Vent: Bad experience at Sephora a couple of days ago

[Shimmer]

They were doing their job, regardless of whether you or I or anyone else likes it or not, they were doing their job. Their job is to provide customer service while maintaining control of product within the store to prevent theft. The whole 'lurking browsing but never buying' customer is one who may be a thief, and shoplifters aren't necessarily trashy looking people.

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer They were doing their job, regardless of whether you or I or anyone else likes it or not, they were doing their job. Their job is to provide customer service while maintaining control of product within the store to prevent theft. The whole 'lurking browsing but never buying' customer is one who may be a thief, and shoplifters aren't necessarily trashy looking people.

It doesn't matter if they were doing their job. The fact of the matter is that I felt offended and there was no reason for it. The entire situation could have been handled better on THEIR part.

 

[sofabean]

so did you go back? lol. i wanna know what happened!

 

[CantAffordMAC]

I don't know....this is a weird situation. I don't know why the asked if you were waiting for someone.

But you could just buy the body spray? And keep it with you in your purse...so you wouldn't have to go to Sephora and feel uncomfortable around them. Especially if you don't usually buy any products from them and just browse every time you go in. I go into Sephora very rarely but I never buy anything. But I think if I went in there frequently enough without buying anything they may be suspicious of me

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorplove I usually go in there to spray on CD's Almond Cookie spritz, then browse around to play with the makeup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorplove but I wanted to put spray some Almond Cooke spritz and moisturizer on before going to work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorplove Me: I work downstairs. I come in here to sample the CD Almond Cookie Spritz, then look around at the colors.

How often do you go in to sample? I really think they are offended by your practices, especially considering the fact that you work in the mall. They can't come right out and say it, so they choose to kill you with kindness. If you sample something that much you obviously like it, so why not buy it? You're saying you don't go in that often, but your post suggested otherwise. I would bet my bottom dollar that those girls vent in the back room, saying they should go to your job and do the same thing. Not that I'm defending them because if they harassed you, they were wrong. But, you should really step back from the situation and look at it from their POV.

 

[iluffyew769769]

I have had bad experiences at a couple Sephoras too. There is a store close to my house that I have never had a problem with so I will still go there, but I don't think if they continue to treat people like crap they will start to have serious problems.

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sofabean so did you go back? lol. i wanna know what happened!

No. I was going to, but as I got close to the store something inside me didn't feel right. I decided to let it go and take it up with corporate.

Probably explains why the store is always half empty all the time.

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥ How often do you go in to sample? I really think they are offended by your practices, especially considering the fact that you work in the mall. They can't come right out and say it, so they choose to kill you with kindness. If you sample something that much you obviously like it, so why not buy it? You're saying you don't go in that often, but your post suggested otherwise. I would bet my bottom dollar that those girls vent in the back room, saying they should go to your job and do the same thing. Not that I'm defending them because if they harassed you, they were wrong. But, you should really step back from the situation and look at it from their POV.

There are girls (and guys) in the mall that DO sample our stuff all the time and we don't care and vice versa. Granted we are smaller stores, but STILL...

They could have either told me the TRUTH or handled it differently. Obviously, training in TACT is needed here.

 

[iheartcolor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lizzie That's so ridiculous! I've know a few people who've had bad experiences like that at Sephora, including myself. A few years ago my friends and I were in a Sephora (the one in down town SF) and although we were obviously just browsing, a few people came to ask us if we needed help with anything (even after we had said we were just looking around). A little while later we were looking at some stuff and I put my cell phone in my pocket and a sales women rushed up to me and was like "What did you just put into your pocket???!!!!?!?!" and I was like "uh, my phone?" and I pulled it out and she was hella embarrassed and walked away and didn't even apologize. She practically rushed me like I had a bomb or something, called me out for no reason and then walked away like it was nothing! I haven't been there or bought anything from Sephora since.

I am shocked that the SA did that. That actually makes the company liable for a lawsuit for "defamation of character" or whatever. Sephora teaches you to NEVER accuse someone of theft for that very reason.

-Lauren

 

[Lizzie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartcolor I am shocked that the SA did that. That actually makes the company liable for a lawsuit for "defamation of character" or whatever. Sephora teaches you to NEVER accuse someone of theft for that very reason. -Lauren

I was more shocked than anything & I didn't get mad until a little later.

I didn't know that was something people sue over. I'm not really the "suing type" though. I think that SA missed out on the "never accuse someone" day of training

 

[xoxprincessx0x]

Hmmm...I suppose I can see this situation from both sides. The girls were probably only doing what they are trained to do BUT could have went about it in a different manner. Asking you if you are waiting for someone is a really wierd question, although I doubt race had much to do with it. I don't think they went up to an African-American employee and said "hey we just targeted a black girl, can you go be nice to her since your black too??" I also agree with the other girls, if you love the spritz so much just purchase it and then it won't be a problem.

