Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
Thanks for the reply. However, I've made it clear that I don't want to waste another half an hour or longer on phone given my experience with Sephora phone service. If you are willing to help, I'd like to recover the following items from my missing order since I've purchased the rest elsewhere during the past month:
Stila waterproof liquid eye liner
Amika polished straightening brush
Hourglass lip oil
Benefit hydrating concealer
Benefit 1st prize highlighters
Clarins toning lotion
Clarins moisture rich body lotion
Clinique make up remover
Armani lip stain
YSL glossy stain
Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I have reached out to your customer service department several times, as well as the Rouge line. I was advised that all future purchases online will automatically be rejected due to a "business decision." They refused to disclose the reason why any purchases would not go through successfully, thus I did not bother attempting to make any further orders. In the last few days, I have again spoken to a supervisor from the customer service department. Once again, I was advised that the "business decision" will not be lifted, but they encourage me to continue visiting the stores to make purchases.
When I submitted the last order I made in [redacted], the funds were taken out of my account automatically. My billing and shipping address was the same as the information listed under the account. The order was still denied and I had to wait approximately 10-14 business days for the funds to be received back into my account.
I am requesting that this hold is lifted from my account as it is extremely inconvenient that I cannot make any purchases online. I work 7 days a week and it is a huge hassle for me to constantly go to the store to make my purchases when I should be allowed to do them from my home.
Sincerely,[redacted]
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I was NEVER told anything by Sephora about the items having to be returned to their Distribution Centre. I was simply told that I was being refunded for this order. Additionally, upon checking the tracking, it also says the parcel was delivered. However, I have not even received it. Therefore, ensure that the full refund os processed IMMEDIATELY. I have had nothing but problems with Sephora's online ordering system and will not be purchasing anything from them again.Sincerely,[redacted]
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for any confusion.
We regret that we do not accept returns after 90 days. If the item was purchased in [redacted], it is now outside the return timeframe and we are unable to assist you with an exchange or refund. Thank you for...
your understanding. Learn more about Sephora’s full return policy at www.sephora.com/returns. Regards,Sephora Client Services
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/07) */
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com Complaint are very sorry to hear the package may have gone missing.
At this time, we have confirmation from OnTrac stating that their driver was at the correct location at the time the delivery was...
made. We understand that you have spoken with the OnTrac driver, however please keep in mind that the confirmation OnTrac uses is an electronic tracker and not voice confirmation.
Again, we are sorry you have not received your package, however as we have confirmation from OnTrac that the package was delivered, we suggest reaching out to your Financial Institution for further assistance.
We hope that you will shop with us again to give us the opportunity to show you the kind of experience we strive to offer all of our valued clients.
Best,
Sephora Client Services
Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/04) */
We have read your submitted complaint and appreciate that you have provided us with the opportunity to assist you further and hopefully bring clarity to this situation.
We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the payment method...
that was applied to your online order that was placed on 11/8/2014. During the ordering process on Sephora.com when payment information is entered on the checkout page and the back button is pressed before clicking the place order button, the new payment information entered will not be saved. It is correct that when this occurs there is no "pop up" warning advising that the payment is not saved and will need to be re-entered when the client continues again with checkout. It is also correct that if there is a saved method of payment on the account and the client continues on with order placement, the saved method of payment will be applied. This is not a technical glitch. We are very sorry if there was any misunderstanding regarding this during the checkout process and we will forward your feedback to the appropriate party.
However, when continuing on with the checkout process if the client presses the red "Place Order" button on the checkout page, a new screen will appear. On this screen all order details will be shown including all items in the shopping basket, the shipping address, promotional offers applied and the method of payment being used. The method of payment will display the type of credit or debit card that is being applied, the last four numbers of the card, the expiration date and the billing address for the card. At this stage the order has not been placed and the client has the opportunity to review all aspects of the order before submitting. There is also a clear reminder to the left of the "Place Order" button that states "Please review your order information.If everything is correct, click the Place Order button."
In regards to your order that was placed on 11/8/2015, we reviewed your account and were able to see that you contacted us on 11/28/2015 about this order. We also issued an online store credit to your account for the amount equivalent to 20% of your merchandise total, for the promotion that you stated was missing for the order in question placed on 11/8/2015. Our records show that this store credit was accepted and used in it's entirety in 3 separate orders that were placed on 12/17/2014 and 2/8/2015 on your account. You also stated that you had received your order and that 4 items were missing. We placed a replacement order for the missing items at no additional charge on the same day. This replacement order was delivered to you on 12/2/2014.
There is no reference in the notes that were made on your account by the supervisor that assisted with your call on 11/28/2015 stating that you asked that the credit card used on the order be refunded and a different credit card be charged for the order. There are also no notations on your account stating that you had advised us that you did not intend for that credit card to be used as a method of payment on the order.
We were not able to find any correspondence from you in reference to the payment issue you are stating occured during order placement on 11/8/2014. The only additional correspondence we received from you were in the form of emails that were sent to us on 12/17/2014. Two inquires were made in the correspondence. One requesting that an order that you placed on the same day be cancelled. We replied to you on that day advising that we could not cancel the order. One additional inquiry regarding a return of merchandise that was sent back to us. We advised on the same day that the return had not yet been processed.
