MAC artists make a commission?

[xtiffineyx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoona I know you said its not an attack on me but seriously ... it was a joke. That's why I said "haha". I don't care if you're coming to spend $14 or $400. As long as you treat me with respect I'll do the same for you. Don't think that every MA is putting a dollar sign on your forehead while you walk in the door. And remember when someone online says "haha" it wasn't mean as a serious statement.

Actually it wasn't just what you said that made me say that. It was also what MACforME said when she stated that they treat her different when they see she has a pro card.

I didn't say every MA was putting a dollar sign on anyones forehead but apparently a lot of them do, and I was just stating that I don't think that's right.

 

[Jinni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtiffineyx I didn't say every MA was putting a dollar sign on anyones forehead but apparently a lot of them do, and I was just stating that I don't think that's right.

I agree that it's not right, but it's easy to understand why it happens. When people's job depend on something, it's hard to be objective.

It's really up to MAC to change their policy. I thought they'd gotten rid of the AUS anyway?

 

[meanjeanster]

I always wondered if they made commission.

I too have been ignored and treated unfavorably by MAC artists especially when you're not all dressed up with makeup on. If you go in with a lot of makeup on and look pretty and are dressed well USUALLY...they 'll come right up to you. But if you're in an ol' t shirt and shorts with no makeup and your hair in a pony tail, they will ignore you or talk down to you like you know nothing about makeup. Sometimes they'll even condescend to you and treat you like dirt the way you were treated.

I have been through this with my little social experiment at 5 different MAC stores, 1 in Hawaii and 4 in the US mainland when I was there visiting. When you dress up and put your "Face" on, you get better treatment than if you go in there looking like you've been cleaning house.

They definitely do put $$ on every person that enters the door and try to go and get the business of the people who look like they'll buy more makeup.

I've gone in and spent 20 bucks at times and 200 bucks at other times. The REALLY bad experience I had where this chick was such a %#$ to me, I went and asked for her supervisors name and the number for MAC corp. She still talked down to me and tried to BS me and then I went and grabbed all the makeup I wanted and told her that she really fked up because I was going to buy close to 200 bucks of makeup. She just huffed and acted like she didn't care. I went and ordered it all online and reported her TWICE and she STILL Works there...

I just don't know, some people are so rude. I went in there all made up and pretty a few months ago and the same woman approached me and I told her no, thanks, I want a GOOD makeup artist. Guess she didn't recognize me LOL.

Report the chick , there's NO excuse for treatment like that.

 

[redambition]

not on - that was really rude. a complaint is justified in your situation as it's part of the service to be matched to products like foundation and concealer.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Just my general thoughts on the topic, not necessarily directed at anyone.

I walk in the store with the understanding that the MAs deserve respect and I do too. I will not accept poor customer service and address it up front if it happens (i.e. I have no patience for CS folks who can't be bothered from to break away from their chat to help you).

If an MA is illogical with their treatment of you, address it with logic. Call them on it, but do so matter-of-factly and without emotion (i.e. without sarcasm or name calling).

If you always expect people to treat you nicely and in a manner like you would treat them, you will often be disappointed.

There are people in this world who are just jerks and will treat you rudely. What matters, what you can control, is how you deal with it and how you let it affect you.

To the OP: Most counters do demos, or product focus areas (i.e. a lip product or a foundation or a concealer) free of charge. It is only a full face that they charge for.

 

[NatalieMT]

I would contact MAC about the issue you had in store. MAC I'm sure prides themselves on good customer service and any member of staff not providing this should be pulled over about it and addressed.

I am quite friendly with some of the MAs at my counter (I'm in the UK though mind and so it might be different here) but they have told me in the past they do make commission off the LE items only. Whether it's commission per item/sale or commission for the member of staff that makes the most sales I do not know. But they do keep a list behind the counter of what each member of staff has sold from each collection and total it all up. To be honest though a couple of them know I spend a lot of money in their, especially on LE stuff but they're not pushy at all. If I go in saying I only want '2 of the eyeshadows' they will help me find the 2 that will suit me best rather than tell me to take all of them and at the same time if I'm not sure about something they will tell me straight if it's worth picking up or not. They're just happy to be helpful and have a nice chat whilst we pick out colours. They don't swarm on me like 'we must make money off you'. But then again I'll always be a repeat customer! Never had a bad experience though and they're all always very complimentary bless them.

