topic Re: Question for VIB Rouge members in Beauty

Question for VIB Rouge members

Rachb — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 20:59:34 GMT

I'm moving on from Ulta's Platinum perks. I have a question for the VIB Rouge members since I'm new to the program. If I spend $1000 this year to get to Rouge, do I only maintain Rouge status for the remainder of 2016, or have I earned it for 2017 as well?

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Tantallum — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 21:12:50 GMT

I am a VIB rouge...that's a great question. I know that last year I was VIB rouge and had to spend 1K in 2015 to keep rouge for 2016. Now in 2016 they have my balance that I still need to spend to keep it in 2017. I can't remember back to my first year...

I'm guessing the answer is yes you would have it for the rest of this year and 2017. Because again to keep VIB rouge in 2017, current rouges need to spend 1K in 2016. It seems pretty draconian for you to have to spend 1K this year to get it in 2016, then spend another 1K (2K total) in 2016 to keep it in 2017. But since we aren't talking chump change, I would just email Sephora to get the definitive answer...

let us know what you find out!

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

suzyQ3 — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 21:40:30 GMT

Each to his own, but I would never want such pressure to spend unless the rewards were just amazing. They don't look amazing at all to me. I buy occasionally at Sephora only because it's close to me and they have a good return policy, but I never buy with the thought that I am a dollar closer to being on top of the heap. :-)

I find the whole hierarchy thing they have going sort of an obnoxious marketing ploy.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Tantallum — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 22:37:18 GMT

@suzyQ3 wrote:
Each to his own, but I would never want such pressure to spend unless the rewards were just amazing. They don't look amazing at all to me. I buy occasionally at Sephora only because it's close to me and they have a good return policy, but I never buy with the thought that I am a dollar closer to being on top of the heap. :-)

I find the whole hierarchy thing they have going sort of an obnoxious marketing ploy.

.

I can understand that. But for some of us, there is no 'pressure'--it is easy to spend that much without even keeping track. Both my husband and myself use philosphy products. I buy gifts for my two sisters, mother in law, mother, etc for birthdays, mothers day, winter holidays, etc.

The other thing I do is sort of share it with my sister. I get free two-day shipping to any address so she will tell me what she wants, I order it up to her, she gets it lickety split and then she just gives me the cash next time I see her.

Free two day shipping on any size order, frequent 15-20% off anything coupons (one going on right now), excellent return policy, good selection of products I already use....for some of us, it is totally worth it.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Rachb — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 22:40:48 GMT

@tantallumm99 how often do they offer the coupons/discounts?

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Tantallum — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 23:07:27 GMT

@Rachb At least 3 times a year I would say for 15-20% off. I will get other random 10% off here and there. The 20% off sale is for everyone in November, but --VIB rouge get it a few days before everyone else so everything you want will be in stock. Every year there are posts on these boards about ladies trying to buy during that sale but everything they want is already sold out. So if you buy beauty gifts for holiday shopping that November one really helps to be a rouge. They also have some really neat gifts with purchase. I got a fragrance sampler free with $25 purchase once, and then later that year the same thing was SELLING for $25.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

pjoy — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 23:36:10 GMT

Why don't you like Ulta's program? I'm a VIB Rouge and get little to no benefit unless I want a bunch of cheap samples as my "rewards." With Ulta, you get CASH to spend on products you want, no restrictions.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

NJgirl 1205 — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:13:10 GMT

I no longer chase VIB Rouge membership. I like Drugstore/beauty.com which often offers the 20% off plus some cash back from mrrebates. This way I have no pressure to spend a specific amount and just buy what I need/want. If only buy from Sephora if it is not available elsewhere but not much else.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Mrsq2022 — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 03:59:02 GMT

@pjoy wrote:
Why don't you like Ulta's program? I'm a VIB Rouge and get little to no benefit unless I want a bunch of cheap samples as my "rewards." With Ulta, you get CASH to spend on products you want, no restrictions.

I was curious too. I'm just a VIB at Sephora and there is nothing to write home about. A few 15% off coupons and that's it. Even a Beauty Insider gets the free birthday gift, so that can be considered a bonus. I even had to pay $10 for the free Flash shipping - I would think they would give this away to VIB and Rouge members for free. At least Ulta is giving you $158 to spend - I get $0 from Sephora. The last 500 points I redeemed at Sephora got me a wimpy little Josie Maran sampler kit that was worth maybe $15 at most.

