Cosmetic Counter Rant!

Oct 22, 2011

Cameron R.

I went to Dillards today to do some browsing at their counters because I needed to purchase cologne and Clinque's Moisturizing Lotion. I love Clinique products, but I cannot say the same for their SA's. I picked up moisturizer, and whilst browsing concealers, I get directed to the Mens Supplies section with this dialog:
"Hey, you probably want to be in our Men's Supplies section."
"Oh, does the men's line include concealer now?"
"No, but the stuff over there is geared towards men, and men shouldn't really be wearing makeup anyway."
"........"

It takes a lot to make me angry, so I just kind of soaked in what she had said for a moment while she went back behind the counter to help somebody else, and cooled off. I still ended up getting their airbrush concealer and proceeded to look at their line of special treatments. I have been really interested in the Pore Refining serum they carry, but they did not have any testers out, so I asked if after one or two uses, may I bring it back if it breaks me out? She LITERALLY scoffed at me, and told me "Yea, we will just have to inspect it to make sure it isn't tampered with before you get a refund."
At this point, I have taken all I could take, and I just simply handed all the products to her, and basically called her ridiculous, and told her to enjoy putting back the products that were no longer worth my money.


I have NEVER been treated this way in any other counter besides Clinique's. They are always so ridiculously rude and petty. The thing that makes me most upset is that I literally have spent about $500.00 just these past two weeks on skincare and makeup from Ulta and Sephora collectively. But since I come to a Clinique counter in sweats and a t-shirt, I can't afford a $40.00 face serum? a $20.00 concealer? Another thing: If I am a boy, and I am looking at makeup, how dare you direct me over to a completely irrelevant section of products, and tell me what I shouldn't be wearing on my skin? If any of you work at a cosmetic counter, don't ever assume your customer's wallet, or insult them based on their gender. WE are the ones purchasing the products after all, you just work there.

Oct 22, 2011

Allison G.

Some people are so obnoxious. I wouldn't have bought anything after all that nonsense either. Seriously? how rude can you be. 

Oct 22, 2011

Cameron R.

I know right? It sucks because so many of Clinique's products have become holy grail for me, but I really don't want to purchase anything from them going forward.

Oct 22, 2011

Allison G.

maybe you should just buy from them (or rather the stuff you already KNOW you love) online from now on... ya know? that way you won't have to deal with their nonsense.

Oct 22, 2011

Zoe C.

Cameron, you were so right to hand all that stuff back, honestly, some people are ridiculous. I would have had to stop myself from hitting her xD

Oct 22, 2011

Cameron R.

@Allison yea for sure. I normally get their stuff from Sephora as it is normally less of a hassle, but I was there getting cologne, so I figured I'd just bite the bullet. Didn't expect the bullet to be that big though! Lol.

@Zoe, it was hard! Lol. I very rarely ever lose my temper, and I don't take thing personally, so if it made me mad, it is usually something serious. She looked at me like I gave her hepatitus. = p

I also hope I didn't sound boastful in that last bit! I really had to purchase a lot of new stuff for winter as the stuff I had from last year either doesn't match, or won't work in my regimen. I just wanted to make the point that just because a person may not be dressed in the nicest of clothes and may not be all dolled up, shouldn't be an indicator of what kind of products they can afford to purchase. I'm still completley livid.

Oct 22, 2011

Allison G.

No wasn't boastful! atleast, I didn't take it that way! :) and yes, I agree, the way a person looks/dresses isn't always a tell tale sign they can or can't afford something.. it's no big deal you weren't all dolled up to go buy some makeup. 

Oct 22, 2011

Dani P.

I know exactly how you feel, and I think you handled it perfectly. I'm obviously not a man shopping for makeup, but I am the "fat girl" according to most people. I don't care how nice I am dressed or how flawless my makeup looks, I will always get at least one rude person eyeing me or saying something to me much like you had when I go to a higher end counter. My MAC counter especially. Bitches all of them.

I tend to cause more of a fuss than you did though. It takes a lot to really make me mad enough to complain, but once you've pushed me there I'm one of those customers people hate because I climb the corporate ladder with my complaints.

Being in customer service myself for over 10 years I can't understand how some people are just such straight up assholes for no reason.

Oct 22, 2011

Dylan P.

I'm so glad you stood up for yourself, and I really hope that that salesperson learned something about tact and customer service. If you can, I would just go to a different counter (Or online, like Allison said) to get your HG products that you need to buy, because that will reflect badly on her counter in the long run instead of all Clinique counters. Maybe even call and complain about it... I don't usually condone such actions, but that's some serious ignorance you had coming at you from someone representing a company.

