Mistreatment of a preferred customer...

[peaches02155]

So, I am Rouge and have met this achievement 3x since it's inception into the VIB program. Yet, I got a disturbing and threatening behavior about my "return behavior". I was so taken aback. Sephora has just lost a loyal customer. My response is below...

"To whom it may concern:

Is this really how you treat your "preferred customers"? If so, I'd hate to be non-preferred. You sent me this threatening email which basically is suggesting I go elsewhere? Because that is certainly the tone of your letter to me. I buy A LOT of merchandise from your stores in which I actually do keep. What is unfortunate is that you address me, as the consumer when you need to address your overly ambitious sales associates who push products on us and promote returns by saying things like, "If it doesn't work for you and you don't like it, you can always return it for something else even after you've tried it!" This is especially if  you are just going to ban people after for too many returns. I say this because I have very sensitive problematic skin and I always go in looking for something to help and that's what they tell me. I always have my receipts for returns. ALWAYS.

Also, because of YOUR incompetent system, I am forced to give an ID if making Sephora JC Penney returns inside of a regular Sephora or vice versa. So it appears as though I do not have a receipt--even though the purchase shows up on my VIB Rouge account. Not to mention that I have purchased and kept a way higher ratio of products than I have actually returned. I buy for myself and my two adult daughters. FURTHER, I have not returned anything in months. So I am unsure what you are referring to or why this email is so delayed if it was that important enough for you to send such a discouraging email to your clientele. But whatever, Ulta's reward program and product selection are way better anyhow. I now have the option to go Diamond there. Your letter just disgusted me to no end. BYE SEPHORA!"

[beckaroosy]

yes I received a similar email and have now taken my business to Ulta and the brand's direct websites. In my case I am often wanting to try products that my local Sephora doesn't carry. More often than not the items are being returned UNUSED as once I see the color in person, I realize that it won't work for me. ( one of the unfortunate side effects of purchasing online) I inform the sephora employees of which items have been used vs unused. If they are damaging them all out instead, then this is THEIR problem and not mine! Not sure how long Sephora will continue to stay in business when brands are now giving discounts, free shipping and better free gifts via their websites. Just unfortunate that a company would treat their highest spending customers in this manner.

[fieldsofclover]

Damaging everything out is company policy, since Sephora can't guarantee what kind of conditions things were kept in after they were bought. You may be honest about it, but not everyone is.

Sometimes it's not just whether it's been opened, either. If someone buys a sunscreen, leaves it in their hot car trunk for a couple weeks, then returns it because they never tried it, that may be unused product but as a customer I don't want to purchase that returned item, because there might be heat damage that would make it less effective.

[Anonymous]

Sephora isn’t the only one who started retaining third party agencies to monitor customers return behavior. Actually more and more companies are doing the same thing. Logique suggests that if a customer continues the same behavior that type of warning would follow from other retailers/brands as well. As for staying in business, I doubt that’s an issue for arguably the most popular French brand with stores all over the world.

[gamgams]

I know exactly how you feeling!!!!!!! I emailed them and called them over ITEMS I wasn't recieving and they emailed me and called me as well telling me if I continued to make complaints I would NO longer to be able to order OFFLINE. I have never returned anything but they told me I might be better off shopping ELSEWHERE

[amusingmadi]

Hmmmmm....your side of the story isnt adding up. If you ALWAYS have your receipt then there shouldnt be a problem. Making returns to a Sephora inside JCPenney that was bought at a stand alone Sephora or vice versa is completely different systems. SiJCP is on the JCPenney return system and looks nothing like the stand alone Sephora’s. JCP cannot look up your receipt through your BI. They can with the card you used to pay and that’s it. If you return a Sephora product with a receipt to a JCP it’s a completely different store but most people will honor it. However, because it’s a free standing Sephora receipt and not a JCP one we can’t access the payment info or anything like that so they have to put it on a return voucher. It’s just like shopping at counters in Nordstrom or Dillard’s. If you buy an Estée Lauder foundation from Dillard’s and return it to the Estée Lauder store. Same concept. But but but, if you are making A LOT of returns that is higher than the average consumer, then ya, you should be flagged in my opinion. From my standpoint it’s people like you who ruin for the rest of us. Prices are sky rocketed and products are out of stock because people like you buy it, use it, don’t like it, return it, and it’s damaged out. Which is fine for the most part. But lady, ask for some samples for the love of god and see if it works for you. My biggest annoyance is people returning used products and hating them and I go in to buy it and it’s out of stock. Because the company is taking a loss with used returned products, it’s good to keep track of high returners because it ruins it for everyone else. And prices on makeup and skincare would be marked down less but Sephora has such a good return policy they have to make it up somewhere and especially these brands. It’s ok to return something every once in a while but don’t take advantage of the system. Ask for samples!! As I like to say, try it before you buy it!!!!

