Sephora.com brings you the good, the bad, and the ugly of beauty
Written: Jan 07 '02 (Updated Oct 23 '02)
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| Full Review |
Welcome to small town America. Traffic is manageable, crime is low, schools are good, but if you want to buy a Chanel lipstick, you're just flat out of luck. Feeling a void in your life? Never fear. Sephora.com is here to fulfill your need to spend way too much money on beauty items.
Let's look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of Sephora.com...
The Good
The brand names. Sephora carries a dizzying array of brand names; I won't even attempt to list them. Many high-end cosmetics are available (though, to the dismay of many cosmetic addicts, favorites such as Bobbi Brown and MAC are not included). Most of these brands aren't available to those of us who don't live in major metropolitan areas, so it's nice to have an online resource. "Brand stores" allow you to easily browse all the offerings by several of the brands.
The products. Cosmetics, fragrances, bath and body products, hair care, skin care, tools and accessories -- again, quite an array.
The extra features. One of the most fascinating extras is the fragrance finder. Looking for a floral fragrance with orange notes? Something for your guy with a touch of vanilla? Or just a new spicy oriental scent? Plug in your preferences, and the fragrance finder gives you a list of possibilities (now if there were only a way to get samples of those possibilities, I'd be in heaven!) The site also features the occasional makeover story, a gift finder, a beauty advisor, and a wishlist feature that allows you to save your favorites for easier ordering in the future.
The shipping options. As the standard shipping option, you can choose to have your package sent via UPS or USPS. Every online retailer should offer this! FedEx shipping is also available for those in dire need. Standard shipping is free with a $60 order.
The samples. Most orders come with at least one nice sample, and often more.
The other freebies. Sephora often runs promotions offering gifts with purchase. Recent gifts have included cosmetic bags, t-shirts, and Sephora brand products, as well as free shipping. Discount coupons are also available fairly regularly (check http://www.currentcodes.com).
The packaging. Gift wrapping is free (not really gift wrapping, but a very nice black-and-white box with a pretty ribbon). If you prefer, you order will be enclosed in a black felt drawstring bag, which is handy for many uses.
The return policy (part 1). Items can be returned within 30 days for any reason. They can be taken to any Sephora store, or can be shipped back to the online store free of charge using the enclosed postage-paid label - again, every online retailer should offer this!
The customer service (part 1). Every customer service rep I have dealt with, either on the phone or via e-mail, has been extremely polite and eager to help.
The Bad
The swatches. Sephora's swatches are notoriously inaccurate. They're better than they used to be -- until a recent redesign, eye shadow swatches were a little dot smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser. The swatches are larger now, but still unreliable. Not only are the colors are often completely wrong, but there is no way to tell the finish of a product (for example, if an eyeshadow is matte or shimmer).
The gift certificate policy. Promotional gift certificates (those they give away) cannot be combined with a coupon or other offer, or with a non-promotional gift certificate.
The prices. Those who shop online hoping to find better prices will be disappointed. Though they must have an incredible volume of sales, Sephora's prices are no lower than other outlets (in fact, they are sometimes higher). However, the occasional sale or coupon means one can still get a great buy.
The Ugly
The return policy (part 2). Items returned to the online store will not be processed for about 30 days. It can take another 2 or 3 cycles for your credit card to be credited. Because it takes so long to process a return, I will no longer buy from Sephora unless (a) I know I'll love it, or (b) I'm willing to swap or sell it if I'm not happy with my purchase.
They don't seem to have any written policy for returns of items purchased with a gift certificate. The first time I returned an item purchased with a GC, the customer service rep told me they'd send a check when the return was processed. When the check didn't appear, I called again and the next rep was surprised that anyone would have claimed I'd receive a check, and said I'd receive another GC instead. I did, after calling one more time. The second time I returned an item purchased with a GC, they said I'd receive a replacement GC. When it didn't arrive, the rep was, again, surprised that anyone would have said such a thing, and said they'd credit the entire amount to my credit card (even though I'd used a $25 GC and only charged $1 to my credit card).
The customer service (part 2). See above. While they're always polite and eager to help, they aren't able to give the correct information.
In conclusion...
It's hard to dismiss the pleasure of buying beauty items in person. I want to see them, feel them, smell them before I buy. But if you don't have that option, or if you already know what you want and are simply trying to avoid the mall, Sephora is a website that will quickly find its way onto your favorites list.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Tracy
Location: Oklahoma
Reviews written: 76
Trusted by: 22 members
About Me: Fifteen words? Shopper... user... reviewer... wife... mother... employee... from infertility treatment to cosmetics and toys!
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