Oct 22, 2011

Ashley K.

The best thing you can do when it comes to rude Sa's is to go over their head and get their immediate supervisor and or boss. I worked for many years managing a staff and teaching my employee's that catty-ness doesn't get you anything especially when it comes to our customers returning to the store. Customers are here to spend money in the store not put up with Sa's crappy attitudes. The reason I feel why getting their supervisor is the best solution is because from personal experience the supervisor can't be everywhere and sometimes things like this slip threw the cracks giving that SA another opportunity to be mean to another customer for no reason.

Personally I have let SA's go because of their poor customer service sometimes they loose site that they are not just making themselves look stupid but that there actions are a direct reflection of the business. Acting that way too not only hurts the business but it hurts their own wallets if their working on commission, I always found it funny when I had a someone brush off a customer because of how they looked/dressed and then I went over and got them to spend mad money. Karma is a bitch :)

Oct 22, 2011

Cameron R.

@Smashley Oh my God! I am so sorry that you were treated like that! I definitely know what you man by being treated rudely by customers. It's different because you really can't say anything back to them. I know what it's like to work in retail/sales, and I have developed such a respect for people in that field of work just because I know how trying customers can be sometimes. I always try to be super nice to everyone, because you never know what battles a person is facing at them moment. The last thing they need is our attitude, and to hear insults.

@Ashley I did. I wrote a letter to corporate, and I am going back to the Dillards on Monday to speak with a Manager! Hahaha, you ended up getting the sale instead of them? That is awesome! I definitely agree with everything you said, these girls/boys don't realize how much money people are willing to spend on cosmetics, no matter what their income may allow. If I had no makeup/skin care, and I had only left in $50.00 in my pocket, I would be at Sephora or Ulta in a heartbeat and would spend it without thinking twice about other expenses. Why would you want to lose that kind of a customer?

I went back to Sephora this morning and was telling one of the girls I always talk with about the treatment and she was shocked! I honestly wish Sephora and Ulta SA's got paid commission, because they deserve it. They have always been super nice to me, and more than helpful. The girl I have at Sephora literally walks with me through the entire store while I am there and we discuss anything from new products they just recieved, to our favorite youtube gurus. She was astonished, to say the least. Sorry this was so jumbled! = p

Oct 22, 2011

Rikki P.

Wow, such rude people. I never want to go into the counters at the local mall because the older ladies there just have that vibe that you don't want to be near.

Oct 22, 2011

Ashley K.

That's good I think a lot of Sa's do things like that because they think they can get away with it, really not the case its great that people speak up about it. Thats what I was known for at my last job was taking care of everyone regardless of how much they wanted to spend or how they dressed and always getting them to spend big money and getting them to come back time and time again. I'm super serious when it comes to good customer service! lol

Oct 22, 2011

Drea L.

Wow, I love this thread!! I'm so sorry some of you have experienced such bad customer service (or vice versa) I can't believe such rude people still have their jobs!!

Cameron - I'm glad you're going back to talk to the Manager, it's things like that, that SHOULD be done - Absolutely nobody deserves to be treated like that AT ALL. Especially from somebody who's eventually going to take your money!

Oct 22, 2011

Penny X.

Dang, How effing rude. If that was me, I would of gave her a piece of my mind.
I'll go all out, and ask for her manager or something..

Oct 22, 2011

Yasmin K.

@Cameron - you need to file a complaint with the company against that woman. What she did was sexual discrimination. So what if you're a man buying beauty products or cosmetics. How the hell does know it's not a gift for a friend and most importantly who the hell cares if YOU want to wear or use it.

I would let the company know you're also filing a complaint with your state's Attorney General over it as well. Then file that complaint.

Oct 22, 2011

Antonio Z.

WTF just cuz you are a man you can't buy makeup?
WTF again, and yes it happens more than it should, happens to me sometimes...
people are so rude just cuz you are looking at makeup, and like Cameron said, I'm the one buying the makeup, you as an employee should only worry about having a smile on your face and be greedy, because the products i'm about to purchase I'll pay them from my pocket...
god whats with some people :-?

Oct 22, 2011

DJ M.

Oh my gosh, hun! That's so unbelievably ridiculously ignorant!!!! Regardless of your gender, does it matter whether or not marketing "claims" it's better for one sex or another? No! Wow ... sorry I have brothers and a husband who don't care what/who products are marketed for as long as they get the job done. Ridiculous!

By the way, there's one brand that has concealer (made for men haha) that's supposed to be out of this world. Not that you have to buy it just because it's "for men", but I thought you might like to know ;) http://www.menaji.com/products/conceal/camo-concealer

Chin up, people are freaking stupid sometimes!