With the exception of this Revdex.com complaint opened on 10/26/2015, we have no record of any additional correspondence or attempt by you to contact us since 12/17/2014.
Sephora is not responsible for any clients decision to not meet their financial obligations with their creditors. We are under no obligation to pay any finance charges or late fees that are the result of any clients decision to not pay their creditors in a timely fashion for charges made on our website.
In the spirit of making your Sephora experience more enjoyable and for any misunderstandings that may have occured, we have enrolled you complimentary in the Flash 2 day shipping program. We have also added an online store credit in the amount of $17.85 to your account. This will allow you to upgrade 3 future orders to one day shipping. If you choose not to upgrade the shipping, the store credit will automatically apply towards your order total.
We hope that you will shop with us again to give us the opportunity to show you the kind of experience we strive to offer all of our valued clients.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/11/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Sephora admitted that 1) its website defaults to a payment method that consumers did not intend to use which unwittingly forces them to use an unwanted, unintentional method of payment. In my case, Sephora caused a significant charge to be charged to a credit card with high interest rates when I entered and intended to pay with a credit card with 0% interest; 2) when Sephora's website failed to properly deduct the 20% promotion code that it heavily marketed, SEPHORA MADE A UNILATERAL, SELF-INTERESTED DECISION to refuse a proper request for the refund of the 20% overcharge to be credited to my original form of payment and instead only present an offer for in-store credit which could only be used online.
By issuing a store credit which I could only use online, Sephora ensured that I would spend $1000, rather than $800, by forcing me to use money that I should have been free to use at my discretion, not in a way that only benefits Sephora. I had no choice but to use the in-store credit on Sephora's terms because Sephora refused to refund my original form of payment which Sephora acknowledges was not my intended form of payment. I used the in-store credit as collateral for a proper credit. I still have the merchandise and am happy to return it if Sephora provides a cash refund plus interest in the amount of $280. I DO NOT WANT THESE PRODUCTS AND AM HAPPY TO RETURN THEM IF SEPHORA WOULD ACT IN GOOD FAITH AND FOLLOW WHAT ALL OTHER MERCHANTS PRACTICEAPPLY ANY REFUND TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. This wasn't a matter of a lost receipt or items/prices/date of transaction that couldn't be verified which might justify a store credit. I immediately reported the error and Sephora at all times was in possession of every detail of the transaction so Sephora had no reasonable basis to deny crediting a refund to my original form of payment.
I cannot control what the rude Sephora representative chose to document as my complaints and concerns for contacting Sephora. My complaints are consistent with my dispute since Dec 2014 with the issuing bank that Sephora forced me to use because, by its own admission, its website STEALTHILY defaults to another form of payment with proper notice to the consumer. Even when I called to complain and have the transaction corrected, Sephora refused what should have been a simple dollar-for-dollar request.
Even now, Sephora offers a paltry and worthless compensation of free shipping that again drives business back to itself. Sephora, even after admitting its errors in processing my order and failing to follow basic fundamental refund policies of applying any refund to the original form of payment, does nothing to resolve the substantive part of my complaint1) refund the original form of payment for the value of the 20% promotion that Sephora failed to properly apply to my $1000 order PLUS 10% interest and DO NOT FORCE consumers to have to shop with Sephora by issuing store credits instead as a result of its own admitted errors, 2) reverse the transaction to the erroneous default form of payment which Sephora's website caused, and 3) charge that amount to my intended credit card.
Since Sephora refused to correct its own errors and resolve this transaction in good faith, I intended to return all the merchandise to the Palo Alto store. However, the night before I planned to return them, on 12 Jan 2015, our car was broken into in front of our own house. The original box, receipt, and merchandise were among several things stolen from the car. I filed a police report and reported the more than $3000 loss.
Sephora could have easily prevented all of this if it had just practiced good faith business practices and responded to my timely complaints and reports of errors made in an online transaction on sephora.com. That Sephora acknowledged that it was fully aware of these problems yet refused to fix them is entirely disturbing. However, it's not surprising given Sephora's immediate response to issue a resolution entirely in its favor when I brought this issue to its attention and now, it does so again by extending a worthless offer that stands to benefit Sephora but not in any way, address the admitted root cause of the problems.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/11/17) */
Thank you for responding to our reply. We are happy to have the opportunity to offer further clarification.
Our website does not deliberately default to an unwanted payment method. If a credit or debit card is saved in a client's account and the client has selected it as their default credit card, that card will automatically be applied as the method of payment. If the client selects or enters a new method of payment and then proceeds to the place order screen, the new selected payment will be applied. As we stated in our previous response to you, on Sephora.com during the checkout process if a client has entered or selected new payment information and navigates away from the checkout page the information will not be saved. This is not a stealthy attempt to deceive the client in any way. It is simply the way the website functions. A message advising that the information is not saved is not displayed. This is not entirely unique to Sephora.com. It is not uncommon on many major retail websites to not have this type of messaging. Regardless, when the client continues with the checkout process they will reach a final screen where the opportunity is given to review all aspects of the order. It is the client's sole responsibility to review this information thoroughly and make any necessary corrections before placing the order. Therefore once the client has willingly pressed the place order button they are acknowledging that their entire order and payment information is correct and are authorizing Sephora to process the order and charge the credit or debit card that was displayed on the place order screen.
