The Beauty PSA Thread

[greeneyedgirl107]

So, I thought it would be good to have a Beauty PSA Thread, because sometimes things come up and there's something you want to tell BICers, but it doesn't quite fit in RANDOM THOUGHTS : BEAUTY (PART DEUX) b/c it might not get enough notice.  OR, it might not be BEAUTY NEWS 2.0 per se as we usually post published articles.

Please share your beauty tid bits and beauty buying advice - and anything else you think might be pertinent.

[greeneyedgirl107]

Looks like BBW changed their return policy again.  I'm unclear if it's indefinite as it was in the past, so 90 days.  This is what it says for in-store purchases:

Spoiler

Store Purchase Return Guidelines

UNITED STATES

At Bath & Body Works and White Barn stores in the US, we offer our customers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied, you may return products purchased from us that are in new, gently used or defective condition (due to materials or craftsmanship) to any of our Bath & Body Works or White Barn stores in the US for a refund, merchandise credit or exchange, subject to this policy.  

AT SELECT US STORES, YOU WILL BE LIMITED TO $250 IN NON-RECEIPTED RETURNS OR EXCHANGES WITHIN A 90-DAY PERIOD.  These limits do not apply to the return or exchange of defective merchandise.  At select US stores, Bath & Body Works and White Barn will use an electronic system to record, monitor, analyze, and limit returns and exchanges. At select US stores, a government-issued identification (“ID”) is required in order to track returns and exchanges and Bath & Body Works and White Barn will electronically scan or manually collect information from this ID.

• ORIGINAL RECEIPT: Ninety days or less from the original purchase date, cash, credit card, debit card and PayPal purchase refunds will be issued based on the original tender; thereafter merchandise credit will be issued. Refund amounts are based on the purchase price shown on the original receipt (excluding any shipping and handling charges). All applicable promotions, discounts, offers, free items (as part of a qualifying purchase) and coupons granted at the time of purchase will be prorated and applied when calculating the refund amount. Your shipping confirmation email can be used as a receipt.
• GIFT RECEIPT: Merchandise credit will be issued for the purchase price on the gift receipt (excluding any shipping and handling charges). All applicable promotions, discounts, offers, free items (as part of a qualifying purchase) and coupons granted at the time of purchase will be prorated and applied when calculating the credited amount.
• NO RECEIPT: Merchandise credit will be issued based on the lowest selling price of the item, factoring in all promotions, discounts, offers, free items (as part of a qualifying purchase), and coupons that may have applied
• GIFT CARDS: Gift cards (including eGift cards) cannot be returned, exchanged, or redeemed for cash unless the total gift card balance is less than $10. Terms & Conditions apply to Gift Cards.
• PRICE ADJUSTMENTS: A one-time price adjustment from the original selling price to the current selling price will be issued for in-store purchases when the original receipt is presented within 14 days after the date of the original purchase. Flash Sales, select promotions lasting 48 hours or less, Candle Day event pricing and email offers are not eligible for price adjustments.
• MY BATH & BODY WORKS REWARDS: With a receipt, an item acquired by redeeming a My Bath & Body Works loyalty program reward (a “Reward”) may be exchanged for another item meeting the eligibility criteria for Reward redemption.  Without a receipt, an exchange will be processed pursuant to the terms of the “Additional Terms and Conditions” section of this policy.  If credit is preferred, with or without a receipt, merchandise credit will be issued based on the lowest selling price of the item, factoring in all promotions, discounts, offers, free items (as part of a qualifying purchase), and coupons that may have applied.
• INSTACART: With an Instacart receipt, merchandise credit will be issued based on the price paid for the product.  Without a receipt, merchandise credit will be issued pursuant to the terms of the “No Receipt” section of this policy or an exchange will be processed pursuant to the terms of the “Additional Terms and Conditions” section of this policy. 
• ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS: As an alternative to a refund, customers are welcome to exchange product for a replacement that is of the same type and the same ticket price as the product being returned (for example, exchanging a three-wick candle for a different three-wick candle with the same ticket price).  To make sure that we handle every return or exchange with reasonable fairness, we will not allow the return or exchange of product showing excessive wear and tear (for example, if the product looks significantly used) or product with a label that has been intentionally defaced. Whether a product shows excessive wear or tear or is returned in new, gently used or defective condition (or whether a return otherwise complies with this policy) will be determined by Bath & Body Works and White Barn in their sole discretion. All returns, exchanges and price adjustments must be made in the country of original purchase.  Policies may vary by store locale. The policy posted in the store of return governs. 

