A Message to our Clients about Epic Rewards

[sephoraadmin2]

Sephora is committed to offering our valued Beauty Insiders exceptional rewards to thank them for their loyalty and for being part of our community.  Yesterday we held an Epic Rewards promotion, and while we have held similar promotions in the past, yesterday’s promotion was the largest number of Epic Rewards we have made available to date.

Despite our best efforts to predict the response, demand was overwhelming, resulting in our being out of stock very quickly. We deeply regret this and apologize to our Beauty Insider clients who did not get a chance to participate.  

At Sephora our first and foremost priority is to give our clients an exciting and fulfilling shopping experience.  Those Beauty Insiders who were unable to get one of our limited quantity Epic Rewards, please email us by Tuesday, August 25, 2015, to epicrewards@sephora.com and include your Beauty Insider account number or email address associated with your account. 

Beyond that, please know that we are committed to learning from this experience. Thank you for your ongoing support. We greatly appreciate you.

Sephora is committed to offering our valued Beauty Insiders exceptional rewards to thank them for their loyalty and for being part of our community.  Yesterday we held an Epic Rewards promotion, and while we have held similar promotions in the past, yesterday’s promotion was the largest number of Epic Rewards we have made available to date.

Despite our best efforts to predict the response, demand was overwhelming, resulting in our being out of stock very quickly. We deeply regret this and apologize to our Beauty Insider clients who did not get a chance to participate.  

At Sephora our first and foremost priority is to give our clients an exciting and fulfilling shopping experience.  Those Beauty Insiders who were unable to get one of our limited quantity Epic Rewards, please email us by Tuesday, August 25, 2015, to epicrewards@sephora.com and include your Beauty Insider account number or email address associated with your account. 

Beyond that, please know that we are committed to learning from this experience. Thank you for your ongoing support. We greatly appreciate you.

**********************

Updated August 17

Thank you to everyone who has been reaching out to us about Epic Rewards. We value your feedback and recognize your ongoing loyalty to us, and we are working to get back to you quickly.

To that end, please know that if you have contacted us you will hear back from us in direct response to your inquiry during the period between Tuesday, August 25th through Tuesday, September 1st. The timing of the response to you will depend on when we received your initial contact regarding Epic Rewards.

If you haven’t contacted us yet, please email us at epicrewards@sephora.com. We’ve set up this dedicated mailbox to collect the right information quickly and accurately, separating you from the queue for general Sephora inquiries. When you email us at this address, it will generate an automated response that confirms we’ve received the message. You can then expect to hear back from us as quickly as possible with more information.

Please know that our team is listening, and we take your concerns to heart. We value your support, and we will be in touch soon.

With our sincerest thanks,

The Beauty Insider Team

*************************************

Updated September 1

Thank you to everyone who reached out to us about Epic Rewards. We have reached out to all of those members who emailed us on or before August 25th, and are no longer accepting new submissions. epicrewards@sephora.com has been closed. Please contact us at 1-877-SEPHORA (1-877-737-4672) regarding any other questions or concerns. We have reviewed your feedback and are taking it into consideration as we plan for future promotions. Our loyal Beauty Insiders are enormously important to us.

[starrysparkle]

Just placed my newest order at Sephora!  Trying to get back to normal!!

[greenchilli]

I always regretted not going to law school.  But BT comes through for me.  

Now if I just finish the Good Wife series, I think I am set!

[pixiedust2]

You forgot to use italics!

[greenchilli]

😄  Pixie...you are my sister.

[pixiedust2]

You know it GC!  😄

[spotspotcat]

Recommend Epic Rewards be in addition to a universally acceptable rewards program such as points for dollars and not for items that can be obtained as free samples elsewhere.

[begonia46]

I have read a lot of the threads on this issue but have not participated.  I'm adding the email I just sent for anyone who cares to read and/or comment.  Thanks!

First,  let me start off by saying that I think this round of the Epic Rewards was better executed than the last time.  I did not participate in the last round partially because there was very little information provided and it was not clear when they were going to be released.  I was most definitely not going to be staying up all night just in case they were released.  The only reason I knew about the Epic Rewards was because of Beauty Talk.  As I recall they were not really advertised and many BI/VIB/VIB Rouges were not even notified. 