We could not find any indication in any correspondence or notes left by supervisors and agents that you advised us that you had made this payment error when placing your order. We were not contacted by you immediately after you placed the order. You contacted us via phone 20 days later stating that you had applied a promotion code for a 20% discount and that discount had not been applied.
Even in the case that we had been advised that you had made a payment error on your order, we would not have been able to cancel the order or change the payment method. At the time of your phone call to us the order had been delivered and in your possession for 12 days and the payment settled.
We have once again reviewed the order in question placed on 11/8/2014. The promotion code that was entered was [redacted]. This was not the 20% off discount promotion code that you have stated we knowingly did not honor. This code was for a "Flawless Refresh" deluxe sample bag. This information would have also been displayed on the final checkout screen for you to review. Sephora can only accept one promotion code per order. This policy is stated in the fine print of all offers, on the Customer Service information page, and in the promotion code section on the checkout screen. As a discount promotion code was not applied to the order we are not under any obligation to issue a refund in the amount of the discount.
When we spoke to you on 11/28/2015 we agreed to extend the 20% discount to you in the form of an online store credit in the applicable amount. Although a promotion code had been redeemed on the order, and the 20% promotion code had long expired, a supervisor approved the store credit as a onetime courtesy. As you have spent the store credit in its entirety that would indicate that you were satisfied with our courteous appeasement.
This online store credit was in no way offered as any type of collateral or promissory payment of any alleged debt owed to you by Sephora. Under no circumstances would Sephora offer or imply that they were making any type of promissory payment towards a credit card refund to be made to you at a later date.
As the purchases that were made with this store credit were made outside of our return time frame of 90 days we would not be able to accept their return.
We have again reviewed your account and found that between 12/17/2014 and 10/27/2015 your account was not accessed by any Sephora Client Service agents. This indicates that there was no communication from you during this period and that we had no knowledge of your ongoing dissatisfaction. In the absence of any continued communication from you up until 10/26/2015 that you were unhappy with the store credit appeasement we could only come to the conclusion that you were satisfied.
We are genuinely sorry to hear that your car was burglarized. However Sephora is not in any way responsible for the theft. This was not caused by Sephora as we have no control over what our clients choose to do with their merchandise after purchasing. The merchandise ceases to be the responsibility of Sephora once it is in the client's possession.
It is always our goal at Sephora to make our clients happy and to work with them when any order problems arise. In this case we have exhausted every reasonable solution that we have available for these issues. The request to modify an order that was placed over a year ago by issuing a refund to the credit card on the order and to then charge another card is not reasonable or feasible. It is also unreasonable to expect Sephora to be responsible for any consequences that have arose as a result of any client not meeting their financial obligations as we have previously stated.
We are sorry to hear that you do not find the offer of the store credit to be an adequate appeasement for the situation. We respect your decision to no longer choose to shop with us. The online store credit that we have recently issued will remain on your account should you decide to place an order in the future.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 14, 2015/11/19) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My claim remains that Sephora charged the wrong credit card, making this purchase an unauthorized charge to my credit card.
Sephora's admission that it charged the wrong card: "on Sephora.com during the checkout process if a client has entered or selected new payment information and navigates away from the checkout page the information will not be saved. This is not a stealthy attempt to deceive the client in any way. It is simply the way the website functions."
Sephora states that its employees failed to document the nature of my call in which I expressly complained about the incorrect transaction. How can I, or any customer, control what Sephora chooses to document? I have maintained and documented since Dec 2014 that Sephora charged the wrong credit card. I have prior consistent statements of my claims. What Sephora employees failed to document is OUT OF ANY CUSTOMER'S CONTROL so Sephora turning to its own documentation which is not surprisingly in its favor is of NO USE.
Furthermore, Sephora admits that even if it had been notified of ITS error which it openly admits occurs on its website where my order was placed, Sephora would have refused to correct it. This supports my claim that Sephora did notb/c it admits that it would not havetake immediate necessary action to correct the error that I brought to its attention as soon as I learned about it.
Even now, Sephora unreasonably rejects the most obvious and simple solution: Charge the correct credit card that I intended to use and which I entered for payment which Sephora.com switched to a default card without providng me or any other innocent, unsuspecting customerany sort of prompt or notification of this substantial change for the correct amount including the 20% coupon code that I entered. Refund the original amount to the erroneously charged credit card.
If Sephora had only done the simple arithmetic, which I realize as a makeup company isn't its strongest suit, and corrected the form of payment when I brought it to its attention in Dec 2014which other merchants HAVE NO PROBLEM DOINGthis would have taken care of everything. Net zero transaction. Responsive customer service. Accountability for its error. Simple solution.
