Banned/declined returns at Sephora for 365 days

[Amyy93]

This is a PSA that Sephora is falsely advertising their return policy. Unlimited free returns? Employees in store suggesting you purchase a product and try it at home because you can "always just return it?"- friends, these are lies. 

Please check the back of your receipt. Sephora's return policy is written there and then at the end it says "Sephora reserves the right to limit or refuse a return" ie. Their "return policy" is moot. WHAT IS THE POINT OF A RETURN POLICY THAT ISN'T REALLY A POLICY?! or a policy that is subject to change at random?? Nowhere does it say there is a limit to returns, or what that limit is.*****

There's a misconception that Sephora is only declining excessive returns without a receipt. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I have never returned anything without a receipt, and I am now banned.

I went into store one day with 2 items on separate receipts. I returned the first item successfully and was issued a warning that I "may not be able to make further returns or exchanges." I proceeded with my second return, on the same day, a few minutes later, and was declined.  

*Sephora claims to have the best return policy in the bis. If this were ever true, it is now undermined by their lack of transparency. At least other stores are upfront about their policies. If I had known, I wouldn't have products on my hands that I tried in good faith and am suddenly not allowed to return* 

Introducing a third party to regulate returns may be new to Sephora, or at least their "crack-down" may be relatively new, but the way Sephora has transitioned to their new policy is unprofessional. Communication needs to take place before there are consequences.

When I called Sephora they apologized. They said they would pass my feedback forward to try to improve Sephora in the future. But they were "unable" to give me my money back!

How typical of a multi-billion dollar company to scam the little customers, STEAL their money, change their policies at will and WITHOUT WARNING.

ps. 

1. Don't try products in store. Studies have shown the samples are borderline dangerous and should not be put on your skin - esp. eye products and liquid lip

2. Skin care needs to be tried consistently on your skin at home to see how your skin reacts.

3. The samples of hair products you can get are not enough for your whole head

4. This leaves you [for the most part] only with concealers and foundations to sample in store  

[Terri200]

I absolutely agree _where is the fraud _ i could see if someone paid cash with counterfeit money and then did a return_but if you pay with a credit/debit card and return the item the moines is processed back to the card _the other  issue i have is no african american products carried in store due to limited retail space but no limit on the amount of money i should spend on products that might not work for me _ i am done shopping there as well_class action suit im ready

[jillianrl]

I'm 100% with you.. This whole banned from returns for 365days is BS.. I spend over $2500 a year at this BS store being a loyal customer and this is how they treat you.

I LOVE skin care.. and unfortunately not all brands make trial/travel sizes of all their products. And lets be serious.. those dinky little samples Sephora makes for you does help me figure out if i like a product or not. This is why i love shopping at Sephora in the US. they have almost everything in a trial/travel size. 

This whole story their giving people about stopping fraud is BS! They just trying to protect their sales and keep their stockholders happy. I won't be purchasing from Sephora again.. i'll keep my money so you don't have to worry about "fraud" prevention. Someone should start a petition

[kshar]

Same thing happened to me. Without warning. I emailed Sephora to explain the whole thing, sent onto TRE. So they did nothing for me. Basically "there's nothing we can do" is what they said. I have also spent thousands at Sephora and I always make at least VIB status, however since then happened I haven't been back. I agree, the return policy isn't a policy and then there are people getting caught in the crosshairs of a bad system trying to prevent fraud when that is not the case for myself. It's pretty ridiculous. 

[DoctorLisa]

American Express is my BF.  There has never been anything I could not return, to include a pair of pants I bought from a co that went into chapter 11 (J. Peterman).  Amex took it back themselves and gave me the refund.

I have never had  a problem with returns at sephora, to include when I returned a bunch because I just went overboard.  That said I have become more cautious since I learned that returned products need to be destroyed or something similar, and also discovering how to find ingredients on sephora's site has helped me to make more informed decisions.

Sorry to hear this happened.  The policy should be above board, and if they say you can return something, you should be able to..

On a separate note, I have never bought from Ulta, and my  daughter recently told me to continue to not buy from Ulta. She has seen posts from Ulta employees that they are heavily leaned on to put returns, even obviously used returns back on the shelves.  Apparently they spray them with alcohol, "disinfected". yuk.

