Sample reduction online and in stores?!

[ebertoni]

I'm confused as to why Sephora reduced it's sample policy from 3 to 2 per purchase. I assumed as a VIB that maybe this would policy would only be in place for those who are not VIB/Rouge but it's across the board it seems. 

As a company that boasts having 'clean' products and labeling which products they deem to be 'clean', I'm somewhat shocked they would change their sampling process. As someone who works for a similar company, allowing customers to take home multiple samples significantly reduces the amount of waste caused by the beauty industry so reducing the amount of samples allotted seems counterintuitive.

Allowing customers to sample products before buying them helps reduce the amount of returns. In the beauty industry, all returned products that have used are destroyed and put in the garbage. By allowing customers to sample that product initially, rather than buy it, reduces the likelihood them returning a product that in turn becomes waste. 

[MickeyLa]

I completely agree with you, thank you for laying out the very valid reasons why Sephora's new practices are hurting loyal customers and their business. 

[newcarlee]

Hi @ebertoni. I think the 2 samples per visit (is this even true?) or per online order is still generous. 

On on the flip side, the 3 online samples sometimes caused waste for me.  I’d choose 3 of what I want to sample, but if OOS - as it seemed quite often, I’d get samples I can’t use and then would throw away: waste! Since moving to 2 samples, the chances of getting my choices seem to have increased: less waste!

To “sample” products, I often get the mini size if available.  Between the minis, the samples with online orders, and going to the store on a few occasions where I really wanted a specific item to try before buy, I’ve never returned opened product.