I am 77years old on a fixed income who was only trying to buy Christmas gifts for my five daughters and two granddaughters based on the promotional emails Sephora kept sending me of its 20% sale, I am shocked and aggrieved by the lack of customer service and refusal to take responsibility for its admitted errors and correct them with the simple straightforward solution especially by Sephora's corporate office. This is elder abuse and fraud and misrepresentation by a multi-million dollar corporation. I shall continue fighting this through the proper channels which apparently these days includes social media campaigns to get the public to weigh in. With Christmas once again upon us, I'm sure fellow shoppers will want to know to avoid a company like Sephora who admits its mistakes, refuses to correct them, and then only relies on selective documentation made by its employees over whom customers have no control when it comes to recording our complains accurately and thoroughly.
Dear [redacted],
We apologize for any confusion.
Sephora is unable to file a claim with USPS. However, private, individual shippers may be able to file a claim through USPS.
We have confirmed that your package was marked delivered to the address provided, and strongly encourage you to reach out to your Financial Institution for the next steps.
We are very sorry for this inconvenience.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for any inconvenience.
It appears your order was successfully cancelled. Any pending authorizations will be removed by your financial institution.
We would love to assist you in placing an order by phone! Please call our Beauty...
Advisors at 1-877-SEPHORA so that we may assist you further.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for your recent experience.
We were unable to locate the purchase on your Sephora account, but also noticed your Beauty Insider card is not associated with your online account. Please provide your BI card number so...
that we may further research this purchase for you.
Generally speaking, all returns are made at a store's discretion. Also, please keep in mind that we only are able to accommodate if an item is defective or damaged upon purchase, and are not responsible for items that are purchased intact, and then broken.
Initial Business Response /* (4000, 8, 2015/12/01) */
Dear [redacted],
We apologize that our system automatically created store credit. The amount of $85.32 will be refunded to your credit card. This transaction will be available for viewing on your statement within 1-7 business days.
Thank you...
for your patience.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2015/12/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Wow, thanks for the heartfelt apology for the terrible customer service I've received over the last few months. And thanks for ignoring one of my two problems.
What about the 100 Beauty Insider points that should have been refunded to my Sephora account for the makeup remover I returned from order number XXXXXXXXXX? The ones the a previous rep lied about crediting back to my account but didn't?
Final Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2015/12/07) */
Dear [redacted],
We sincerely apologize the points did not appear in your Beauty Bank. We have ensured the points have been credited to your Beauty Bank and your new point balance is 100 points.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 17, 2015/12/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
What use is this now, after I have been banned from Sephora.com by someone who lied about my order history to justify it? (Probably as punishment for this very Revdex.com complaint.) I'm sure not going out of my way to trek into some crappy mall Sephora to use my points there.
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and sincerely apologize for your experiences.
Please keep in mind that Sephora does not accept returns after 90 days. Should you experience a device malfunction, we recommend reaching out to the brand directly for assistance with...
their warranty programs. We are very sorry to hear your device may have malfunctioned!
For returns denied through [redacted], we strongly recommend contacting [redacted] and disputing the [redacted]ision as all disputes are reviewed, and may be overturned.
We apologize for the difficulties with your Holiday Reward Card and have forwarded the feedback to the appropriate department. As an additional apology, we have enrolled you – complimentary – in our Flash 2-Day Shipping Program. This subscription is valid through [redacted].
We hope you will choose to shop with Sephora again in future.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/17) */
Dear [redacted],
We have received your Revdex.com complaint and are sorry to see that there may be some confusion regarding your account.
Upon review, only one order was placed on your account. This order was placed 7/22/2015 and shown as...
delivered on 7/24/2015. This is the only charge within our records made to your Visa.
It appears that in October, you disputed the charges for the order through your bank, however it was not until 11/10/2015 that our agents were notified that you had not received the package. A second dispute has been filed and is currently in progress.
Per our records, when you spoke with our agents on 11/10/2015, they reviewed the only order that we have on file in this account with you, however you confirmed it was not the order you were inquiring about.
As you have stated the order in question was placed through JCPenney, we highly recommend contacting them directly at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX so that they may research your order.
We believe that your Case Description may be dealing with two separate companies. In regards to any issues with Sephora, we are happy to assist. However please keep in mind that while the credit card dispute is in progress, we are not able to fully address the lost order. We regret that we are unable to speak on behalf of JCPenney and your order placed through their website.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and sincerely apologize for your recent experience.
We appreciate the information you have provided. As a company, we take this type of issue very seriously. Your information has been forwarded to the appropriate department...
within our organization. They will ensure the issue is fully resolved, and may be contacting you shortly.
We would like to further apologize for the confusion and inconvenience. In reviewing your online account we see you have not yet joined our Beauty Insider program. The Beauty Insider program is completely free and allows you to earn points that may be redeemed for deluxe samples. We are happy to sign you up as a Beauty Insider and add 250 points to your Beauty Bank (equal to a $250 purchase) – simply email [email protected] with your date of birth to confirm you would like to become a Beauty Insider.