(Edited to say that maybe the Flash shipping is free to Rouge members. I pay $10 a year for it, so that's a $10 value for Rouge members. )

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

HappyDaze — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 04:20:38 GMT

@Tantallum wrote:
@Rachb At least 3 times a year I would say for 15-20% off. I will get other random 10% off here and there. The 20% off sale is for everyone in November, but --VIB rouge get it a few days before everyone else so everything you want will be in stock. Every year there are posts on these boards about ladies trying to buy during that sale but everything they want is already sold out. So if you buy beauty gifts for holiday shopping that November one really helps to be a rouge. They also have some really neat gifts with purchase. I got a fragrance sampler free with $25 purchase once, and then later that year the same thing was SELLING for $25.

No the VIB and Rouge only gives you two % off a year- once in April and once around the holiday; 20% during the holiday sale and 15% in April. And you get the gift card that even BIs get but VIBs/Rouge get a little more than the VIBs/Rouge get. Those are the only sales.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Tricolor — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 12:46:48 GMT

This is my first year of being a Rouge. Believe me I did not set out get to that level. I have been a VIB for years. My spending this year obviously was more than I ususally do but not because I wanted to get to that Rouge Status. So mine is good to December 2016. Well I have already spent enought to qualify for Rouge until December 2017. What I have done is if I have the option of buying something somewhere else, I have opted to go to Sephora that way I earn points. It was nice having access to make my purchases last week when the Rouge sale started. Instead of waiting another week and finding that everything that I wanted was sold out which is what has happened to me when I was a VIB.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

sharlee — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 22:18:01 GMT

@pjoy wrote:
Why don't you like Ulta's program? I'm a VIB Rouge and get little to no benefit unless I want a bunch of cheap samples as my "rewards." With Ulta, you get CASH to spend on products you want, no restrictions.

Well, I can only answer for myself, of course, but not only is the nearest Ulta a half hour drive away, but their coupons have so many restrictions that they can't ever be applied to anything I actually want. And the one nearest me seems to have a lot of items that I can actually get elsewhere for less money (drug store type merchandise) so that's not much of an attraction for me. Maybe different Ultas carry different items?

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Rachb — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 22:24:42 GMT

I have 4 Ultas within 15-20 minutes of me. I'd find myself in there once or twice a week. Low stock on drugstore brands. I buy some of those brands but mostly I purchase from the prestige side, which is often excluded from the coupons. And they don't have as broad a selection of prestige brands as Sephora does. And it's true, their $3.50 coupons aren't really worth the while.

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Sami Wami — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 05:35:23 GMT

I'm a VIB rouge...never set out to be just sort of happened. But I feel like the BEST perk of the membership hasn't been mentioned, FREE personal beauty consultations (basically free private shopping sessions) and FREE custom makeovers. The personal beauty sessions normally cost $125 and the makeovers coat $50. The makeovers are full face makeovers done by their make up artists and the work is beautiful. You get unlimited makeovers and during wedding season the savings definitely add up!!

Re: Question for VIB Rouge members

Trix — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 18:05:48 GMT

@Rachb wrote:
I have 4 Ultas within 15-20 minutes of me. I'd find myself in there once or twice a week. Low stock on drugstore brands. I buy some of those brands but mostly I purchase from the prestige side, which is often excluded from the coupons. And they don't have as broad a selection of prestige brands as Sephora does. And it's true, their $3.50 coupons aren't really worth the while.

There are four Ultas within a 5 mile radius of my home and I have quite a different perspective. If anything, the stores have greatly improved over the past couple of years in terms of stock on the shelves, and an increase in the number of prestige brands available at more of their brick and mortar locations. If I'm shopping in-store, the prestige brands Sephora sells which I cant get at Ulta, I prefer to use a department store counter (Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Nars).

Every quarter Ulta has a storewide sale in which everything -- including prestige brands -- is eligible. The prestige discount is 15%; everything else 20%. I use the bi-weekly coupons for buying things such as bobby pins, hair clips/barettes/headbands, nail polish remover, etc. Furthermore by choosing Ulta to purchase some of my preferred prestige brands (Lancome, Pur Minerals, Smashbox, Peter Thomas Roth, Perricone, Redkin haircare, my points accumulate to be used as dollars off at the register. 1000 points is $50 to spend on any day you choose, on any item in the store (no exclusions). If you redeem your points during a storewide sale event the $50 value is enhanced with everything being 15 -to-20% off.

In theory I'm actually not a fan of rewards programs. However, the Ulta program of dollars off for dollars spent makes sense to me. Therefore, it is the place where I will continue to play the rewards program game.