Can't use Sephora store credit online?

[gale5882]

I returned a foundation and received store credit. I always buy my makeup online and only return it if it does not work well for me. This was the first time I ever got store credit instead of a refund and it came to my surprise that I could not use the store credit for online purchases?! I thought this was crazy!!! This is the only retail store I have EVER heard of that does not allow you to use store credit online. I NEVER shop in-store and if I shop online BELEIVE ME I am spending way more money then I would in-store...SEPHORA you need to update this policy. It is ridiculous. 

[Catwalkdarling]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I like to shop online and pick up on store. Now I have to actually shop in store to use the credit????????? It’s 2023. Almost 2024. Come on. 

[LaurieBT]

Hi @Catwalkdarling,

I'm sorry for the disappointment this may cause! Thank you for reaching out to us with feedback. I'll share your feedback with our teams.  

Best regards,

Laurie

[annastevens]

Cool, I see this has been an issue for 4+ years. I just returned items nine days after purchase and got store credit for the first time instead of a refund. And now I can't make a purchase online with it. Ridiculous. 

Sephora, you're losing sales, and probably customers.

[EmilyToombs]

The same thing just happened to me. This is my first time getting store credit because I rarely return items. Apparently in the few years I haven’t the policy has changed. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Their getting my money ether way. Especially since I bought everything online. Absolutely stupid policy. I’m not going to go buy bronzer in a pandemic. 

[kateyoung]

Same thing just happened to me! And the product I want isn’t sold in stores. The real kicker is I specifically asked the cashier if I could use online since I don’t live close to a store and she said emphatically “yes”. Argh

[riptiderobin15]

I have the same problem! I purchased my items online, paid by credit card. Brought the receipt and everything. And yet, somehow I received store credit, that the cashier did not inform cannot be used online. A similar problem has happened to me in Ulta also, but the employees, kindly, let me purchase a gift card with my store credit, which can be used online. But not Sephora, apparently you cannot purchase a gift card with YOUR money, because it's now, practically useless 'store credit'. The Sephora near my house has pretty much nothing that I want, and are out of stock in most everything else. Not to mention, because I live in CA, the covid rules to just enter the Sephora store are ridiculous. Unlike, Ulta where they don't treat you like a criminal for touching the wrong door handle. My friend was not allowed to enter a Sephora store to just browse around because they did not carry something she may have wanted. She was ready to buy some other stuff in store, but was unsure of what to buy, so they did not allow her to enter at all. Sephora is not a company that accommodates its customers, they are just super greedy and want to trick their customers by giving them 'store credit'.  

To think I've spent thousands at Sephora and have been rouge for a couple of years now. After this year is over, I am not shopping at Sephora, I will stick to Ulta or purchase directly from brands that are unavailable elsewhere.

[abbs88]

This happened to me today. I didn’t return within 30 days because I had foot surgery so I got in-store credit. Fine, I spend money here anyway. I assumed I could buy Paula’s Choice online, it’s not in stores. Nope. Came back to ask to buy a regular gift card with my gift card. Nope. That to me is weird af that I can’t buy a gift card. I’m rouge, I spend money and the gifts have gotten worse and now this. Why do I shop here? WHY?

[LaurieBT]

Hi @riptiderobin15,

I'm sorry for the trouble and appreciate your feedback! If your item was returned within 30 days you would receive a refund to the original payment method. If it was returned within 31-60 days, you would receive a refund as Store Merchandise Credit. Additionally if PayPal was used as the payment method, then the refund would be processed as Store Merchandise Credit. Unfortunately store merchandise credit can't be redeemed online, however it will never expire and can be redeemed in stores. If you have any questions or need further assistance please feel free to send me a private message with details. Thank you!

Best,

Laurie

[alexis135]

I returned an item I received online not even three days after I got it and still was given a store credit, and only upon trying to use it today did I have to google why it wasn’t acceptable online, so wack 

[LaurieBT]

Hi @alexis135,

I'm sorry for the trouble! I'll take a look further and I'll send you a message.

Warm regards,

Laurie 

[riptiderobin15]

Well that's all well and good but the cashier should say so before they complete the transaction. That's just fooling the customer, since Sephora changes its policy every 5 minutes, how can we as customers keep up? We don't shop at Sephora for the low prices, we shop their for its reliable service. Which it no longer is. 