As for the application problem, the MA who served you should have had no problem applying just an eyeshadow or just a lipstick etc. Maybe she was new and didn't know but again that should be brought up with her. I think by contacting the store and being diplomatic about it both you and the MA will gain - you hopefully will have a better experience next time and the MA will be able to work on and improve her skills.

 

[onthisnight]

Definitely contact mac and tell them.

I was at mac yesterday, and I'm not the best at doing the outer v/crease, so I asked her to help me. and she showed me how to do it(I was holding a mirror and she did it on me). She didn't charge me for that. And the whole time I was there, she was helping me out, and didn't leave me there to help other customers even if there was 3 people waiting to be served. I was only there for lip gloss and eye shadow and i was pretty quick cause i knew what i wanted(sorta). But i mean, MA's should be there to help you and not treat you the way that that MA did. So definitely call mac. If you dont have her name, describe her and tell them what time you were there ect so that they can know exactly who the MA was.

The MA you got definitely needs to get written up for what she did.

 

[GlossyAbby]

I didn't know about ther AUG .... I usually only buy a few things at the counter b/c I go in and swatch and I like the MA's so I feel the need to buy atleast a thing or two....but then I order it online b/c I dont have to pay sales online and it saves me some $$ especially if its a big haul.....

 

[Beauty9584]

There are many MUA that come to work and think of it as a social gathering!

At the beginning of July, I was in Miami, I walked into a Dadeland Mall, and went to the Macy's that had a MAC counter! There were three employees working, one was at the register moving and shuffling about. The other two were directly behind the eyeshadow stands, one was actually leaning against the table slightly.

I walked in with a list of items I want to see up close because they were recommended for a look I was trying to achieve and i had only seen them online, so I couldn't just walk up and pick up the color with out touching several before I was able to find the right one! So im picking up eye shadow after shadow trying so hard to find the one I wanted! i probably touched about 20 different shadows! They MUA are having a juicy conversation about the evening before! Everyone know the tables are that wide, but they are long! So im listening to there convo, but neither one of the heffa's Lol would even turn and acknowledge my presence, and i was close enough to reach out and touch one of them!

Bad thing, I was dressed up with makeup one and had several shopping bags! Boy was I pissed! I felt so disrespected because when you come to work, PLEASE WORK AND SAVE SOCIALIZING FOR ANOTHER TIME!

When I got home from MIA, Back to ATL, I spent damn near $400 on the products I was trying to purchase in MIA! I knew what I wanted but I needed help identify the products. And I did want a slilght demo to show me what I could have tried with the products! Not all the products but some of them!

So with this being said, it doesn't matter how your dressed but some people are just plain out rude and don't feel like being there so they are gonna try to do as little as possible!

p.s once I left the MAC counter, I bought two pair of coach shoes, which were right behind the MAC counter!

 

[girl507]

This is rude and awful. I don't know where you were shopping, but here is what I think you should do. Contact mac headquarters because mac is the one who hires the ladys that work in the department stores. You should tell them about what happened because this is not normal. It is a fifty dollar purchase with an entire makeover. For them to help you out and try different colors on you does not require a fifty dollar fee. I remember once when I went in to try on concealer the lady put it under my eye and tried different ones on me. I bet you that these girls probably have some revenge against the saleslady who used to help you. I mean as it is, they were gossiping. I really think you should contact mac headquarters though because they can not treat you this way or any other customers this way. It is wrong, they are ripping people off. This just makes me furious that people could be so rude and dishonest.

 

[wikdwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklingmuse you mentioned that you drove an hour to go to the one in sacramento? the freestanding store? cuz i too have had the SAME PROBLEM with the girls at the arden freestanding store. and ive walked out of there empty handed and just bought stuff online or at nordies cuz the girls at arden are just super rude. the only girl there that is nice and that actually helps me is the manager, and the petite blonde that works there. the short hispanic brunette gives me major attitude and refuses to help me also. she does the same thing to my friend that shops there. i wish i knew her name so i could blast her but i dont. i say, write a letter and complain! they really have a serious problem.

OMFG! It was sac and its so funny because I thought that it was just me, Im pretty sure that it was the same girl, short hispanic girl w/ drawn on brows. I havent complained but am sure to now. I posted this same post on another make-up site and had several local girls tell me that they are consistently treated poorly at the freestanding MAC in the arden mall in Sac. Dont get me wrong I have dealt with two wonderful girls there, Sarah - a tall blonde very tan w freckles and another girl whose name escapes me- short a-line cut blonde.