[peaches02155]

I never noticed or read your response of 3 years ago before today. Wow, you seemed angry huh? It's OK. Sephora has since  made things good after an internal review. I am now Rouge again. All is good. I hope it is for you as well?

[gamgams]

JCPENNYS IS THE WORST SEPHORA EVER TO GO TOO!!!!!!! THEY WILL NEVER ACCEPT MY 50 0OUNT PLAY PASS BECAUSE THEY TELL ME IM NOT REGISTERED WITH SEPHORA BUT THEIR THE ONES WHO SIGNED ME UP. THE LADY THAT DID MY MAKE UP MADE ME LOOK LIKE A CLOWN!!!! MY 8 YEAR OLD GRAND DAUGHTER DOES A BETTER JOB THAN SHE DID. THEY KEPT PUSHING ME TO BUY PERFUME I CLEARLY TOLD THEM I WAS ALLERGIC TOO. SEPHORA YOUR GONNA LOSE YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS AND YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELFS

[gamgams]

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL I WAS TOLD IF I EMILED AND MADE ANYMORE COMPLAINTS I WOULD NOT BE ALOUD TO ORDER ONLINE ANYMORE!!!! AND IVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. I JUST RECEIVED 5 ORDERS TODAY. I EMAILED TO COMPLAIN THY SENT ME AN AUTOMATED EMAIL THT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY I EMAILED THEM. I THINK EVERYONE WHOS HAD ISSUES ONLINE AND IN STORES IVE HAD BOTH TOO MANY TO COUNT WE SHOULD ALL EMAIL THE SAME DAY SO THEY CAN SEE HOW MANY GREAT CUSTOMERS THEY ARE GOUNG TO LOSE!!!!!

[TamsL]

I always have to file a complaint for my Sephora online orders.... because they always leave out an item I ordered. They honestly seem like they don't care.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea they sent emails like this, so sorry to hear this happened to you. 😞

[gamgams]

Not just emails a SEPHORA CUSTOMER service representative called me and told me if I kept emailing I would not be allowed to order online anymore!!! I just recieved 5 boxes today in the mail I've spent thousands of dollars and they treat me so disrespectful it's unbelievable!!!!!

[greeneyedgirl107]

@peaches02155 The info on Retail Equation's website was eye-opening.  I really do want to know what their algorithm is.  I mean, I know people that keep everything they buy even when they don't like it; and then I know people that return even food that they don't like.  Honestly, the whole thing makes me suspicious since it's not transparent.  It makes me not want to buy things b/c then I'm afraid of making returns.  I mean, how often do you try on a pair of pants at a store and think they will work - then you get home and realize they are too short or that they don't go with the top you had in mind?  And what about all the online purchasing that stores promote?  I would think that would lead to increased returns.

[Rebecca3326]

I had a similar experience as rewards member for 10 years and a rouge for one year. I made ONE return in ten years. I was told id be unable to return anything for 4 or 6 months, I can't recall. I had a receipt. Really rude.