[BeautyLove333]

Yes! I too have been denied with No Warning! I was trying to return a brand new, unused item with a valid receipt and they denied it and said they couldn't do anything about it. I could only call the third-party return tracking company TRE. I called them while in the store and the operator (who had a very difficult time entering my transaction ID number correctly, but finally got it right on the fourth try) said there was nothing he could do either but send me the return report. I am livid!! I would understand if I were given any warning . Then I would be more careful about my purchases for myself and for gifts (and you bet I would not be making them at Sephora)! So ends any retail relationship I will ever have with Sephora. Hello, Ulta! New customer!

[Lishhh702]

This is why I’m always wary about buying a product right off shelf & end up having to return it for not liking it or whatever reason so I always try to ask for a sample. However, it seems like their moods change the moment the hear the word “sample” come out of your mouth! I got side eyed by an employee today for asking a sample when I clearly have purchased a product also.

[LaurieBT]

Hi @Amyy93,

Thank you for taking the time to share this feedback with us. I'm sorry to hear this, and I do see that you were able to contact us by phone regarding this experience. If any additional assistance is needed, please feel free to send me a private message with details.

Best regards,

Laurie

[Amyy93]

SEPHORA WILL TELL YOU TO CONTACT "THE RETAIL EQUATION" TO DEAL WITH THIS. THE RETAIL EQUATION WILL THEN TELL YOU THEY'RE FOLLOWING SEPHORA'S GUIDELINES. 

I WILL GET MY MONEY BACK. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE LAWS IN CANADA.

[fionagurls]

Same thing happened today. The third party company agent had such an awful accent so it was hard to understand. I even called on Monday when I got a warning and they told me I can still make returns and the warning was void/ accidental. Today I go and return something that broke me out and I was declined. it was so embarrassing and a waste of my time.

I called the third party company again and they explain they cant do anything. I call Sephora and they tell me to call the other company. They just keep telling me to go back and forth.

[Amyy93]

Sephora loves to not take responsibility but they're the ones setting the parameters of which returns will be accepted. The Retail Equation's job is just to enforce Sephora's rules. Sephora is also the one who decided what they consider to be "excessive returns" and then made no attempt to fairly warn/communicate to the customer that they're approaching the limit. 

Sephora is also the one who sneakily gives your personal information to a third party without telling you to your face. Including your ID, address, name, and credit card number.

There are class action lawsuits against The Retail Equation but it's pretty clear to me that Sephora is the one at fault here and TRE is their scapegoat.

I can't possibly think lower of Sephora. This store is a disgrace to civilization.

So do not be embarrassed, you have done nothing wrong. Sephora is an embarrassment and anyone who understands what has happened here to so many people will understand that. In fact, pay with cash in the future, and don't give them your account or personal info. Or ban Sephora entirely, whichever. We're both rouge LOL their loss. 

[Poette]

I am completely shocked and extremely disappointed. I spend THOUSANDS of dollars at Sephora everything year and am a Rouge member. It had been a while (a few months) since I’d returned anything. I bought some on 8/6/18 and went to return in today, 8/18. The product made my skin break out, and I’d only bought it because the sales associate had told me I could just return it if it didn’t work out, as usual. Well, my return was declined. I had my receipt. The manager was nice enough to override it for this time, but I decided not to make any more purchases today (I had about $250) worth of stuff I was about to purchase!). This is it. You’ve lost this loyal customer, Sephora!

[SarahKhouzam]

Ok so this happened to me yesterday! I too made two different returns with valid receipts, and unopened products- the first was a warning.. second was declined. .. My understanding is that Sephora hired this company because, based on their statement: "people were returning twice as much as they purchased" which means they are stealing and returning for cash or store credit.  The problem here is theft...  Going through this thread, the common denominator is people with valid receipts, and unopened products. That is not theft... that's people dissatisfied with a product they paid for and would like a refund based on the return policy issued by the store. 

Perhaps Sephora should reassess their algorithm and reporting rules because if your policy states we have 30 days to return ANY product, your company should stand by that!" Likewise, the record of transactions and "banning" should be based on the state of the item at minimum.