Today I asked for some samples and the lady was jsut SO rude and said "The vendors don't give us any" and you know that's gotta be crap. She said "Sometimes you young girls come up here and just raid them and then never buy the full size perfume" and well, EXCUSE ME for asking, when I'm sure they are the ones taking all the samples that "vendors don't bring". Isn't it just rude? I mean, you used to be able to get a sample vial of nearly any fragrance you wanted. I'm sorry, but a spray on a card doesn't count as a sample in my book.

Sorry, I just wanted to complain. Some people are just so rude.

Anan, did the person behind the perfume counter really say "YOU young girls"? That person should definitely be fired!!

Yeah, she said "you young girls" like we are all a conspiracy to not buy the big 'ol 3.4 oz bottle!

Anan, you know what?


If I were you, I'd call the store and complain.I would have called a 'supervisor' immediately.

Seriously. Don't get me started on 'Bees' at department stores or I will go 'postal'.

They most certainly have samples. The 'vendor' bit is BS. Dept store 'Bees' snarf up samples for themselves and friends. And even have the nerve to refill 'pods' of expensive eye cream from tester units for themselves.

Customer complaints get them in 'big' trouble. You might even get a free product if you complain loudly enough.

Yea, some SAs @ perfume counters can be really condescending, especially middle aged women. I think their problem is that they're just jealous of younger women who don't have to wear a lot of makeup to look pretty, while they're old hags who have to cake on the makeup & get Botox injections.

quote:

Originally posted by anan021:
Yeah, she said "you young girls" like we are all a conspiracy to not buy the big 'ol 3.4 oz bottle!

She really should be fired immediately, that is absolutely no way to speak to a customer! Some people!!

Maybe i'm just rude too, but I definately would have said something back to the SA. I never put up with crap like that. I usually find it a waste of time to complain, I find it satisfying to bit!@h back. I probably would have said "Us young girls never buy the full sized perfume because we don't want to give bit@hes like YOU commission"

It would be interesting to know what store this occurred at.

There is no excuse for rudeness at the cosmtics counter and it should definitely be reported.

I know many stores, such as Saks, no longer give commission to SAs. The 'counter manager' gets the commission instead. I believe Macy's is the same.

This accounts for even more rude and incompetent sales associates. They are given a 'goal' for the day and there is really no incentive to 'be nice' to customers.

The 'jaded dragons' who used to staff perfume counters are either dying off or have been replaced by SAs who can barely speak English.
This 'new generation' of SAs could give a sh*t, talk on cell phones and even eat behind the counter.

I recall 3 'incidents' where I have reported rudeness and got results.

Dillard's - The old bag said, 'The MENS' fragrances are downstairs.' I reported her a@@ and cancelled my charge card. Received a letter of apology from the store manager.

Bloomingdale's - I had my late mom with me in a wheelchair and was going to buy her a treat. The SA kept repeating, 'It's $35, it's $35,' until a supervisor intervened and asked what the problem was. I explained I was getting a gift for my mom and she was unable to use a splash due to her arthritis and preferred a spray instead.
Also told the counter manager I didn't appreciate the SA's 'attitude' and if she was truly 'all that', she should be out crusing the sound in her yacht instead of selling perfume for $7.00 an hour. So I had jeans and a sweatshirt on? The manager sampled us up the ying yang and even threw in a tote and several other 'gifts'. I said, give me TWO sprays and paid for them with a $100 bill. Still I cancelled my charge card.

Saks - This was when the original Bvlgari came out. A foreign 'fruit fly' was telling me the fragrance was 'for women' and refused to take my JCB Card. I pointed out to 'Miss Thang' the package said 'for men and women' in French on it. Can you read French, you stupid A-hole and then asked to see a supervisor. Supervisor came over and chewed his a@@ out, in French, sent him away and packed my bag full of all the samples and free gifts she could find. Still cancelled my Saks card. And JCB card also.

Dept stores have drawers full of samples, including Chanel. Don't let them BS you.

Another note. If you are not satisfied with makeup purchases. Return the product. I've noticed many women are reluctant to return an item which they don't like or is the wrong shade. Don't throw away the box or sales receipt until you've used the product aa few times and are satisfied with it. The store has to take it back and either exchange it or give you a credit. If not, raise hell.

Agree with everything that everyone has said. What is the point of having samples if you don't want to give them out? Is the SA 'saving' them for wealthier customers? 'Young girls' are the ones who really need them anyway, since they need time to make an educated choice. Unlike rich ol' biddies, they can't just snarf up full size bottles of product every day.

usually i just walk be the fragrance counter
and get bombarded with sa's spraying stuff.
some are rude, i think theyre everywhere, but
thats very unprofessional to do that to someone
im good about complaining when im treated like
that.if that was me, id give the customer a sample(s), cause maybe they might like to buy
the reg size, if they like it.i dont get retail sometimes.

Angel,

Rich 'ol biddies cannot justify spending $28 for a moisturizer. One of the reasons Origins closed my store at the mall.

VERY rich 'ol biddies usually order by phone or send a servant to purchase cosmetics.

