I'm even scared to buy brushes from the store!

[astronaut]

After learning about counterfeit products and all, I'm even paranoid to purchase MAC brushes from the counter/store! I notice that some brushes have been returned (with a really old beat up Nordie's return label sticker still on), so I'm guessing that MAC brushes are resold if returned unlike their cosmetics? Since I've worked retail before and know that there are some sneakies who try to return 7 for all mankind jeans with some kind of knockoff seven brand from Mervyns and get a full refund. I can just imagine maybe someone trying to do a switch with a fake MAC brush, it being resold, and some poor person using the brush thinking that it's real since I hear some of the fake brushes really feel like the real thing with only small differences with the authentic brushes. And authentic brushes even have small differences between each other so it makes it even more hard. Can we really be 100% sure and trust that everyone is gauranteed to always get a real MAC brush when they purchase from a MAC Counter or freestanding store?

 

[Janice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by astronaut Can we really be 100% sure and trust that everyone is gauranteed to always get a real MAC brush when they purchase from a MAC Counter or freestanding store?

Yes.

IMO it's unnecessarily paranoid to think otherwise, and if somehow you did you would have purchased directly from the company have the recourse of having them resolve the issue for you.

 

[ms_bloom]

For some reason I was thinking about this exact same thing yesterday after reading a counterfeit brushes thread. Here in Australia, we basically cannot return any opened cosmetic although department stores like Myer and David Jones are more lenient in this regard. While there is no legal requirement to accept a return, some of them will do it to keep their customers happy. I once exchanged a MAC #129 as it was stiff and not soft, and asked for a #129SH as a replacement. But generally we don't expect exchanges or refunds.

What I was thinking was, what's to stop someone from buying the real brush, and returning a fake one with their receipt? There are definitely small differences even among real brushes, so a good fake could definitely get by. Then I realised here in Australia that this wasn't as much of an issue, as we probably do not sell returned brushes (unopened cosmetics might be).

 

[erine1881]

when customers return brushes, we tester them out and use them in our brush belts. that way we don't waste money making testers out of brushes that we can sell to the public. they do not get damaged out with the returned makeup, so there is no chance of them being resold (genuine of not).

 

[cocolette]

oh, i just starting thinking that now, but thank god erine!!!

 

[dmenchi]

i think with jeans it's different because they are put back in the cycle, but all MU is trashed.And most brushes are as well, if they don't get used as belt fillers for freelncers

 

[astronaut]

Well that's good know! I just started buying full sized MAC brushes not too long ago and was freaked out about some return stickers left on the brush wrappers that looked very dirty and old.

 

[claresauntie]

Agreed- the brushes are testered out when returned. Sometimes we tag a brush for a customer who then changes her mind at the counter (when she sees the brush price or her total) and we toss it back into the jar -hence the Nordie's sticker on a brush. If it leaves the counter and comes back, it goes to testers or gets sent back with the other returns.