A written copy of this policy is available by request. Bath & Body Works and White Barn reserve the right to modify or withdraw this policy and the 100% satisfaction guarantee at any time with or without notice.

I'm not totally clear on exchanges, either.

[makeitup305]

@greeneyedgirl107 It sounds like they're trying to target resellers. I'm sure they've got lots of issues with people trying to return a bunch of scents from a previous season that they got for a fraction of the price during the Semi-Annual Sale and want full-price items.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@makeitup305 I wouldn't be surprised.   But I'm stuck with 2 candles I got years ago under their old policy, and don't know what I could even exchange them for now.

[makeitup305]

@greeneyedgirl107 maybe try calling and speaking to the manager? They might make an exception.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@makeitup305 I should!

[makeitup305]

@greeneyedgirl107 email CS as well, they might be able to help also considering the policy just changed. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@makeitup305 E-mailing them would be my preference, but that's no longer an option.  It's either chat or call.  I've gotten frustrated with CS reps for various reasons.  And I pretty much refuse to do chat.  I totally think I should go in-store, but I feel like different SAs give different answers or just tell  you "no" b/c they don't want to be bothered.  RGBrown helped me with their old return policy (the one before this one) and I felt like I had a handle on my case.  Here I thought I'd re-visit it as there are 3-wicks I would gladly exchange for,  but now I see the policy has changed.  IDK when.  I have such little time to get in-store, that I wind up in these messes.  

I thank you for taking the time to post about this.  Obviously two 3-wick candles aren't going to make or break anything for me.  But it's frustrating when the return policies change from what they were eons ago, and you've spent good money.

[makeitup305]

Understandable @greeneyedgirl107 . I remember when Sephora had a year-long return policy. I miss that one. My collection is big enough that I don’t always try products right away and when I finally do, they don’t work as expected and I can’t return them anymore. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@makeitup305 I totally agree!

[greeneyedgirl107]

Thrive Causemetics: I was unaware that there are multiple ways to earn rewards, other than making purchases and referrals.  Ways to earn points include but are not limited to:

-complete the Giving Mission campaign

-complete learning about Sustainability Initiative

-creating a profile

-following on IG

-spend $65 plus on 3 purchases

-anniversary of account creation

-share on FB

[greeneyedgirl107]

https://

survey.medallia dotcom

/sephora/usa

Here is the site CS gave me.

[greeneyedgirl107]

I'm having trouble accessing this...anyone know what I might be going wrong?

[greeneyedgirl107]

I went in-store to make a return today, and ran home to do my store visit survey.  I *always* mess up the site name, so I need to check the receipt and enter it in carefully on my computer.  (I prefer to do it on the desktop.)  Well, today I got the receipt with the store visit survey on it, but it only had a QR code.  The instructions literally say, "Scan the QR code, share your store experience, and enter for a chance to win a $250 Sephora Gift Card."  The site name was not listed.

I must say that I dislike QR codes.  They never seem to work that well for me.  And what about people that don't have smartphones?  I also wonder what would motivate this change.  I don't remember it being this way during the sale.

Finally, I've always had a question about this survey.  And I bet @RGbrown might know the answer.  It says "NO PURCASE...IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THESE SWEEPSTAKES."  I've gone to Sephora without making a purchase or return - just browsing - and I thought it would be fun to enter the sweepstakes.  However, when you try to do the sweepstakes you are prompted for receipt information.  If I was just browsing, then I don't have receipt information.  How is that permitted?  Does it simply mean that you can enter the sweeps for just making a return (not spending money) but not for simply entering the store and browsing?  I don't have a bone to pick, I'm just curious.  

[greeneyedgirl107]

Big surprise...neither my husband nor I can get the QR code to scan on our phones.

[RGbrown]

@greeneyedgirl107 

I'm not sure exactly how to get to it, but somewhere that sweepstakes has official rules, and those official rules will outline an alternate method of entry; you can probably find it by poking around wherever the QR code takes you. Kinda useless though if the sweepstakes isn't advertised anywhere other than on a receipt 🙄

[greeneyedgirl107]

@RGbrown yes!  Very good point.  Thanks for weighing in.  I just posted that neither my husband nor I can get it to scan on our phones.