Have the beauty counters gone to far? Sales vs customer care

For the record I’m not really a whinger!

Quite spinelessly I brush off many things and prefer not to complain but I was recently pushed to contact to a high-end, luxury beauty brand about the pushy sales tactics at their counter. This got me thinking about the state of counter-culture…

I’ve done the rounds in retail myself as well as paying more shopping visits to the beauty counters than most people have had hot dinners and in turn I know the score. Behind the lip glossed smiles brands are more focussed on sales than customer service, and this leads to some very poor customer service and cookie cutter selling.

 The worst culprits? You know who they are! They have pop up stands in shopping centres ” Madam can I ask you a question” is the start of their tired script, 10 mins into conversation if you haven’t indicated any intension of buying you can see them begin to slightly foam at the mouth in desperation.  Expect hard sales from these brands their pay is largely made of commission but I’d expect informative sales advice from the high-end luxury brands!

I visited the beauty counter at Westfield’s with the soul intention of purchasing several products for an editorial and to check out their new cosmetic and skin care launches. Let me tell you the products I required where not cheap!

When approached I thanked the advisor for offering help and told her that I didn’t need advice and wanted to browse. I might as well have been speaking backwards in Japanese! Instantly she persisted to follow me at arms reach and ask sales engaging questions, giving me information on products I had no interest in and suggesting that I do a multi buy for a gift with purchase. As I scanned the beauty products I could feel I was being watched. Feeling incredibly stifled I practically ran away from the counter. I had none of the products that I needed 

Beauty is my area of expertise so I wouldn’t fall prey to any of these sales tactics but what if I had very little knowledge on the subject and really needed advice? The sales person wasn’t listening to me she had no idea of my requirements or needs. The brands products range  from about £20 to several hundred(!!!!) so it scares me when we are talking such big money to think that sales “advisors” are obviously under these sales pressures and so unreceptive to a customers needs. 

When I contacted the brand I wasn’t complaining about the sales staff as I understand that these staff are under immense pressure.

Trusting consumers hang on their every word of beauty staff as expert and the sale begins. Many of the make up artists and beauty specialists in retail are brilliant, I have friends who work in retail and they are fantastic, talented make up artists/beauty specialists with great passion in what they do. The problem is that their job is in no way as simple as people believe. They have targets to hit, high targets. Their performance is constantly monitored on percentages- they aim to sell *% make up * % skin care etc.. IPS/IPT this stands for Items per sale/transaction. If you buy a single product this will bring their items per sale down so they have to try to avoid this. Their wage is often made up by commission as individuals and as counters. In a sale they have to try to link sale to improve their items per transaction, they also have to try to get your contact details as well whilst you are at the counter to add you to e newsletter or  mailing lists and also so they can call/write to you to tell you about new products events etc to get you back in store.  

It’s a shame that brands are now favouring the employment of sales people rather than beauty experts.

When you are at a beauty counter-

If you find some one particularly helpful you can book in with them directly for make up updates etc.

Dont be pushed in, its understandable if a sales person has spent a long time helping you feel an obligation but take your time to check the products in other lights and to ensure the product lasts well after a few hours.

Check your own products before you make a purchase, how many times has it happened, you buy the amazing sounding product just to find that you have something just like it already at home! 

Listen out for the multi sell do you really need the extra products? Will the extra products really improve the finish or performance of your chosen products? Or are you just spending twice as much as originally intended for some trial sized products you would never have intended to buy?

Only give your contact information if you are happy at being contacted , it’s just an extension of the brands sales methods.

March 2, 2010. Tags: beauty brands, beauty counter, buy one get one free, counter culture, heavy sales, item with purchase, pushy sales, westfields. Product reviews, The diary of a London make up artist, tips fro make up artists, Uncategorized. 2 comments.