Missing samples and order delivery issues

[Margarita70]

Again I received none of the samples I picked. None were listed on my receipt and a single sample was tossed into my box. Sephora's customer service continues to decline. Who is actually filling these orders? Are they capable of reading an order. I spend a good deal of money at this store. My package was missing for a day. No one (carrier or Sephora) notified me of redelivery. I have been a loyal customer, ROUGE level, play box even but I am tired of the customer service of late. Time to look to other stores that actually value their customers.

[suggrr]

From what I understand, there are multiple fulfillment centers. They don’t always carry the same samples you’ve requested, so that’s how you can end up with samples you never ordered and didn’t want in the first place. There’s no excuse for no samples, though. If your shipment has been marked delivered but you don’t see it until the next day, you can probably blame the delivery person or service, not Sephora. I myself just made an order ENTIRELY for three samples that I was very, very, very excited about trying. I couldn’t wait to get my box!! I ripped open the package this morning only to find all three samples were not what I had picked out when I made the order. Nor can I get samples of those items at my local Sephora stores. 😞 Jamila here on BT was kind enough to send me a holiday promo bag when I tried another sample I hadn’t chosen that gave me an allergic reaction. The customer service here on BT is great, but it’s sadly a different story when it comes to those who fill our orders.

[mollyrdh]

I have also noticed a change in the quality of Sephora's customer service as it relates to online orders.  I've been a loyal customer for probably close to ten years now.  Recently deliveries are taking much longer, even with my VIB two day delivery.  Now, I'm lucky if I get any of the samples I chose.  It's like they close their eyes and just throw whatever is on hand into the box.  I get that you run out of samples but if that's the case just do what Ulta does.  Say that you get three random samples with every online order, don't give the impression that we actually get to choose.  And for those saying that this isn't a valid complaint, you are missing the point.  This is a CHANGE in previous excellent service, that's what's being discussed.  Is getting a different sample every once in a while a big deal?  No.  The problem is it's happening all the time now.  Sometimes they don't include the promo code item that was ordered and twice they forgot to include an item that I've purchased with VIB points!  That is a big deal, those points represent dollars spent.  I've had to call and get compensation for the points because there was no acknowledgement of the missing items on my order packing slip.  Clearly they are having issues with the people who are fulfilling these orders and that is a valid reason to complain.  If you let crappy service slide nothing ever changes.  

[glideron1022]

I agree on the delivery issues.  Delivery often takes longer than the promised 2 days, but worse is that sometimes the order doesn't even ship out until 3-5 days later.  That'll make the delivery window  at a week or more easily.  

Thank God it isn't some life saving device we're waiting for LOL!  Especially when you get a "sorry out of stock" email days after you order.

[krazykollector]

I am getting the same treatment here.  I get samples about 50-60% of the time and rarely do I get what I request.   I feel they are abusing the rouge members, figuring we will just keep buying.  I wonder what they would do if we returned every order that had no samples/one sample/NONE of the requested samples?   They even substitute promos on me, or "forget" them and I never get them. 

It's getting very irritating and getting very tired of the lack of customer service/disregard.

[glideron1022]

Returning an item that you wanted/ordered just because you didn't get a tiny sample that you wanted doesn't make sense.  Buying something that you did not want just to get a sample or two doesn't make sense either!  Both require extra work on your end.

You can easily get samples of your choosing at the Sephora store or other stores, and purchase from those other stores too....purchasing elsewhere sends a message to Sephora....and you will get exactly what you want without getting upset.  Make life easier, not harder.

[keelybt]

Hi Margarita70, I'm so sorry to hear that your order was delayed and you only received one sample. I will look into this for you and send you a message to help.

[karinastepss]

same issue here, received my package yesterday, not a single sample out of the 3 that I requested. So disappointed because the samples actually motivate me to buy things sometimes so i can try the samples. And the fact that they don't put it on your receipt/packaging slip, has the "you get what you get" vibe. It's a shame really. 

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[badgirl2]

same here, do not understand why they seem to be making no effort to fix this when clearly so many people are complaining!

[glideron1022]

I understand that it is frustrating not getting samples that you wanted, it happens to me too.  But if there is something you really want to try you can go to Sephora (or another store that carries the product) and get a sample there.

I still try some of the "wrong" samples or I give them away to someone else.

I do not understand how people get so aggressively upset over getting the wrong samples as if it ruined the entire order.  I mean you got the right product you bought, right?  It's foolish to be ordering things just to get a certain sample.

[pasnormal]

Huh, well, choosing those samples are the only reason I shop at Sephora, to be honest. I can buy the same thing at the same price and get it in true 2 days using Amazon Prime. But I like to try products, use points, all that nonsense. If that is no longer happening, and I have to wait more than a week to get what I ordered, what is my incentive to shop at Sephora? And no, I will not go to the store. I don't have time. That is the entire point of shopping online.

[Margarita70]

I feel exactly the same way. Many times I end up purchasing a product because I enjoyed the sample so much. I believe this is the marketing strategy behind the free samples. The warehouse is falling short in their deliverables. This is not reflecting well on the company and will cost them ultimately in product sales.