Avon Clicking!
Written: Oct 26 '09 (Updated Oct 27 '09)
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I confess… I cheated on my Avon lady. It meant nothing, I swear! It was just a one-time fling – I happened to stumble across a free-shipping promo code, and there was a sale with glittery eyeliner, and my regular Avon lady was out of town and unavailable, and one thing led to another and… well, you know. I feel terrible about it, honestly. Before you consider two-timing your Avon lady, here’s what you should know about Avon.com.
I don’t really visit Avon’s website regularly, so I wasn’t too familiar with the layout and design. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that it looks modern, clean, and simple, which makes it easy to navigate and understand. The homepage has a product quick search and some featured items, and you actually have to click through to get to the online store.
On the homepage and elsewhere, the site prompts you to order through an “eRepresentative,” i.e., your local Avon lady who’s registered with the site. You give her rep number, she gets credit for the sale, the items are shipped to her, and you get “free” shipping. (Sadly, I didn’t know my rep’s ID number, so I couldn’t credit her, but you are not required to fill this in if you choose to pay for shipping.)
Once you’ve gotten to the online-store component, the site looks very much like Sephora, Ulta, or other online beauty merchants. The top nav bar has links to certain product lines, like their anti-aging line or the Mark brand, aimed at young women. You can also search by category (makeup, skin care, gifts, wellness) or by Best Sellers, Top Rated, What’s New, and so on. A drop-down menu allows you to search by brand name.
Clicking on any of those categories takes you to a page with further subcategories to browse. You can sort by price, and any special offers that a product is eligible for appear directly underneath the listing, which is very helpful if you’re shooting for a mix-n-match or a gift with purchase. From a product page, you can get more information, read or write customer reviews, and add it to your Wish List. Some, but not all, products have ingredient listings linked next to the product image.
You can create an account if you want to make a Wish List or you plan to be a returning customer, but you can also check out as a guest. The cart clearly shows what you’ve ordered and your running total, and it’s pretty straightforward to add, edit, or remove items. I applied a promo code for free shipping, which said it would take 4-7 business days, and the transaction processed smoothly and I immediately received a confirmation email and receipt for my purchase.
Unfortunately, Avon’s website didn’t make it clear that the free shipping option would be via UPS Ground, not USPS. Theft issues in my building mean it’s not safe for UPS to leave parcels at my door, so anytime someone tries to have UPS deliver to my house, it becomes an epic saga of “We Missed You” slips, rerouting attempts, and harried cross-town rush-hour drives. Had I known they would use UPS, I would have had the package sent to my work, so I wish the site would have been clearer about the delivery method used BEFORE I placed my order. It’s been 7 business days and the UPS tracking system was extremely slow to update my order in their system; they finally show that postage has been paid, but there’s no information on where my order actually is or when I might expect it. This isn’t directly Avon’s fault, but it’s annoying and time-consuming, and not all that convenient as a delivery method; it’s going to take two weeks or more to get my small, one-package order. Then again, when you order via your representative, you wait until her next order goes in and then a couple more weeks to have it delivered, so nobody ever said Avon was the fast way to go.
Overall, using the website was easy and intuitive, entering promo codes and checking out went smoothly and without problems, and I expect to get my products eventually, although the wait is somewhat frustrating. If you’re an advance planner with a big holiday gift list, it’s definitely worth it to stock up and place a large order of beauty treats for your recipients… just make sure you leave puh-lenty of time to actually get your items.
UPDATE: I got an orange slip in my regular mailbox saying that a parcel was being held for me at the post office, which (after the 2-day delay before they had it ready for me) turned out to be... my Avon order! Apparently Avon uses UPS Mail Innovations, which partners with USPS in some fashion to deliver to your regular mailbox. The tracking number still hasn't updated since the last time I checked it and it doesn't have any information on where the package physically is, but I guess they technically did get it here within 7 business days, had I been here to receive it. Way to make that confusing, Avon!
However, the box was an acceptable size for the small items I ordered (i.e., not ridiculously oversized), and the items were well-packed with tissue paper and bubble wrap. Considering that the items I ordered were not fragile, they probably could have passed on the bubble wrap, but I guess it was nice of them to throw it in there. The package included my invoice, a coupon for Post cereal (?), and a copy of the new Avon catalog, which probably weighed as much as my actual makeup items! My order was correct and everything seems to be in good shape, so overall I'm happy and would order again.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Beauty/makeup items
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