Additionally, we have added an online store credit in the amount of $[redacted] to your account. This amount will cover expedited 1-Day Shipping on a future order. Alternatively, the store credit may be used towards your merchandise total. Your online store credit never expires, and will automatically apply towards your next order.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/07/30) */
Dear [redacted],
Thank you for contacting Sephora.com; we appreciate that you have brought your concerns to our attention so that we may assist you further.
Per the complaint you submitted to the Revdex.com you were attempting to...
return products to your local Sephora but did not have the receipt for them.
We are sorry that we cannot accept your return and you will not be able to make further non-receipted returns for a period of 365 days.
Our decision is based, in part, on information provided by The Retail Equation (TRE). Your Return Activity Report (RAR) may help you understand the reason for our decision. A free copy of your RAR is available by visiting TRE online at
https://RAR.TheRetailEquation.com
This report is held in TRE's files for a period of 60 days following a return warning or denial. You may also ensure the accuracy or completeness of any information in the RAR by following the dispute process.
If you prefer, TRE's Customer Service Office can be contacted at 1-855-835-2320 (Monday - Friday, 8am-5pm Pacific) or by writing to The Retail Equation at [redacted] XXXXX-XXXX. When contacting TRE, please have the transaction ID at the top of this slip, your ID number, full name, address, and phone number available.
If we can assist you further, please contact us again by replying to this email or via phone at 1-877-SEPHORA (X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/07/30) */
I have also reviewed the "return history" for no receipt returns provided by Sephora's third party "verification" service showing that since 2013 I have had a total of 5 no receipt returns, one of them being a partial exchange with receipt on my beauty insider card. 5 returns in 3 years is absurd for someone to be banned from returning anything especially with Sephora's return policy stating to return something if you are "not completely satisfied", considering every time I had returned items I have received store credit and purchased more product the same day, purchasing more than the store credit amount out of my pocket. As a loyal Sephora customer I am still very upset and shocked at my treatment in store and being treated like a fraud and thief for an exchange and a return of a gift.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/08/14) */
Below is a copy of the email this client was provided on 8/14/2015:
Dear [redacted],
Thank you for bringing your continued concerns to our attention.
We understand that this information is frustrating and apologize that we are unable to reverse the decision.
While a product may show in a client's purchase history, the history cannot be used to facilitate a return as the history does not provide transactional information such as price paid, method of payment, or whether discounts were or were not provided. The purhcase history is intended to provide our clients with a quick reference to their favorite products they have purchased in the past.
We encourage you to reach out to TRE directly with further inquiries.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
Thanks for the reply. However, I've made it clear that I don't want to waste another half an hour or longer on phone given my experience with Sephora phone service. If you are willing to help, I'd like to recover the following items from my missing order since I've purchased the rest elsewhere during the past month:
Stila waterproof liquid eye liner
Amika polished straightening brush
Hourglass lip oil
Benefit hydrating concealer
Benefit 1st prize highlighters
Clarins toning lotion
Clarins moisture rich body lotion
Clinique make up remover
Armani lip stain
YSL glossy stain
Sincerely,[redacted]
Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I have reached out to your customer service department several times, as well as the Rouge line. I was advised that all future purchases online will automatically be rejected due to a "business decision." They refused to disclose the reason why any purchases would not go through successfully, thus I did not bother attempting to make any further orders. In the last few days, I have again spoken to a supervisor from the customer service department. Once again, I was advised that the "business decision" will not be lifted, but they encourage me to continue visiting the stores to make purchases.
When I submitted the last order I made in [redacted], the funds were taken out of my account automatically. My billing and shipping address was the same as the information listed under the account. The order was still denied and I had to wait approximately 10-14 business days for the funds to be received back into my account.
I am requesting that this hold is lifted from my account as it is extremely inconvenient that I cannot make any purchases online. I work 7 days a week and it is a huge hassle for me to constantly go to the store to make my purchases when I should be allowed to do them from my home.
Sincerely,[redacted]
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I was NEVER told anything by Sephora about the items having to be returned to their Distribution Centre. I was simply told that I was being refunded for this order. Additionally, upon checking the tracking, it also says the parcel was delivered. However, I have not even received it. Therefore, ensure that the full refund os processed IMMEDIATELY. I have had nothing but problems with Sephora's online ordering system and will not be purchasing anything from them again.Sincerely,[redacted]
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for any confusion.
We regret that we do not accept returns after 90 days. If the item was purchased in [redacted], it is now outside the return timeframe and we are unable to assist you with an exchange or refund. Thank you for...
your understanding. Learn more about Sephora’s full return policy at www.sephora.com/returns. Regards,Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted]
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and are very sorry to hear about your experience in the [redacted]
We have forwarded your information to the store and hope to have this issue resolved for you as soon as possible.
Please accept our apologies for...
your experience. We hope you will give us the chance to show you how we value all our clients.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/07) */
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com Complaint are very sorry to hear the package may have gone missing.
At this time, we have confirmation from OnTrac stating that their driver was at the correct location at the time the delivery was...
made. We understand that you have spoken with the OnTrac driver, however please keep in mind that the confirmation OnTrac uses is an electronic tracker and not voice confirmation.
Again, we are sorry you have not received your package, however as we have confirmation from OnTrac that the package was delivered, we suggest reaching out to your Financial Institution for further assistance.