Oct 22, 2011

gee m.

@Cameron, I am so glad that you file a complaint because regardless if you are a man or not you know what you are in the store for and you can purchase any damn thing you please. I don't even see how the young lady could even open up her mouth to say something like that to you. A lot of times I hate going to Mac because the ladies always seem to have an attitude problem but I always fix that because I have no problem with calling corporate office and letting them know how their employees are acting.

Some weeks ago I go into Nordstrom and while in their I viist the Mac counter and this guy was telling me and my sister about the new collection that was coming out and how you could pre-order the item. I placed an order for some of their paint pot's and when I received my order there was only one paint pot and a sample of the other paint pot I pre-orded. I called asked about the other one and the guy that sold me the product was like "oh we didn't have anymore", well isn't the purpose of pre-ordering a product is to make sure you get the product? And what is the purpose of having my number if you are not going to call to let me know the problem is no longer available? He told me I can check out another store and see if they had it so I decided how about I call your boss, so that's what I did. The manager had another store to send me out the paintpot for free which was great but when I received the paintpot the paint pot had a finger print in it and some glitter. Are you serious! When the guy that orginally sold me the product called to see if I had receive the product on the same day I recieved it I was telling him about the finger prints and glitter and he was like," oh well at least you got. You can bring it back to our store and we can see what we can do or you can take it to another store, but like I said at least you got it". I ended up calling the manager again telling him what happen and he put me in touch with another manager and she ended up sending me a brand new paint, a fusion pink lipstick, and two of their pro palette eyeshadow's x 2, so I was happy about that.

But I say all that to say this, we are the ones that spend our money in these stores with these cosmetics company's and we don't have to take this mess! I am sure everyone on here has spent a lot of money on makeup product no matter what the brand is so we deserve to be treated with respect. Since I was having to deal with the stank attitudes of the females at Mac I started ordering most of my products online and then when I find a person at the store or counter that I like I deal with that person and that person only no matter how long the wait it. 

Oct 23, 2011

Kristin R.

Wow! I am so sorry you had to deal with that, it is absolutely ridiculous! I'm glad you stood up for yourself! I've noticed that sales associates at makeup counters have been growing more and more rude (at least from what I've seen) lately, a lot of people dismissing/ignoring others, rude, or not even caring to help anyone.

It's sort of funny though because I actually find a lot of the men that shop at cosmetic counters know more about makeup then a lot women do, I've even learned things from a lot of them!!  

Oct 23, 2011

Jackee M.

Unbelievable!! I can't believe some of the stories I am reading on there. I'm sorry you guys have to deal with such ignorant and rude behavior!! It is completely unacceptable!

@Cameron I am so happy you stood up for yourself!! You don't deserve to be treated in that manner. I really hope your complaint gets this SA fired. No one should EVER be treated the way she treated you.  

Oct 23, 2011

Cameron R.

Wow! Thank you guys so much for all the support, I was honestly expecting a troll or two to come out of the woodwork.

@Antonio Right?! That is exactly how I feel!

@TerraM It's very true! If I leave the house looking nice and all prettied up and stuff, I get treated much better in places like that, then when I go in sweats and t-shirts. Like, I am only 20 years old! There are gonna be days where I am off from school/work and I don't feel like getting up and putting together an outfit, do my hair, makeup, and whatever.

Thanks @DJ for your link! = p I actually most of the time do not wear any products that say "For Men" as they are usually fragranced, and honestly, I don't like that we have to have our own seperate set of products. Like I am not good enough for regular products or something.

@Gennett Oh hell no! A fingerprint? That is disgusting, and not to mention unprofessional. This IS MAC, not MUA right? I am soo happy that you were compensated for all of the inconvenience, and that manager did the right thing. I also totally agree about the money part, especially if they are working on commission. How dare you treat us rudely, when all we are trying to do is help you out? If someone asked me about a $40.00 serum that I would be making commission off of, I would be more than happy to make sure that they got all the help they needed while being nice as possible.

Oct 23, 2011

DJ M.

@Cameron Screw them all! You buy whatever you want ;)

Oct 23, 2011

Drea L.

@Terra - I decided to look up that video you were talking about & OMG! That's extremely shocking. I can't believe they called... the COPS on her. =O

Oct 23, 2011

Cameron R.

Thanks DJ! <3 I know @Andrea! I was shocked! It is amazing how almost welcoming they were to her filming with her camera before hand, and they treated her like garbage when she was dressed down the second part. She had guts, as I wouldn't have been able to make myself that ostentatious. We live in a sad world.