 

[roselyn112]

whew!!! I am appalled at even reading this. personally i would have read her all her cards right then and there...lord knows I dont have the patience for attitude, rudeness or poor customer service. If I were you, I would call the store and ask to speak to a manager, get the manager's first and last name and tell them your experience. once done speaking to the manager ask for her first and last name and then tell the manager that you will be writing into consumer affairs. then proceed with an email or letter to MAC fully expressing your experience into detail.

Seriously there is no need for that type of behavior at all! This reminds me of a similar and equally rude experience I had at a starbucks. Little did that barista know that I worked for starbucks in the past, so not only did i call in and speak to her manager but I also emailed the president of starbucks himself and copied her district manager on the email....I surely lit her little butt on fire and the whole store for that matter. In return they gave me free drinks for a year!

 

[jdmac]

i'm in sac too and after wondering if i was the only one with bad experiences at the arden mac store, i've heard from others recently that i'm not alone in feeling that way about the employees there. i was there today and got good service by an asst manager, but maybe it's b/c i bought $200 worth of products from her in about 10 min? (i went in knowing what i wanted). but usually, the service SUCKS there. i specifically remember one blond girl there that was helping me try out a pigment and the instant i sheepishly said, "hmm...i don't think i like the color on me that much," she said "well, i need to help someone else" (major attitude) and left me standing there.

so next time, go to the nordstrom mac counter-there are some newer employees there, but i've never had a bad experience there-maybe not the most knowledgable/helpful, but at least very nice. in fact, the most helpful one there recently was laid off!

ALSO, i had some crappy service at the VEGAS PRO store too last week. everytime i turned around, the MA who was helping me would be helping someone else. i spent about $500 there so she as willing to spend a lot of time with me, but she was always trying to help others while helping me which got annoying. AND she kept insisting that she didn't make commission (at least 3 times) and spent 1/2 hour convincing me to get a PRO brush. that was beyond annoying. i said no like 4 times.

ugh..i just needed to vent too. thanks for listening.

 

[II3rinII]

ok so if this was a freestanding store, then she lied to you about not having a supervisor. im a 3rd key manager at the store here and it is a fact that at all times there must be at least one manager in the store. then she lied to you again about charging $50 to DEMO a concealer, hell its our job!! she shouldve invited you to sit in the chair, apply the concealer and then maybe demo some of the new stuff (if you were interested). i dont know maybe its a southern thing or something, but we would never act like this at my store. as for the AUS thing, yeah it sucks that they track that but that doesnt mean im gonna ignore the person who just wants a pack of sponges (some artists will run from those one item sales). as for what you should do, call the store and calmly request to speak with the store manager, explain to them (again calmly and eloquently) what happened to you, be discriptive of who it was and how it happened. see what they say, you then may want to also write an email to cust serv, artists like this make me sick!! so many girls would love to have this job and this person is taking a space of someone who may actually do her job as shes supposed to!! please let us know what unfolds!!

 

[AmyAngel]

I definitely hope you let MAC know about your experience, especially since it seems that there's a consistent trend of lousy service at that particular store. I'm also kind of jealous that you have a freestanding store within an hours drive, but not if the service is so bad! Which reminds me I need to look up what's available in Atlanta - I'll be there Labor Day weekend!

I didn't realize that they need their average to be around $40 - that kind of makes me feel bad because I've never bought that much in one trip! I usually go in knowing the one or maybe two things I need and just get those, though I have bought a lipglass I wasn't planning to get on the recommendation of the MA. Honestly, if they'd recommend more I'd probably buy more, but I rarely get recommendations. I'm shy, so maybe it's because of my personality?

The one time I went in (to a different counter than usual) intending to buy more it was so busy (and apparently understaffed) that none of the MA's even acknowledged me, so I didn't buy anything that day. I don't think they were being rude, though, just swamped.

Maybe that's why with the MA's at the counter I go to most often (though not often enough to be recognized) I get sighs and not-so-happy looks when I say "Thanks, but I really just need a concealer." or whatever. They're always helpful, but not in a friendly way. I definitely get the "poor kid on the rich side of town" feeling there - in the whole mall really, but more so at the MAC counter. The Bare Escentuals store, Coach, most of the rest of Nordstrom, Apple store, and Sephora salespeople usually make me feel pretty comfortable, even though I'm sure they suspect (correctly) that I'm unlikely to shell out mass cash (though I can do some damage at Sephora).

I always feel like I'm doing something wrong at the MAC counter, like there's a secret password or procedure I don't know or something - I feel "out of the loop". Like I (politely, smiling) ask for a Blacktrack Fluidline and the MA just flips the display around toward me and goes back to what she's doing. I had kinda hoped she'd actually GET the fluidline and maybe ask if I needed anything else (a brush for it?) or if I'd seen the newer items, or something.