We hope that you will shop with us again to give us the opportunity to show you the kind of experience we strive to offer all of our valued clients.
Best,
Sephora Client Services
Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/04) */
We have read your submitted complaint and appreciate that you have provided us with the opportunity to assist you further and hopefully bring clarity to this situation.
We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the payment method...
that was applied to your online order that was placed on 11/8/2014. During the ordering process on Sephora.com when payment information is entered on the checkout page and the back button is pressed before clicking the place order button, the new payment information entered will not be saved. It is correct that when this occurs there is no "pop up" warning advising that the payment is not saved and will need to be re-entered when the client continues again with checkout. It is also correct that if there is a saved method of payment on the account and the client continues on with order placement, the saved method of payment will be applied. This is not a technical glitch. We are very sorry if there was any misunderstanding regarding this during the checkout process and we will forward your feedback to the appropriate party.
However, when continuing on with the checkout process if the client presses the red "Place Order" button on the checkout page, a new screen will appear. On this screen all order details will be shown including all items in the shopping basket, the shipping address, promotional offers applied and the method of payment being used. The method of payment will display the type of credit or debit card that is being applied, the last four numbers of the card, the expiration date and the billing address for the card. At this stage the order has not been placed and the client has the opportunity to review all aspects of the order before submitting. There is also a clear reminder to the left of the "Place Order" button that states "Please review your order information.If everything is correct, click the Place Order button."
In regards to your order that was placed on 11/8/2015, we reviewed your account and were able to see that you contacted us on 11/28/2015 about this order. We also issued an online store credit to your account for the amount equivalent to 20% of your merchandise total, for the promotion that you stated was missing for the order in question placed on 11/8/2015. Our records show that this store credit was accepted and used in it's entirety in 3 separate orders that were placed on 12/17/2014 and 2/8/2015 on your account. You also stated that you had received your order and that 4 items were missing. We placed a replacement order for the missing items at no additional charge on the same day. This replacement order was delivered to you on 12/2/2014.
There is no reference in the notes that were made on your account by the supervisor that assisted with your call on 11/28/2015 stating that you asked that the credit card used on the order be refunded and a different credit card be charged for the order. There are also no notations on your account stating that you had advised us that you did not intend for that credit card to be used as a method of payment on the order.
We were not able to find any correspondence from you in reference to the payment issue you are stating occured during order placement on 11/8/2014. The only additional correspondence we received from you were in the form of emails that were sent to us on 12/17/2014. Two inquires were made in the correspondence. One requesting that an order that you placed on the same day be cancelled. We replied to you on that day advising that we could not cancel the order. One additional inquiry regarding a return of merchandise that was sent back to us. We advised on the same day that the return had not yet been processed.
With the exception of this Revdex.com complaint opened on 10/26/2015, we have no record of any additional correspondence or attempt by you to contact us since 12/17/2014.
Sephora is not responsible for any clients decision to not meet their financial obligations with their creditors. We are under no obligation to pay any finance charges or late fees that are the result of any clients decision to not pay their creditors in a timely fashion for charges made on our website.
In the spirit of making your Sephora experience more enjoyable and for any misunderstandings that may have occured, we have enrolled you complimentary in the Flash 2 day shipping program. We have also added an online store credit in the amount of $17.85 to your account. This will allow you to upgrade 3 future orders to one day shipping. If you choose not to upgrade the shipping, the store credit will automatically apply towards your order total.
We hope that you will shop with us again to give us the opportunity to show you the kind of experience we strive to offer all of our valued clients.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/11/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Sephora admitted that 1) its website defaults to a payment method that consumers did not intend to use which unwittingly forces them to use an unwanted, unintentional method of payment. In my case, Sephora caused a significant charge to be charged to a credit card with high interest rates when I entered and intended to pay with a credit card with 0% interest; 2) when Sephora's website failed to properly deduct the 20% promotion code that it heavily marketed, SEPHORA MADE A UNILATERAL, SELF-INTERESTED DECISION to refuse a proper request for the refund of the 20% overcharge to be credited to my original form of payment and instead only present an offer for in-store credit which could only be used online.
By issuing a store credit which I could only use online, Sephora ensured that I would spend $1000, rather than $800, by forcing me to use money that I should have been free to use at my discretion, not in a way that only benefits Sephora. I had no choice but to use the in-store credit on Sephora's terms because Sephora refused to refund my original form of payment which Sephora acknowledges was not my intended form of payment. I used the in-store credit as collateral for a proper credit. I still have the merchandise and am happy to return it if Sephora provides a cash refund plus interest in the amount of $280. I DO NOT WANT THESE PRODUCTS AND AM HAPPY TO RETURN THEM IF SEPHORA WOULD ACT IN GOOD FAITH AND FOLLOW WHAT ALL OTHER MERCHANTS PRACTICEAPPLY ANY REFUND TO THE ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. This wasn't a matter of a lost receipt or items/prices/date of transaction that couldn't be verified which might justify a store credit. I immediately reported the error and Sephora at all times was in possession of every detail of the transaction so Sephora had no reasonable basis to deny crediting a refund to my original form of payment.