It's the younger crowd who drops the bucks.
Interesting to note that Afro-Americans spend more money on hair and skin care than do other folks.

When I was counter manager for Clinique, Origins and other companies including The Body Shop, I was always calling 'corporate' to send shipments of 'Asia only' 'India only' and 'Africa only' products and shades so I could serve all clients.

I've always maintained the concept that if a person from Ghana or Japan comes to my counter or store I should have the product they require available. Without having to mix colors or send them to another line. The Body's Shop's new 'Brightening White' line is not really NEW. They have been selling it in Asia for several years. Chanel and other $$$ companies have 'whitening' products. These products will not turn a client 'white'; they merely address hyperpigmentation which all people may have.

Same with samples. Come to my counter and you are going to get a sample, even if I have to decant it into a vial or put it up in a pod to take away. It may be a small tube of body lotion, but you will not walk away empty handed.

Undecided about the fragrance or product? Here's a sample. I have plenty of stock; it's not going to walk away. Try it for a few days and see how you like it.

Clue phone. It's just good customer service. And you can make a lot of friends that way.

I missed this thread yesterday - I can't believe you were treated that way!! What a total b*tch.

I would have probably snapped right back at her, although maybe not because it stuns you so much when someone speaks to you that way and you're at a loss for words.

A phone call followed up by a written letter to the manager / corporate is definitely in order for how you were treated. Did you happen to catch her name or are you able to describe what she looks like to the manager? That's BS - little does she know she f'ed with the Escada Expert!!!

I will rarely go to a cosmetics or perfume counter unless I know exactly what I want and can get it and go in a hurry.... because they're extremely rude here too. One of the rudest stores in this area is Sephora, although it's just one of many rude stores. The Body Shop is always pleasant though.

Ha, I called my store today and complained about how it was totally unacceptable for me to be treated like that when all I asked was a question. They had me talk to the head of the fragrance dept and she said that there are tons of samples and that whoever told me they didn't get samples lied to me. The dept head said for me to come to the store at a certain time she was working and she'd give me a big 'ol bag full of samples! Kick @ss!!

Does anyone know how much commission a SA gets at a fragrance counter for selling something? I mean, what if a person just went to the counter and said "I want to purchase _______" without having to be cajoled into it?

The SAs at the store I go to are all older women who wear way too much makeup and try to act young, and they gossip about other people, and complain about customers, and compete against one another to make a sale. This is at the SAME store where the kooky Lancome lady works at.

So, if ya ever come visit me, we won't go the mall because my mall stanks!!!

HAHA @ Tutti's Escada Expert I probably DO know more about some stuff than they know.

I really was stunned when she said what she said, I told her "That's really a pity", shook my head and I walked off to the other dept store, asked again, and the young gal working at the counter looked at me like she was super relunctant to give me a sample of anything! I got a Lacoste Touch of Pink sample out of the deal.

So yeah, I'm about sick of fragrance people. I'm gonna start buying all my perfume ONLINE(unless there is a GWP available). This is just so rude. I hope one of them breaks a bottle of Chanel No 5 and it stinks the place up for them for a while.

Ok, I'm done

Way to go Anan!! You'll have to let us know what samples you got.

you would think if their arm was twisted
to give you a sample youd think it was coming out of their pay or something, i say give it to the customer.bravo to you anan for calling them on it.

Good job Anan! Stock up on as much samples as you can. You deserve it after the way you were treated

Good for you! I'm glad you were able to get some sort of resolution to the problem. I can only imagine how many people she has treated that way and who haven't called in on her. I hope she's reprimanded and quickly learns not to treat people that way. There's no way to tell who is going to spend money and who isn't and it isn't up to the SA to discriminate.

quote:

I hope one of them breaks a bottle of Chanel No 5 and it stinks the place up for them for a while.

Good for you, Anan!

Good for you anan!


Not only do the swarming SA's, (a few of them anyway,) try to make you buy something you don't want, but when you do decide to buy something they try to strong arm you to get the bigger size. Sure, sometimes it is a great deal, but not what I want at the time. They talk to you like you are a moron for not taking the one they want you to buy.

And really, do you notice sometimes how there are tons of SA's behind one counter standing there (when you need only 1 or 2). I realize it must get boring, but alot of times the one fragrance dept. that I am, where I do want to buy something, is empty.

Way to go Anan,


I hope she gets a nail fungus from using manicure products.

BTW, I believe counter managers get 30% override commission on sales.

That's what my friend at Elizabeth Arden told me.
I used to get 25% but never slam sold. I'd tell people NOT to buy a certain item and give them a sample. If the department manager tried to bust on me, I said...'Look at my numbers, okay?'

Still get stopped in the grocery store and pharmacy by customers asking where I am working now. I will even show them what stuff to get right where they run into me, like at Walgreen's.

No problem booking appointments, because I always make up a 'snack pak' for clients with free gifts and am up front. I believe customers appreciate honesty.

Speaking of Sephora. They called me today to tell me a fragrance I had inquired about had come in. Ya know what I told 'em? Sorry, I found it 'on line' for $35 less and since you didn't call to hire me, I will take my business elsewhere.