[KatieMiller]

The same thing happened to me yesterday, I returned items that I bought online and apparently used my Apple Pay instead of my actual card and the girl at the store told me I need to get store credit I can only use in store... the Sephora store that’s close to me I did the refund at is so small and it doesn’t carry nearly anything. I still don’t understand if I used Apple Pay why I would have to get store credit. The girl seemed so sure of herself too so I didn’t question it but it’s definitely frustrating I have to go out of my way to go back to the mall when the whole part of online is for the convenience. 🙄🙄🙄

[JunjunLiu]

I was outraged when I found this out especially since stores are NOT OPEN and it is extremely difficult to get to a store in this time. I cannot believe store credit cannot be used online and am very displeased with this process. The only thing I can think to do is buy online and return in store to get my credit. Extremely displeased, Sephora needs to fix this ASAP. 

[ccarlisle]

Seriously this crap just happened to me and now the stores aren't opened. I made a compliant by phone. I got well you can use it in a few months.... Almost $200 in purgatory. Believe me I am about to get loud about this. What a stupid way to handle the customer experience. We live in an a technologically advanced world and now that the stores are closed for an undetermined amount of time... all the more reason to change the archaic bull-crap.

The lack of transparency by the cashier who "refunded" me is absolutely WRONG.  #ANGRY

[AlexC12]

I used a gift card to make an online purchase awhile back, and to my dismay the product had leaked. I returned the product in-store but received this "store credit" instead. I don't understand how it is legal to lock a gift card into a in-person store-credit.... this is a huge insult to people with accessibility difficulties. The lack of transparency by the cashier who "refunded" me is absurd. They must be trained to leave this information out, as it seems I'm not the only one. Really want to make a purchase online as there is a nice sale going on, but I'm not giving Sephora more money to lock into this "store credit" system...

[MayCCWu]

I had the same problem. I brought dyson on DEC 24th for my sis and I had to return it on Jan 24th. Ok they told me that it has past 30 day policy and gave me a card. I accepted it thinking that I will make purchase further on. However I just realized that it can only be used in-store....

OMG I don't even own a car cause I am an international college student. I uber there to made the purchase and I uber there to made the return.

What do you expect???? It is redicious and it is making me god damn angry. The sale should have explain it better when I made the return.

[Anonymous]

I was going to use my Sephora store credit from a return I made long ago to buy a product I want online but didn't realize it wasn't going to be accepted. And the only store that has it is over a 100 miles away which I am not going to do. Shame.

[JenAitks]

So frustrating ! I recently returned products that were 32 days past the purchase date. I am a loyal customer and the staff would not allow me to return even though it was two days after the 30 day cut off (especially considering most skin products take several week to gauge effectiveness). However I accepted that, and she issues 3(!) separate “store credit” cards totalling over $100. I asked why it couldn’t go on one card as I was concerned of managing 3 with a wallet already full of cards and she said the system didn’t allow that. Again, I was very frustrated and a bit perplexed, but at this point but I knew I would be making future purchases so I let it go. However to my disbelief these can’t be used online !? I had no idea, nor did any staff member mention this, even when I spoke with the manager. It wasn’t until I tried to enter the card number online did I realize there was no “pin” like a GC.  So I googled it and sure enough I started reading about all of the complaints. This does not make any sense. I purchased all of these products online to start. Had I known about this, I would have shipped them back and perhaps received an “online credit”? Not only is this is extremely inconvenient to go in-store, especially during this time of year, but I also cannot take advantage of rewards bazaar / online promotions. These incentives are the only real reason I continue to shop through Sephora and not other retailers.  

[Micatnite]

Yeah, totally terrible customer service. I purchased 2 of the same product online in different sizes, and returned a completely unopened product (still sealed in plastic) which was available right on the shelf in the store. The sales associates should be required to disclose that their definition of 'store credit' differs from the rest of the entire retail industry. Guaranteed they know you wont read the fine print until you go to make a purchase online later and by then it will be someone else's problem. It's crazy to me that in 2018 a company like Sephora would be leaning out of ecommerce...wrong direction guys!! This leaves such a bad taste in my mouth, Nordstrom/Ulta will be the new defaults for me.

[deeb]

I am extremely frustrated with this as well. Sephora changed their return policy and I had no idea. I just went to make some online purchases (which is how I almost always buy products from Sephora) and realized I have $116.29 in store credit only! This is so inconvenient. Please tell me how this can be rectified. I am a VIB rouge and this makes me not want to shop at sephora anymore.