[gamgams]

SEPHORA NEEDS CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING. IM A ROUGE MEMBER I HAVE 3 DAUGHTERS AND MYSELF THAT I PURCHASE MAKE UP FOR I USUALLY GET AT MINIMUM 20 ORDERS A WEEK. I EMAILED TO LET THEM KNOW I WASNT RECIEVING ANY SAMPLES AND ALL I GOT WAS AN AUTOMATED EMAIL STATING THEY DO NOT REPLACE DAMAGED SAMPLES. SO I KNOW FOR A FACT NOBODY REALLY READS OUR EMAILS. MY EMAILS SENT BACK TO ME HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY I EMAILED THEM.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry you feel so frustrated and angry. I believe you feel you have been treated unfairly. But that is one of the main reasons most retailers these days use third party contractors to monitor customers return habits (to ensure an unbiased generic approach to evaluations). After reading emails Sephora sent to you it seems Sephora tried to do the best they could with this very tricky and unpleasant situation. They were as polite and professional as they could have possibly been. Now I cannot make a judgment as to how truly justified it was without seeing actual numbers and other important factors relevant to your situation, but it seems that the 3d party system identified your buying/returning habits as crossing the acceptable threshold (whatever that is). You seem to have some unusual circumstances that they probably did not take into account: like buying skincare and makeup for your adult children. I seriously doubt any retailer enjoys telling their customers to simmer down with their return policy. It’s a loose loose situation. But It is in our best interest as consumers to see Sephora (or any other retailer) having less returns because it would allow it to reposition the funds it has to devote every year to the products purchased and returned. Instead those funds could go to better GWP or rewards, etc. I mean it could follow Ulta’s suit and reuse the products returned (smth at least some of Ulta’s warehouses and stores are doing judging from my personal experience), then there would be no need in strict monitoring of the return habits, but is that really the trade off we want?

[RebelRocker]

I heard last night that a lot of stores are tracking customer returns and even though you may be following their return policies to the letter, they start banning customers who exceed their return limit. A popular electronics retailer is famous for their bans. I rarely return items, but I won’t patronize businesses that punish customers. It would probably be best if you shop in a Sephora store, try the products and ask for them to make you samples to try before buying.

[tomboy83]

That's what I do. Especially, if it's an expensive product.

[fieldsofclover]

@peaches02155 I don't understand... did you get a letter in the mail from Sephora? An email? Did they refuse to accept a return from you? I've returned or exchanged a lot of product for similar reasons and never experienced anything like this. What did they do?

[peaches02155]

Yes, see it copied and pasted below...

"Dear {              },

Sephora is dedicated to providing you with an excellent experience each time a purchase is made in store or online.

Our records show an extremely high rate of merchandise returns associated with your Sephora account which may include purchases made at Sephora stores, Sephora.com and/or Sephora inside JCPenney. Your return rate is much higher than average and not our typical client experience.

It is unfortunate that these products have not worked for you, however, this significant return behavior limits the product selection available to all of our clients.

Please be advised that if we see your current return behavior continue, we may decline any future return with or without a receipt at any Sephora location, including purchases made on Sephora.com or Sephora inside JCPenney.

Sephora provides many services to help you find that perfect product, like complimentary in-store sampling and ratings and reviews on Sephora.com. Click on the links below to explore these services, which can endeavor to help you find products that address your needs."

[peaches02155]

This is their response to my response...

"Hi {     } ,

Thank you for contacting Sephora.

I apologize for any confusion regarding the email you received and I'm happy to offer some clarity. You are still able to purchase products and return the ones that don't work out for you. However, we've noticed that, many of the products you purchased may not have worked out for you. That's definitely not the experience we hope to offer our clients online and in our Sephora store locations!

The intent of the email was to request that, in the future, you be more mindful of the products you are purchasing and make you aware of the trend we noticed and to help reduce the rate of returns. In the future, if we continue to see a high pattern of returns we could potentially limit or decline returns, regardless of return time frames and receipts. However, we are not at that point and we understand that does not create a good client experience, which is why, in the interest of forthright communication, we sent you the email. The details of our return policy are available on our website and I have included it here for your reference:

'Sephora monitors return activity for abuse and reserves the right to limit returns or exchanges at Sephora and Sephora inside JCPenney with or without a receipt.'

I recommend sampling products in store to find items that fit your needs prior to committing to purchasing them. Sephora.com is also a great resource for researching products and ingredients and browsing user reviews to get a better idea of what might work best before you purchase. Of course, it is never our intent to make any of our valued clients feel offended or uncomfortable. While we would love to retain your patronage, we understand and respect any decision you make. We want you to shop wherever you feel you are getting the best value and client experience.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us by responding to this email or calling us at 833-899-2968."