.. But I haven't used the cream blush, so it shouldn't be a problem for them, right?

I don't really know, I mean sure you can return it if it falls within the able to return dates. however it still will get trashed.. and really I would just keep it. I've bought things in higher taxed areas before when I could have bought them in mine just a few weeks after, but really what's the point. it will be a very little amount in the long run, as well as the gas to get there and back will probably be the same amount as what you are going to get back from your return.

 

[MaryJane]

I buy alot of Mac makeup and always go to the same counter and try to go to the same 1-2 MA's there. I have never had any problem at all returning things. If I wear something once or twice and don't like it and don't feel like I can make it work, I return in. I don't think there's any reason to pay for something I know I'lll never use. While it may impact the MA's commission (not sure it if does) that's one of the risks anyone who works on commission makes. In the long run, I give my MA's more than enough sales to offset any returns I have.

 

[1QTPie]

I return/exchange stuff all the time. I've never had any issues. The only thing I return or exchange (because I end up spending MORE money) are eye shadows. And usually that's because what I bought is identical to something I already have at home I didn't pay enough attention to be able to tell. For instance, I bought Plum Dressing two weeks ago. I got home, was doing some swatches and on my skin there is no remarkable difference between that and Star Violet. I mean they were dupes on me and I didn't notice that. It was the same with Mythology and Expensive Pink. Got home and is darn near the same color (versus the inaccuracy of the MAC website.) So yep, Mythology is going right back to the store.

I can't imagine why an MA would take a return personally. That's one thing I never understood about retail period. Why do YOU care if someone returns something? It's so silly to me.

 

[Buttercup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1QTPie I can't imagine why an MA would take a return personally. That's one thing I never understood about retail period. Why do YOU care if someone returns something? It's so silly to me.

I'm guessing because the returns are bad for the MA's numbers and can make them look bad when they are getting alot of returns. It's tough when the job is relying alot on meeting goals and making sales so I can see how they could appear bitter about it, especially if the return was just for a reason such as buyers remorse etc.

I don't believe this gives the MA the right to be rude in any way though.

 

[1QTPie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buttercup I'm guessing because the returns are bad for the MA's numbers and can make them look bad when they are getting alot of returns. It's tough when the job is relying alot on meeting goals and making sales so I can see how they could appear bitter about it, especially if the return was just for a reason such as buyers remorse etc. I don't believe this gives the MA the right to be rude in any way though.

It makes sense I guess. But, the four times I've had a return, I've bought something else so I guess that's the difference. And you're right, it's no excuse. I love my MAC MA, she's awesome.

 

[jbid]

i think they really hate it here in istanbul, they do their best not to accept returns. (and there's no refund. but that, i can understand)
let me tell you what happened just now.
last week i bought shimmersand s/s, i got home, opened it and realized -in day light- that it's too dark (relativeley) and i'd rather have beige-ing. (i didn't use it, just opened it).
so today i had time to go back and return it. the mua opens it and says that it's been used. and i swear (why did i do that?!) that i didn't but she doesn't believe me. she talks to her supervisor who tells her that they can't accep it and she shows me the little ring on top (where the actual shadestick come from) is smudged. (wtf?) i said ok, but i want beige-ing anyway. she hands it to me and i ask her to open it. so, what do i see? the same little smudge on top. and i say "it's also been used". she goes back to her supervisor, she compares shimmersand and beige-ing and then i hear whisper "she's right, we have to accept the return."
here's what i don't understand: why did i have to prove myself? don't they know their products? why it has to be a struggle?

 

[II3rinII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1QTPie It makes sense I guess. But, the four times I've had a return, I've bought something else so I guess that's the difference. And you're right, it's no excuse. I love my MAC MA, she's awesome.

if you buy from girl "x" and then return it , the return is in her name, those numbers go to corporate, without a reason attatched. so to corporate she looks like a bad salesperson when she has continuos returns, no matter the reason behind it. her numbers and AUS could suffer, and these are things that artist get written up for. i know you say you usually buy more, but it doesnt even out. for instance, back when i was at a counter a lady bought studio tech from me, turns the corner and realizes fashion fair is behind us and wants to return the tech and go get fashion fair. so it was the first transaction, when i sold it to her my sales were $25, when i did the return, my sales didnt go back down to 0, they went to -$25, so now im in the hole, so the next foundation i sold only brought me back up to 0. it was really annoying. our numbers are important to us, because thats what corporate sees. we dont take the return personal - we just know it affects us when it comes time for reveiws. try to be more carefull when you shop, every return has to be trashed, waisted product leads to price increases (which just went into effect this week, everything is up either .50 or $1).

 

[DivineFemme]

I've done two returns to MAC counters and didn't have any problems doing so. The first time was for a Fafi quad that I didn't test before I bought. It was my first time at MAC and the MA was alone and super busy, so I just bought it blind. And the second time was a paint pot and an e/s that didn't work out for me.

I'm very careful about buying now, however, so that I don't have a lot of returns. If I'm not sure, I ask the MA to write the product name on a card for me, so I can think about it. All of them have been happy to do so, in my experience.

Mine were both exchanges as well. The first time, I exchanged the $30 quad for lipglasses, and bought $70 worth of other stuff while I was at it!

 

[xoleaxo]

does the MA's numbers suffer with exchanges as well? i figured an exchange is a lot better than a flat out return.

i bought studio stick foundation, used it maybe 5 times and it's breaking me out badly.. i'm thinking of exchanging it for select spf15. i might just keep it though if it messes up the MA's numbers

 

[aeroSOUL]

Even though most MAC Artists won't admit this, I will!!!

it tends to seem like a slap in the face if an artist picked out something for you and you return it because it dosen'look good. Luckily, it seems to be the people who didn't ask for advice that return items.

and, it sets your sales goal back.

nonetheless, she shouldn't have acted like a child, it's the people who carry themselves as such that don't get very far in this business.