I'm insulting the be labeled a "ROOKIE."

[MidnightDreamer]

 I'm VIB Rouge and spend lots of money at Sephora every year.  I am insulted by this new "Rookie" label that Sephora has slapped on my profile.  It's insulting and demeaning and frankly inappropriate.

In addition, lately Sephora has had terrible customer service.  I order items and receive empty shipping boxes with only samples.

The samples are a joke too, why even bother asking us when they send us random junk that I just throw in the trash.  Nordstrom asks what I want and ALWAYS sends me the exact sample I choose unlike Sephora who NEVER sends the sample I pick.

When I complained to Sephora about not getting the item (no longer available) that I paid for and ordered and received an empty shipping box, I was promised a return phone call from someone named "Dan Dan." You guessed it, she NEVER CALLED ME BACK.

Now, I'm a "Rookie" and shame on you Sephora for judging your long time customers with stupid labels.  Your web site is down more than it's up and now I'm no longer a valued customer, as I'm a "ROOKIE."

Sephora, you are nothing to me.  I will take my 1K $ plus that I shop at your store and go to Nordstrom where I'm valued, not labeled a "Rookie," and I actually get the samples I pick out.

[LeLeo]

A bit off the main subject, but since this post made me think of it, I'm mentioning it here before I start a new thread.... what if we could come up with our own titles!

[xdashlydia]

Coming up with our own titles would acknowledge and encourage our creativity.

I don't mind being called a rookie; many online communities call all the new members rookies. Also, remember that in the sports world, rookies are new participants, not spectators.

It's better than being called a n00b.

[Tamara76]

@LeLeo  We need a Llamacorn title!!!! 💗💗💗

[Alicehoopz]

I think this is a great opportunity for you to take a minute and evaluate your life priorities. and I mean that genuinely, not in any kind of insulting way.

sometimes I get myself all worked up over an issue. there have been many, many times now where I have sat myself down to think, "is this really affecting my life THAT much?" sometimes, yes. it's a big deal and it's worth figuring out, "what can I do to make this better?" and sometimes I realize that no, it's not something I should spend my time thinking about - there are bigger issues that are WORTH my time.

[starsandbucks]

@Alicehoopz yup. I actually took a step away from the board (I'm not really totally back, still mostly lurking) because all the kinks at relaunch were actually stressing me out. When I stepped back and assessed that I was getting aggravated over a *consumer makeup messageboard* it was clear that I needed to take a beat and come back later when things were running a bit more smoothly. To the OP, nothing about this board setup is personal. Sometimes it's frustrating because it's not run or designed the way you'd do it. And we all have bad customer service experiences from time to time. At the end of the day we should all be so lucky if being tagged "Rookie" on a beauty board is our biggest issue. Lots of us have been here for years and we all got demoted down to Rookie together. You're in good company! Just take a breathe and look at the big picture.

[Anonymous]

I work with orphans and refugees. Pretty much the most important job there is, right? Still, I'm a customer and I chose to spend my money here and I expect quid pro quo. I do something for them (I spend it here instead of SAKS or NORDSTROMS or Neiman) and they treat me the way they promise I will be treated (3 samples with every order, not calling a rouge member a rookie, etc.) Its not a comparison of suffering, it's called BUSINESS. If you want to compare suffering, then join me at the Tuleeni orphanage in Tanzania or when I have to smuggle a beaten woman out of a camp in Kenya into Uganda. This is my "peace time." It's how I relax. I deserve that, don't I? After all, I'm not the one who advertises about the samples or the community.

[heartsmyface]

All I read was I help orphans, refugees, and beaten women so I want samples.  Asking for quid pro quo for helping humans in need doesn’t make you look good.  I don't think this image of yourself is what you intended to convey? @Anonymous

[mrsbaine]

yeah you really went there @Anonymous. Thanks for your service; makeup and "free" samples are hardly something to concern yourself with when you're saving refugees and kids in war torn areas..... what's your addy; I'll send you some samples. 

[MissPuff]

Well...that escalated quickly! I'm hoping you were just being facetious and not actually serious 🙂 

[lmi82]

[ElleElleG]

[k617]

Yikes.

[concreteroads]

"Pretty much the most important job there is, right?" 

Err... not to take away from the plight of refugees (which is a serious issue, absolutely, and kudos to you for working in that field) but I'm pretty sure a lot of people could argue that their jobs are pretty darn important. What about doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, civil engineers, the list goes on and on and on? You have no right to shame other people who aren't as concerned as you about the forum title we are labelled with, by trying to guilt us using comparisons to starving orphans in Africa. 

Once again, Rouge status is completely independent of the board status (Rookie). That's the exact reason every person has two labels beside their username. Unless you can say that you've made "Rouge-level" contributions to this forum--what would that be? 1000 posts in lieu of $1000 spent?--I don't see why this is such a tremendous deal. It's not like Sephora is denying the fact that you're Rouge; your other label is working just fine. If you're so desperate to not be a Rookie, why don't you consider writing reviews, posting looks, and otherwise participating in this community? 

[LCResz]

Don't forget us teachers, since we're the ones entrusted with helping tomorrow's leaders, doctors, nurses, lawyers, musicians, physicists, officers, politicians, policy makers, artists, and all the rest become whatever they want to become! 😁 You're right @concreteroads, everyone believes that he or she is important, and a title on a forum should not be a major part of one's personal sense of self-worth. I find it fascinating that people who do claim to be very important can take such umbrage to a word like "Rookie" or "Beginner" or "Noob". I wonder what terms would have been more acceptable, and who participated in the focus groups that decided that "Rookie" would fly with a group of women who are clearly makeup connoisseurs? Things that make you go hmmmmm (Shoutout to C+C Music Factory)

[heartsmyface]

@LCResz without teachers we'd all be lost. I'm pretty sure they make the world go round- unless we were to be somehow genetically modified...

[concreteroads]

@LCResz Absolutely! I hope it didn't come across like I was trivializing any professions in comparison to others. I think pretty much every occupation is valuable and has an important contribution to make to society. Teaching is definitely super important (I know I wouldn't be who I am today without the many awesome teachers who helped me out along the way). The brazen entitlement being displayed by some people here is both disappointing and appalling. 

(Also out of the titles you suggested, "Rookie" is definitely the most palatable to me by far! Definitely better than "Makeup N00b" lol.) 

[LCResz]

@concreteroads Your post is awesome, I just feel the need to chime in whenever occupations come up, since teachers are the forgotten ones when we think of "important" careers in the US. On another note, levity is needed whenever things get a little too heavy, don't want to scare away the newest visitors to the board lest they think that all Rouges are the same and want to complain because we're not being treated special enough, whatever that means. I'm just here for the fun and occasional discounts 😇

[Anonymous]

Well, your status as a community board poster aside, my last shipment arrived without the free 3 samples I selected. At first I thought I might have accidentally cleared them but I checked my app and they still show as shipped. Since they are free samples is there any point to complaining about them being missing?? Is this common??

[luckyrabbit]

You aren’t alone. They swapped out samples without showing the replacement ones and I was disappointed. I understand samples are first come first serve, but my account shows them as delivered. I did let customer service know and they were kind to issue some points as a consolation.

[MissPuff]

@Anonymous Sadly, it's been happening with more frequency than I think sephora cares to admit. They won't resend you the samples, but they'll probably throw some points your way! 

[IndyQT317]

@Anonymous I thought the same thing too about my samples. I'll admit I get bummed when the selected samples don't arrive, but they are free. I then head to Sephora and ask for the samples I missed. Gives me an excuse to window shop.