I cannot control what the rude Sephora representative chose to document as my complaints and concerns for contacting Sephora. My complaints are consistent with my dispute since Dec 2014 with the issuing bank that Sephora forced me to use because, by its own admission, its website STEALTHILY defaults to another form of payment with proper notice to the consumer. Even when I called to complain and have the transaction corrected, Sephora refused what should have been a simple dollar-for-dollar request.
Even now, Sephora offers a paltry and worthless compensation of free shipping that again drives business back to itself. Sephora, even after admitting its errors in processing my order and failing to follow basic fundamental refund policies of applying any refund to the original form of payment, does nothing to resolve the substantive part of my complaint1) refund the original form of payment for the value of the 20% promotion that Sephora failed to properly apply to my $1000 order PLUS 10% interest and DO NOT FORCE consumers to have to shop with Sephora by issuing store credits instead as a result of its own admitted errors, 2) reverse the transaction to the erroneous default form of payment which Sephora's website caused, and 3) charge that amount to my intended credit card.
Since Sephora refused to correct its own errors and resolve this transaction in good faith, I intended to return all the merchandise to the Palo Alto store. However, the night before I planned to return them, on 12 Jan 2015, our car was broken into in front of our own house. The original box, receipt, and merchandise were among several things stolen from the car. I filed a police report and reported the more than $3000 loss.
Sephora could have easily prevented all of this if it had just practiced good faith business practices and responded to my timely complaints and reports of errors made in an online transaction on sephora.com. That Sephora acknowledged that it was fully aware of these problems yet refused to fix them is entirely disturbing. However, it's not surprising given Sephora's immediate response to issue a resolution entirely in its favor when I brought this issue to its attention and now, it does so again by extending a worthless offer that stands to benefit Sephora but not in any way, address the admitted root cause of the problems.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/11/17) */
Thank you for responding to our reply. We are happy to have the opportunity to offer further clarification.
Our website does not deliberately default to an unwanted payment method. If a credit or debit card is saved in a client's account and the client has selected it as their default credit card, that card will automatically be applied as the method of payment. If the client selects or enters a new method of payment and then proceeds to the place order screen, the new selected payment will be applied. As we stated in our previous response to you, on Sephora.com during the checkout process if a client has entered or selected new payment information and navigates away from the checkout page the information will not be saved. This is not a stealthy attempt to deceive the client in any way. It is simply the way the website functions. A message advising that the information is not saved is not displayed. This is not entirely unique to Sephora.com. It is not uncommon on many major retail websites to not have this type of messaging. Regardless, when the client continues with the checkout process they will reach a final screen where the opportunity is given to review all aspects of the order. It is the client's sole responsibility to review this information thoroughly and make any necessary corrections before placing the order. Therefore once the client has willingly pressed the place order button they are acknowledging that their entire order and payment information is correct and are authorizing Sephora to process the order and charge the credit or debit card that was displayed on the place order screen.
We could not find any indication in any correspondence or notes left by supervisors and agents that you advised us that you had made this payment error when placing your order. We were not contacted by you immediately after you placed the order. You contacted us via phone 20 days later stating that you had applied a promotion code for a 20% discount and that discount had not been applied.
Even in the case that we had been advised that you had made a payment error on your order, we would not have been able to cancel the order or change the payment method. At the time of your phone call to us the order had been delivered and in your possession for 12 days and the payment settled.
We have once again reviewed the order in question placed on 11/8/2014. The promotion code that was entered was [redacted]. This was not the 20% off discount promotion code that you have stated we knowingly did not honor. This code was for a "Flawless Refresh" deluxe sample bag. This information would have also been displayed on the final checkout screen for you to review. Sephora can only accept one promotion code per order. This policy is stated in the fine print of all offers, on the Customer Service information page, and in the promotion code section on the checkout screen. As a discount promotion code was not applied to the order we are not under any obligation to issue a refund in the amount of the discount.
When we spoke to you on 11/28/2015 we agreed to extend the 20% discount to you in the form of an online store credit in the applicable amount. Although a promotion code had been redeemed on the order, and the 20% promotion code had long expired, a supervisor approved the store credit as a onetime courtesy. As you have spent the store credit in its entirety that would indicate that you were satisfied with our courteous appeasement.
This online store credit was in no way offered as any type of collateral or promissory payment of any alleged debt owed to you by Sephora. Under no circumstances would Sephora offer or imply that they were making any type of promissory payment towards a credit card refund to be made to you at a later date.
As the purchases that were made with this store credit were made outside of our return time frame of 90 days we would not be able to accept their return.
We have again reviewed your account and found that between 12/17/2014 and 10/27/2015 your account was not accessed by any Sephora Client Service agents. This indicates that there was no communication from you during this period and that we had no knowledge of your ongoing dissatisfaction. In the absence of any continued communication from you up until 10/26/2015 that you were unhappy with the store credit appeasement we could only come to the conclusion that you were satisfied.
