Banned Returns for VIB

[nsxo97]

For some context, I have been a loyal Sephora customer and have spent thousands with this company over the last few years, as a VIB member. Today, I went into a Sephora location near me to return a few items that I had purchased online and after completing my return, received a print out saying that while this return has been approved, I am BANNED from making any returns or exchanges for 365 days???

I called customer support to understand this and all the representative could tell me was that she can send me a report with my activity in the next few days and that she’s not able to provide any further details on why this issue has come up. Once I do receive the report, I was told that while I can try to escalate the issue (as it is ridiculous), it is unlikely that anything will be done.

I have extremely sensitive and acne-prone skin; I need to try products to know if it actually works for me. So how is it fair as a makeup and skincare retailer to not allow for people to actually TEST the products properly? Half the time, stores don’t even have testers or the products available in store so I am forced to take a guess on choosing the right products/shades online, and unfortunately, the photos on Sephora’s website 9/10 times do NOT look anything like what the product/shade is in person.  On top of that, Sephora continues to advertise their return policy both in store and with online orders - every time I’ve gone into store and been on the fence about a product, a sales associate has mentioned to take it home, try the product and if it doesn’t work, to just return it - no questions asked. 

The customer service agent I spoke to also said that if needed, I can return online orders by mailing them in and that any in-store purchases will now be final sale. So now, I’m being asked to spend money printing out a return label, tape up a box, and waste more time going to the post office than it would take to walk into the nearest Sephora location near me (the nearest post office to me requires me to walk PAST a Sephora). Frankly, I am also not comfortable mailing back products to Sephora through mail — after how this company is treating loyal customers currently with this absurd, arbitrary change to the stated return policy, what is to say that this company won’t also claim that the products were not received just to avoid having to refund my money. I frankly have lost trust within Sephora and its business practices as a result of this.

If there is a specific limit for returns (ie X number of returns in Y months), then this should be clearly written in the return policy and customers should also be warned about this before making a purchase.

At this point, I am seriously rethinking purchasing anything from Sephora, not only for the next year while I am banned from returns, but indefinitely. If this is how a company can treat customers, I have lost all trust in Sephora and have no interest in further supporting such a company.

[Horribeservice]

This happened to me today. No warning, no nothing. All they offered me is a report with my returns. How about putting on your policy the limit of returns before you treat someone like that!? I already have a few friends who said they will never shop at Sephora again and now I am one of them. I spoke to a friend at Ulta and one at Nordstrom and they both said this is absurd and they have never had a limit on returns. Unbelievable! 

[keelybt]

@nsxo97 We appreciate this feedback and I will share it with the appropriate department for future consideration. 

[nsxo97]

Hello, please provide me an update on the activity report and when it will be provided. The return warning piece of paper I received in store said 1 hour, the customer service person I spoke to on the phone said a few hours but to conservatively wait 24 hours, and I’ve contacted customer service now again (30+ hours since the report was requested) and it’s still apparently being processed…. @keelybt 

[keelybt]

@nsxo97  It can take 1-5 business days to receive your report and we appreciate your patience.