Next time I go in I'm asking specific questions, so maybe that will help.

 

[wikdwich]

UPDATE!

So after a few more terrible visits to this MAC counter and after hearing that girls in my area are being treated poorly I sent an email to MAC customer service regarding the MA's in the ARDEN freestanding MAC. I told of how we've been treated and of course because you have to say one nice thing for every bad thing I gave kudos to the one MA who is consistently helpful. Heres the response from MAC I recieved:


Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in M.A.C.

While pleased you enjoy our products, we regret to learn of your recent experience at the M.A.C counter in M A C-ARDEN FAIR , and we appreciate your letting us know. At M.A.C, every effort is made to ensure our counter representatives are knowledgeable and professional, as well as experienced in delivering the personalized service for which we are known. It is important to us that this fine reputation which we have worked so hard to achieve is upheld at all times. For this reason, it is especially disheartening to receive your report, and we appreciate the time you have taken to share your experience with us. Your comments have been forwarded to the management staff, so that they may be used to assess the need for appropriate action. Your satisfaction is important, and we do hope to have the opportunity to demonstrate that your experience on this occasion was anomalous.

We are proud of the dedication of our representatives and of their endeavors to deliver superior service. It is evident that the efforts of Sara deserve recognition. Please be assured your remarks will be shared with our Education and Training Executives, who will extend your commendation to her along with their own.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Barsky
Response Representative
Global Consumer Communications






SO! Now am i gonna get treated like crap when I go in because I complained?

 

[bell21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikdwich SO! Now am i gonna get treated like crap when I go in because I complained?

You absolutely shouldn't be. I've never worked for MAC but I worked retail for a good four years. Whenever a letter/email got sent to the corporate office it was always forwarded to our managers who would bring it up to the staff. It didn't matter if it was a complaint or compliment managers were never allowed to give the name or identifying information of the person who wrote to corporate. That was the rule at all the retailers I worked for and I'd guess that MAC has the same type of policy.

Plus they probably get so many people in there they wouldn't remember the situation with you to pick you out next time you went in the store

 

[Lexxiii]

No, MAC artists aren't paid on comission but it could be similar to my job at GameStop where we are measured on our items per transaction, so laying on more products than the person originally intended to buy helps determine how many hour you get.

That said, it's disgusting how terribly you were treated! My goodness. I've had my entire face practically done at my counter without charge.

 

[Lauren1981]

this situation sucks big time but i think after the response MAC gave you, you kind of have to just let it go now and start shopping at the counter inside of Nordies so that you're more comfortable. i think it's safe to say that a lot of us have at one point encountered something like this. maybe not ALL of us but a lot including me. you just have to either let it roll of your shoulder and go vent or just take it above them like you did but thats really all you can do, ya know? there was one that was crappy towards me a couple of months ago when i was in aventura (north miami) but who knows why she had an attitude because when i approached her she was VERY nice, when i asked to speak to a manager about possible employment it was dr. jekyll and mr. hyde. lol! and i didn't get mad because i remember how i used to get working retail and people would ask my manager about jobs.

SO, while it does suck you just gotta find other people to deal with. maybe only go when your person is there. i had my default person and my counter and then the back up but if both were gone i just waited until they were working. and it was nothing against anyone else at the counter. they were all very sweet BUT i used to work at Nordies and like all the other MA's have been telling you, only the MA's that work at MAC get the commission so you know........ lol!!!!

thru any bad experience just remember that MAC is a freakin GREAT line that has been serving and financially depleting us for years. LMAO!!!

i love MAC. it's my crack.......

: crazy:

this is what it does to me.. hehehe

 

[dominicana90]

wowi found this by accident and I feel the same way. I hate going to the freestanding MAC in Arden. I always thouht the reason I always get bad vibe from the artist there was because everytime I went there was always a huge line. two experiences I had.

I was trying get some opinions about a brush and I wanted to buy some palletes. I was waiting for someone to approach me and there were a couple of artist avaible. They just watched me until I had to ask for some assitance. When I asked for a brush and the pallet they just basically ran off and told me to stand in line. I wasn't even finished shopping but whatever I saved money that day I guess

Just a few days ago I went back and I had a little better service I guess. They were still a little rude like they didn't want me there. When I told them I was an aspiring makeup artist they became friendly all of a sudden.

I would rather go to a Macy's counter anyday. I have not had one bad expierence there. They are always friendly.