This time around the following improvements were made: (1) the Epic Rewards were more widely advertised - website, emails, etc.; (2) we were given full info on what the rewards were; and (3)  we were told a timeframe for the rewards. 

Despite these improvements, there are still ways this event can be improved significantly, if Sephora chooses to do another Epic Rewards event.  Let me begin by expressing what didn't work this time and then I will suggest how you can improve this event. 

(1) Saying the rewards will take place during business hours PST is a great improvement but I think you need to narrow down the time.  I know there are concerns re how the website will respond to the influx but really Sephora is a tremendous company maybe it's time to invest in a better computer infrastructure.  I'm not very tech savvy so perhaps this is unrealistic.  

(2) Be clear regarding how many rewards are really available.  I know you made it very clear they were limited quantities, you may have even said very limited quantities.  But quantities are always limited.  Don't be so vague.  It may be that there were less than 10 of the 1000-2000 point rewards but yet you advertised this event more widely.  I anticipated that the higher rewards 5000 pts. plus were probably super limited less than 5 and probably only one of the $10K ones.  I am sure based on the last event you knew how popular this would be.  By being more transparent about quantities people would have better been able to be realistic about their chances.   I participated this year and knew my chances were not great but I was very surprised by how little a chance I had.  I mean for things to sell out in less than 3 minutes?  That's amazing and shows you how dedicated your customers are. 

(3) Back to your website issues.  I mean you guys need to put some money towards your IT.  I was one of the folks that kept clicking on the banner that said the rewards were available but kept being directed to lower down the page.  I got directed nowhere I could redeem my points.  I knew the links only because of BT.  However, I didn't stand a chance, no one did that wasn't set up appropriately.  You had to have your basket ready (I did) and be on the right page at the right time refreshing at the right second (I was not on the right page).  I was set up at home but eventually had to continue living my life and go to work and didn't have a chance to fully set myself up because you know work.  That was my mistake.  However, I would have at least expected that if I clinked on the link for the rewards that it would have directed me to the appropriate page.  I was wrong.

You guys deserve a lot of the vitriol you're getting, even though I agree some people are getting a little out of hand.  A couple things I find disingenuous are the following: (1) statements like Despite our best efforts to predict the response, demand was overwhelming, resulting in our being out of stock very quickly.   Seriously?!  You know how many of us are out there and how many points we have.  If you advertise an event you should anticipate how many are likely to participate.  Especially since you just had an event in April/May 2015.  and (2) having this event after a point multiplier event seems very shady.   I'm not saying it's smart for people to go out and buy a bunch of stuff just for points.  That does not make sense.  But I'm sure folks bought stuff at Sephora instead of at one of your competitors to increase their points to participate in this event. 

Additionally, I think you guys need to rethink your Beauty Insider/Reward program.  Ulta has a great program.  I understand you don't want to translate points to money - what company wants to give away money.  I'm just saying it works and you should look into its feasibility.  I don't mean to hoard my points.  The reason I have enough to qualify for an Epic Reward is because the 100-500 point offerings are usually offensive and ridiculous considering what I spend to redeem one of those.   I mean seriously I feel confident you get that stuff for free and yet I have to spend $100 for a deluxe sample?  Makes no sense.  The whole point of a sample is so that you try something and end up liking it and buying the full size.   And for the past year or so your 500 point offering are ridiculous - you spend 500 points for four (4) 100 point items!?!  How does that make sense.  Spend some time cultivating your 100-500 point rewards and you will see we will spend our points.  I guarantee it.  Also you may want to do more 1000 point rewards.  Thank you for the Flash Shipping!  Great idea and please do not get rid of this.  Regarding distinction between VIB and VIB Rouge - this year, my first one as a VIB Rouge, I have not noticed one.  Same promos.  There are events but whatever I'm getting I can get later with same promo.  You need to work on the distinction to make it enticing or get rid of the distinction.  Also I know the stores get samples and promos but yet I can't tell you what a hard time I have trying to get one.  Especially at the Sephoras in JcPenney.  Someone is getting those samples and it does not appear to be your customers.  I think you can understand why many don't want store made samples for hygienic reasons.  I have tons more to say but I feel like I'm rambling now and it's getting too long so I am stopping. 

