topic Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water in Community Chat

Ulta’s in Hot Water

Moonchilde — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 02:31:17 GMT

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/video/ulta-hit-2nd-lawsuit-claiming-company-resells-returned-53053287

If Ulta can be sued for selling used items as new, QVC should re-think their “as-is” and “Waitlist” policies or someone could decide to class-action them too. It’s worse of course when you’re talking substances that people have had their fingers in, but IMO any returned products should be labeled as a “returned item” or “open box” or whatever when ordering sight unseen. That way if you want to take a chance you’re fully informed and they have covered themselves. But of course when you do that people expect a price reduction.

Hmm.... What to do.....

Obey the law and take a price hit, or break the law and potentially be sued.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

cherry — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 02:34:05 GMT

I've never been to Ulta. It just never seemed hygienic to me to use communal makeup

I would never buy anything from Q ,that I couldn't wash first

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Moonchilde — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:01:24 GMT

@cherry There weren’t that many Ultas in SoCal when I left, though there may be more now. Sephora was where you went for cosmetics and scent sampling.

On the Central Coast, there are Ultas everywhere and almost no Sephoras, so I’ve been in a few times trying to get help. What I’ve discovered is that the employees are all over you to point you in the right direction to buy, but if you need any help, forget it. I don’t know if they hire young women who have zero cosmetics knowledge, or they’re all just lazy-a**, but I’m through with them. I think it’s the latter, honestly. When you get 50 feet past the front door you’re invisible.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Daysdee — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:09:21 GMT

I don't care much for Ulta and since Sephora is too far away, I do order from Sephora online. Also order cosmetics from QVC and department stores (mostly online). Got to thinking. A lot of items like lip glosses, eye make-up, etc. could have been "gently tried" and returned and resent to another customer. A lot of the items are not sealed with plastic or don't have a seal inside. Maybe if they don't look like they have been used, some companies restock them and send them out again. Do we really know?

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

GSPgirl — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:12:08 GMT

wrote:
@cherry There weren’t that many Ultas in SoCal when I left, though there may be more now. Sephora was where you went for cosmetics and scent sampling.

On the Central Coast, there are Ultas everywhere and almost no Sephoras, so I’ve been in a few times trying to get help. What I’ve discovered is that the employees are all over you to point you in the right direction to buy, but if you need any help, forget it. I don’t know if they hire young women who have zero cosmetics knowledge, or they’re all just lazy-a**, but I’m through with them. I think it’s the latter, honestly. When you get 50 feet past the front door you’re invisible.

I live on the east coast and I hate the Ultas here. The employees are rude and there is never enough help at the register. It’s also dirty with makeup dust everywhere. I love Sephora.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

september — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:15:38 GMT

We now have both Ulta and Sephora near me. I never try out the samples (except for fragrance).

I'm an Ulta fan for many reasons....the bigger selection does it for me, as well as coupons, the rewards programs, and the wide range of products, from drugstore prices to department store options.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

NYC Susan — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:20:43 GMT

wrote:
wrote:
@cherry There weren’t that many Ultas in SoCal when I left, though there may be more now. Sephora was where you went for cosmetics and scent sampling.

On the Central Coast, there are Ultas everywhere and almost no Sephoras, so I’ve been in a few times trying to get help. What I’ve discovered is that the employees are all over you to point you in the right direction to buy, but if you need any help, forget it. I don’t know if they hire young women who have zero cosmetics knowledge, or they’re all just lazy-a**, but I’m through with them. I think it’s the latter, honestly. When you get 50 feet past the front door you’re invisible.
I live on the east coast and I hate the Ultas here. The employees are rude and there is never enough help at the register. It’s also dirty with makeup dust everywhere. I love Sephora.

I live on the east coast too, and I far prefer Ulta. Sephora is crowded and the employees are reluctant to help. Supposedly customers can get samples simply by asking, but I almost always encounter an attitude. When I do get samples, the employees act as though they're doing me a huge favor. The lines to check out are always long and they move slowly. There are lots of employees walking around, but most of them don't seem to be doing anything.

The Ultas I have been to are so much better. The employees are knowledgeable and helpful, and I've never had more than one person in line in front of me when I want to check out. If I ask a question, I'm treated respectfully and not as though I'm interrupting their day.

Just goes to show that different locations of the same store can be entirely different.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Moonchilde — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:25:11 GMT

wrote:
I don't care much for Ulta and since Sephora is too far away, I do order from Sephora online. Also order cosmetics from QVC and department stores (mostly online). Got to thinking. A lot of items like lip glosses, eye make-up, etc. could have been "gently tried" and returned and resent to another customer. A lot of the items are not sealed with plastic or don't have a seal inside. Maybe if they don't look like they have been used, some companies restock them and send them out again. Do we really know?

