Yes that was me in my glory days at ye olde Estee Lauder counter circa 1999. Yes, really. I'm the brunette btw. Estee Lauder was the kick off to a decade and a half of cosmetic knowledge and artistry skill. I have learned a lot about many products, companies and philosophies. I have also learned a lot about human nature. Some of it good. Some bad. A lot of it stupid.
I've always had the philosophy that to be a human being, one must have to work in some form of customer service for at least a year. It's kinda like my version of the Israeli army. Male or female, you must work in retail or food/beverage service or some form of service where contact with the general public is a daily thing.
I'm going to begin a series where I share ways to shop at these counters and get what you want and need without making an ass out of yourself. We do chat about those people and if you make a big enough ass out of yourself at a cosmetic counter, you might even earn yourself a nick-name like "Crazy Mary", "Hurdy Gurdy" or "Moon Face".
Today I'm gonna talk about samples, why us cosmetic girls are so stingy with them and how to get one. So lets get rolling.....
Ideally a sample would be the best way to test drive a product like skincare or a foundation. On the downside, enough people have abused the sampling system implemented by companies, that samples are now coveted items, dolled out sparingly. "Abused?", you ask? Yes, abused! Many customers have used the Halloween method of "trick or treat" at various counters, not really caring what they are getting, wanting only to get something for nothing.
I had a lady come to my counter once, wanting me to put 12 sample bags together to be used as party favors for her 12 year olds birthday party attendees. "Wouldn't that be fun?", she asks, practically salivating. Fun?
Let's break this down. Samples that cosmetic counters get are typically in packet or vial form, measuring at about .17 to .25 ounces. Occasionally counters get what we call "deluxe" samples or empty containers that hold product from .25 ounces to an .5 ounces. When you purchase a moisturizer for the face, generally the product is a 1.7 ounce at its full size. Foundations range from 1 ounce to 1.7 ounce. So it would take 4 to a little over 6 samples of foundation or moisturizer to add up to a full size product!
On the average a moisturizer at the department store will run about $62 and foundations average around $46.
Going back to our friend, "Mommy Cheapest", her wanting us to give her 12 foundation samples and 12 moisturizer samples would be like giving her 2 full sized foundations and 2 full sized moisturizers. If you are wondering, the cash value would be about $216! Yeah. Fun.
Samples and sample containers are usually given to the counters by their accounts representative. These come in small allotments each month and sometimes as little as each season and often tie into the promotion of a new product. If you've ever seen one of those ads in a fashion magazine with a coupon attached, that is usually a coupon to get a sample of something at a local department stores counter. As a side note, make sure you read said coupon. Seriously. You would be surprised at the number of times I have been berated by a customer because they didn't read: A. Which brand was giving the sample away, B. Which department store this sample was available at or C. What the sample was, or D. How long the coupon was good for. This is not an exaggeration. You don't want to be THAT customer that comes in with a stack of coupons you've hoarded for the last 2 years, angry because you're at the wrong store/counter and the coupon is long since expired. Please read.
A lot of times, the disclaimer "while supplies last" is no joke. I remember once having to go to a restaurant service store and purchase, with my own money, those little plastic containers that you get condiments in, because we had long since run out of samples provided to us. So if you think counters just have samples laying around waiting for a pinata to stuff, you are mistaken.
Often, if you are genuinely interested in a product and the counter has samples or sample containers, giving one sample out isn't a problem. It's only when requesting multiple samples of something to tide you over till pay day or to use on vacation that raises the "I live off samples and have no intention of buying" red flag.
What I'm getting at is the whole point of a sample is getting to try something with the idea that you will, indeed, be making a purchase of said product. Yes, they do make it much easier to take your beloved moisturizer or foundation on the plane, but the word "your" alludes to the fact that you have purchased this product. I know this may come as a shock, but cosmetic companies sell products to make money and sample products in order to sell products to make money.
"I want to make sure it works an does what it says before I actually buy it", say's the customer. Generally when trying out a new product, you really have to give a product 1-2 weeks, which is a fair amount of time for someone to get a true idea of how a product works, 4-6 weeks to see major results. I think that skincare is such a tricky product to sample because of that fact.
For a customer with certain sensitivities, generally speaking, they will know instantly, or if not, at least within 24 hrs. If you are truly sensitive and don't have the time to have a consultation, try the product out at the counter by applying it to the skin in the crook of your arm aka where blood is drawn. The skin in that area is thin and would respond to any sensitivities your face might have more accurately. Again, if you are truly interested in a product, you will most likely be able to have a sample if samples are available.
So how do you get multiple samples? Most of the time the answer is going to be with a purchase or with a pre-scheduled appointment for a consultation. A consultation can be as simple as a 5 minute conversation and demonstration to a full on sit down with makeup application. If you think about it, this isn't a bad thing. Assuming you are genuinely wanting to try a new product, you are getting great product information from a knowledgeable representative. Another plus is that with a sit down skincare or makeup consultation, you get to test drive several products from that line, at the same time, on your skin. Afterwards you will usually be given a list of products that were used, the order and method of application and often times a few samples of the products themselves.
Making a purchase is a great way to get more than one item sampled. Sometimes if you are a regular, purchased a few items, or spent over a certain amount, we are able to kick down a few deluxe samples or extras from a previous gift with purchase. Emphasis on the word "few". In fact, one thing that most people don't know if that the security department of the store watches samples like a hawk. This is not a joke. I know of sales associates that have been written up and even fired for giving out what security deems as "excessive samples or gifts". This is usually a grey area but one that you don't want to find yourself in if you are the employee.
It sounds silly but samples are a privilege, not a right. Yes, I love getting freebies. Its fun to try new things and its fun to get a goody now and then, but even as a makeup artist who works the counter every other month, I never expect samples and am happy with whatever is available.
In the next installment of this series I will be tackling Gifts With Purchase. Those 3 words make many customers heart pound with joy, while simultaneously make the sales associates weep.
No comments:
Post a Comment