 

[lyttleravyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartcolor I am shocked that the SA did that. That actually makes the company liable for a lawsuit for "defamation of character" or whatever. Sephora teaches you to NEVER accuse someone of theft for that very reason. -Lauren

I work in retail (clothing store, and formerly a music store), and we had to literally see someone put an item in their pocket, bag, etc. (we had to know what the item was and where they got it from). Then we had to tell a manager who would keep an eye on them. We definitely we're allowed to approach them, let alone accuse anyone of anything!! I can't believe she did that.

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyttleravyn I work in retail (clothing store, and formerly a music store), and we had to literally see someone put an item in their pocket, bag, etc. (we had to know what the item was and where they got it from). Then we had to tell a manager who would keep an eye on them. We definitely we're allowed to approach them, let alone accuse anyone of anything!! I can't believe she did that.

Nor are you allowed to do it at Macys, Bloomingdales and my current store. My new store is smaller and we are NOT to try to stop a thief at all. If a customer tells us they're just looking we leave them alone, but basically hover around to let them know we're nearby. It's just three of us, so we don't have time for that superhero crap.

 

[breeknee]

I don't think its very nice to make it a race issue, I really don't think it was. They probably notice you coming in everyday, using testers and not buying anything. Testers are for customers and potential customers, not for people who have no intention of buying the product to use.

I didn't mean to sound mean, but thats just my two cents.

 

[Sexya(TM)?Princess]

i've been followed in the cheapest lil stores to higher-end ones looking thru makeup/beauty stuff.

im not black but i am of a mixed decent.

i always swear if i was lighter they'd leave alone but idk. :/

but i really think in ur case, it was how often u go in and just browse. i'd just buy the spray like someone else said too.and i would avoid that store for a good few months.

 

[NatalieMT]

I've only been to Sephora a handful of times and I've had employees come over and ask me if I'd like any help etc (must be because I'm English!), the best thing to do if just browsing is politely decline. I've never had a bad experience in any makeup store really so I can't really relate to your feelings of anger over what happened to you.

It doesn't sound like a race issue at all though, I wouldn't play that card. I'm more inclined to believe it's because you visit so frequently to test. Samples cost the store money if you think about it - they're only good for the store if they know the majority of people who are using them will go on to make a bigger purchase, making back the cost of the sample.

If you like the fragrance and moisturiser so much just go and buy them. Then you can have unlimited use at your own leisure and won't have any sales assistants breathing down your neck. If you don't feel you can return to that particular Sephora visit another and hopefully you'll receive a better service.

 

[xphoxbex]

haha sephora sephora... your story really reminds me of this one bad experience I had in there last year. This salesperson also treated me like i was stealing. He stalked me around the store and I heard him talking over his headset about me. He called me "that chinese girl" to whoever he was talking to. That may not be considered as a racial slur to some people, but to me, I feel that comment was leaning towards that way. I don't appreciate being called by my race. I have a name and I'm not even chinese. I reported my incident to corporate and they called me and handled the situation. Sorry about your bad experience.

 

[d n d]

I am sorry that you had this experience...whether it was racially motivated or if it was just the sale's associate's indirect way of asking you to buy something...I don't know.

What I do know it is that no one knows how the situation felt except for you. If it felt like you were being unfairly treated, go forward with your complaint so that the details of this incident can be handled at the appropriate level. The facts can be sorted out that way!

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by d n d I am sorry that you had this experience...whether it was racially motivated or if it was just the sale's associate's indirect way of asking you to buy something...I don't know. What I do know it is that no one knows how the situation felt except for you. If it felt like you were being unfairly treated, go forward with your complaint so that the details of this incident can be handled at the appropriate level. The facts can be sorted out that way!

Exactly! The bottomline is that I perceived it in a VERY negative way and felt uncomfortable. If this is Sephora's new way of dealing with browsers they see too often, then it's a problem.

Like I said before, I've NEVER been treated this way before. It's also not just about the spritz or whether or not I should buy it. It's how I was TREATED DIRECTLY IN MY FACE that bothered me. The second bitch might as well have came out her face and asked me "If I'm trying to steal" rather than if I was waiting for someone which made absolutely no sense. You only ask that question if SOMEONE CAME IN THE STORE LOOKING FOR A FRIEND.

 

[scorplove]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xphoxbex haha sephora sephora... your story really reminds me of this one bad experience I had in there last year. This salesperson also treated me like i was stealing. He stalked me around the store and I heard him talking over his headset about me. He called me "that chinese girl" to whoever he was talking to. That may not be considered as a racial slur to some people, but to me, I feel that comment was leaning towards that way. I don't appreciate being called by my race. I have a name and I'm not even chinese. I reported my incident to corporate and they called me and handled the situation. Sorry about your bad experience.

They were using it as a description of a person they considered a potential thief. If Sephora's inventory gets stolen that quickly, then they need to leave the products in locked drawers that the public can't get to.

Again, THERE'S NO EXCUSE TO MAKE A CUSTOMER FEEL LIKE A THIEF. EVER. Even if you know they're about to do something.

But that's just MY opinion.