I hope you find this helpful.  You guys are a massive company so I would think you have hired competent individuals who know how to run all aspects of this business.  So either your staff doesn't know what they are doing in certain areas or you don't really care about what isn't working because at the end of the day people are still buying from this store.  If the later, I would be careful.  I will continue to buy from Sephora as long as they carry brands that are exclusive to them or exclusive sets.   You should make sure you keep those brands fyi.  But at the end of the day I will go where I will get the most for my  hard earned money and lately that has been Ulta or Nordstrom. 

[hadtotryit]

My favorite response of all... Well written and simply spot on.... Thanks for sharing!

[beth607]

FYI- I finally voiced my disappointment at the Sephora inside the local JC Penney along with a large return. To my amazement, the staff didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Seriously? After all that marketing? Long story short, she put me on the phone with Customer Service who listened to my complaints. Not very satisfying, although she offered me an additional 500 points. To spend on WHAT? I can't spend the points I've already accrued as a VIP Rouge.

[Grahamcrackers]

All that marketing? I got one email.

[meggieprice]

I got a series of e-mails reminding me to stock up on 4x points items to prepare for the rewards. I am appalled at the way it went- and I actually managed to get one.

[prettyangry]

Yes, but if every beauty insider gets one email, now that amounts to a lot of marketing. 

[Gaell]

I've considered doing the same thing. Got things I didn't need (which let's be honest, is EVERYTHING in Sephora), to rack up extra points because the event! Now I have all these points that I now realize are absolutely worthless.  I've always gone out of my way to shop at Sephora. So much so, I've foregone wonderful brands or items because they were not sold there.  Now I will put forth my effort to doing the opposite. Should not be difficult considering almost every brand has their own website and an Ulta will be opening near me.  Hopefully they'll put forth the effort to improve. In the mean time I'll be spending my money, that I've worked hard for, at a place that doesn't blatantly toy with me.

[prettyangry]

"got things I didn't need only to rack up extra points"; "money that I've worked hard for" ...

[senorabombon]

My problem with this Epic Rewards campaign goes back to the very first e-mail of August 3rd.   There it states "Once in a lifetime Epic Rewards coming August 10th.  Shop now to bank even more points."  Although the e-mail does state extremely limited quantities, that phrase leads one to believe that even with limited quantities, those that are at at least 1000 points can expect something.  This is my second year as a Rouge and I too was expecting something more from this tier.  This whole campaign felt extremely disorganized and not well thought out because the customers who shopped with the sole intention of banking points are going to be returning said items causing stress on store employees and taking away from what is usually a good experience.  I bought Flower Bomb perfume and I am not planning on returning it, but this was not a purchase I was going to make at Sephora.  Had it not been for the points with the promise of an epic reward, this would have been purchased at Dillard's as they have a more varried selection and a rewards program as well for their cardholders.   So you can see how so many customers were left with a bad taste in their mouths.  Right now, I am in the fence if I am going to stay a Sephora customer or not.   For example, for every 1000 I spend at Dillard's, I can earn a 10 per cent off shopping pass with no limits.  They also have excellent beauty promos throughout the year.  Last year they had spend 200 get 50 back.  They also carry many high end brands.  Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus carry Tom Ford cosmetics which you do not, so there are other options for your customers.  I guess I will wait and see if there is going to be some transparency with some numbers released as to how many actual rewards there were and how Sephora chooses to make this up to their loyal customers, especially the Rouges.

[pixiedust2]

The email is res ipsa loquitur. 

I'm not an attorney, but I do play one on TV. 

[niki172]

I wish we could link a sound byte - when I read your comment I immediately heard the da-da off of Law & Order 😆

[pixiedust2]

LMAO niki!

[gails6]

I posted on FB too. My idea? Since I may never set foot in Sephora again, I'm heading up a challenge for us to use all the points not used for "epic" rewards redeem them all for those less fortunate: underprivileged teens, cancer patients, etc.

Might as well turn a poor marketing ploy into something good.

I'll start with my 5,000+ points. At 64y/o, I probably don't need that much makeup anymore, anyway!

Sephora, how can I go about this? Please redeem yourself.

[sharkington]

I'm still waiting to hear how Sephora plans to resolve these issues in the future before making a decision to not shop there anymore, but I do like your idea! However, can you redeem points at Sephora without buying something? I never tried, but I was under the impression you had to purchase something before they'd let you redeem - that is how it works online at least. 

[Raid]

No, you definitely do need to purchase anything when redeeming in stores. I done this many times.