I think that with items that have a distinct gouge out it’s pretty obvious. Nail polish, I wouldn’t mind if someone took a tiny bit on the brush to test. Same with eyeshadow - slight but not super obvious. Lipsticks, creams, face makeup and other things you can usually tell. What was described in the article should never happen.

If I ever received an item like that, or did what was done here - point it out, make sure they know, and they sell it anyway - I would never shop there again, on principle.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Roni18 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:26:23 GMT

Overall, I have been happier with Ulta than Sephora and gotten better customer service. I've never purchased anything that looked like it had been returned/used. I returned one skin care product that I had a reaction too. I only returned it because it was an expensive product.

I think that they definitely need to label items as returned though. I know some of the department stores, like Dillard's, put a small returned sticker on returned items. That seems like a good idea for Ulta.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Moonchilde — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:35:57 GMT

wrote:
We now have both Ulta and Sephora near me. I never try out the samples (except for fragrance).

I'm an Ulta fan for many reasons....the bigger selection does it for me, as well as coupons, the rewards programs, and the wide range of products, from drugstore prices to department store options.

I never had an issue going in and buying something I knew I wanted where I just have to grab it off a shelf or ask someone to point me in the direction. But any time I’ve actually needed help with something (makeup demo, color check) they practically ran to get away. After three trips to two different Ultas that got very old.

OTOH I went into the Sephora at Del Monte and they were polite and helpful, where in LA they weren’t always.

So much is down to the individual store and manager.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

OKPrincess — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 03:39:25 GMT

We have both Ulta and Sephora and I prefer Ulta. I haven’t had any problems yet.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

IMW — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 04:24:26 GMT

Totally agree with you, but “as is” items are clearly labeled as possible returns by QVC.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

jackthebear — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 11:31:01 GMT

story surfaced about month ago.

TBH not my go to store but I use it as a research facility for IT as the store near me has just about everything they have. I will order here as the deals are better.

Stores are never stocked and look untidy

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Nataliesgramma — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 11:44:17 GMT

I think they are more willing to help the younger customers and seem to ignore women of my age..

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Bri36 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 11:57:19 GMT

I very rarely go into Ulta. When I do, I spend too much time there because it's too big. LOL

I don't think I've ever bought or received a "used" cosmetics item. It doesn't surprise me that something would be returned to the shelf if it was used and nobody could tell.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

winamac1 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:26:42 GMT

I much prefer Sephora. I don't like most of the employees at most Ultas though one in my city has improved. I like the co manager a lot. She's helpful and easy to deal wtih. Ulta has improved, but it's still not a Sephora.

Their coupons, for the most part, are worthless. You can't use the Ulta coupons on most products except the few times a year card that allows 20% on many Prestige products. That's mainly when I shop at Ulta.

I think Ulta and Sephora have both probably resold cosmetics that re returned. When I've returned, Sephora does open the box, look at the product, etc.

QVC resells returns all the time. Most are marked "as is", but not all of them are. I're received clothing that's most defnitely been a return as one item popped back in stock after being sold out. That's a return for sure. It's no different, though, from someone trying something on at Anthropologie or Macys or wherever and not wearing it and returning it. Also with jackets whereby the tag is inside, someone could have worn the item from an retailer and returned it. They wouldn't even know unless it clearly looked worn.

I had a friend who grossed me out. She's buy stuff at J Crew, wear it twice and return it. She'd make sure the tag wasn't showing. I told her that was just wrong, but she laughed it off. It's almost like stealing. We actually are not friends any longer for many other reasons too.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Karie2022 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 13:01:44 GMT

I like both, but what I don’t like about our Sephora is the lighting, so awful; our ulta has great lighting because it’s a stand alone store with big windows, the Sephora is in the mall...

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

CANDLEQUEEN — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 13:52:43 GMT

I really love our Ulta, it is fairly new, and very clean, and the sales people are very friendly and helpful. They are not pesty-which is good because that is a big pet peeve of mine when shopping! The store is clean, I rarely sample cosmetics, but do sample fragrances. If I do sample say a lipstick, I put the color on a stick and swipe the stick on my hand-never my lips!!!!!!!!

I love Sephora too, because they are so generous with their samples, something Ulta is not....Ulta is much much closer to me, so therefore I shop there much more frequently!

Never had a problem with either! Nor a problem with QVC or HSN or Evine sending used products......

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

chrystaltree — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:27:24 GMT

I've always assumed that QVC's "as is" items are returns. Seems like a no brainer to me. They get all those returns and they sell the ones that are as good as new and they do the right thing with the "as is" label. Which is why I don't buy "as is" items. I didn't read the article but I think it's different with Ulta since they are being accused of selling returned cosmetics as new. That's a health and safety issue. There are laws against doing that.

Re: Ulta’s in Hot Water

Cumbercookie13 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:30:09 GMT

I have an Ulta here and it's a big clean store with nice lighting. I've bought a few things from there - not makeup, but face cleanser and cottonballs. It's also better priced. Sephora is also nice, but more expensive budget wise.