We are genuinely sorry to hear that your car was burglarized. However Sephora is not in any way responsible for the theft. This was not caused by Sephora as we have no control over what our clients choose to do with their merchandise after purchasing. The merchandise ceases to be the responsibility of Sephora once it is in the client's possession.
It is always our goal at Sephora to make our clients happy and to work with them when any order problems arise. In this case we have exhausted every reasonable solution that we have available for these issues. The request to modify an order that was placed over a year ago by issuing a refund to the credit card on the order and to then charge another card is not reasonable or feasible. It is also unreasonable to expect Sephora to be responsible for any consequences that have arose as a result of any client not meeting their financial obligations as we have previously stated.
We are sorry to hear that you do not find the offer of the store credit to be an adequate appeasement for the situation. We respect your decision to no longer choose to shop with us. The online store credit that we have recently issued will remain on your account should you decide to place an order in the future.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 14, 2015/11/19) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My claim remains that Sephora charged the wrong credit card, making this purchase an unauthorized charge to my credit card.
Sephora's admission that it charged the wrong card: "on Sephora.com during the checkout process if a client has entered or selected new payment information and navigates away from the checkout page the information will not be saved. This is not a stealthy attempt to deceive the client in any way. It is simply the way the website functions."
Sephora states that its employees failed to document the nature of my call in which I expressly complained about the incorrect transaction. How can I, or any customer, control what Sephora chooses to document? I have maintained and documented since Dec 2014 that Sephora charged the wrong credit card. I have prior consistent statements of my claims. What Sephora employees failed to document is OUT OF ANY CUSTOMER'S CONTROL so Sephora turning to its own documentation which is not surprisingly in its favor is of NO USE.
Furthermore, Sephora admits that even if it had been notified of ITS error which it openly admits occurs on its website where my order was placed, Sephora would have refused to correct it. This supports my claim that Sephora did notb/c it admits that it would not havetake immediate necessary action to correct the error that I brought to its attention as soon as I learned about it.
Even now, Sephora unreasonably rejects the most obvious and simple solution: Charge the correct credit card that I intended to use and which I entered for payment which Sephora.com switched to a default card without providng me or any other innocent, unsuspecting customerany sort of prompt or notification of this substantial change for the correct amount including the 20% coupon code that I entered. Refund the original amount to the erroneously charged credit card.
If Sephora had only done the simple arithmetic, which I realize as a makeup company isn't its strongest suit, and corrected the form of payment when I brought it to its attention in Dec 2014which other merchants HAVE NO PROBLEM DOINGthis would have taken care of everything. Net zero transaction. Responsive customer service. Accountability for its error. Simple solution.
I am 77years old on a fixed income who was only trying to buy Christmas gifts for my five daughters and two granddaughters based on the promotional emails Sephora kept sending me of its 20% sale, I am shocked and aggrieved by the lack of customer service and refusal to take responsibility for its admitted errors and correct them with the simple straightforward solution especially by Sephora's corporate office. This is elder abuse and fraud and misrepresentation by a multi-million dollar corporation. I shall continue fighting this through the proper channels which apparently these days includes social media campaigns to get the public to weigh in. With Christmas once again upon us, I'm sure fellow shoppers will want to know to avoid a company like Sephora who admits its mistakes, refuses to correct them, and then only relies on selective documentation made by its employees over whom customers have no control when it comes to recording our complains accurately and thoroughly.
Dear [redacted],
We apologize for any confusion.
Sephora is unable to file a claim with USPS. However, private, individual shippers may be able to file a claim through USPS.
We have confirmed that your package was marked delivered to the address provided, and strongly encourage you to reach out to your Financial Institution for the next steps.
We are very sorry for this inconvenience.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for any inconvenience.
It appears your order was successfully cancelled. Any pending authorizations will be removed by your financial institution.
We would love to assist you in placing an order by phone! Please call our Beauty...
Advisors at 1-877-SEPHORA so that we may assist you further.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and apologize for your recent experience.
We were unable to locate the purchase on your Sephora account, but also noticed your Beauty Insider card is not associated with your online account. Please provide your BI card number so...
that we may further research this purchase for you.
Generally speaking, all returns are made at a store's discretion. Also, please keep in mind that we only are able to accommodate if an item is defective or damaged upon purchase, and are not responsible for items that are purchased intact, and then broken.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Business Response /* (4000, 8, 2015/12/01) */
Dear [redacted],
We apologize that our system automatically created store credit. The amount of $85.32 will be refunded to your credit card. This transaction will be available for viewing on your statement within 1-7 business days.
Thank you...
for your patience.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2015/12/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Wow, thanks for the heartfelt apology for the terrible customer service I've received over the last few months. And thanks for ignoring one of my two problems.
What about the 100 Beauty Insider points that should have been refunded to my Sephora account for the makeup remover I returned from order number XXXXXXXXXX? The ones the a previous rep lied about crediting back to my account but didn't?
Final Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2015/12/07) */
Dear [redacted],
We sincerely apologize the points did not appear in your Beauty Bank. We have ensured the points have been credited to your Beauty Bank and your new point balance is 100 points.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 17, 2015/12/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
What use is this now, after I have been banned from Sephora.com by someone who lied about my order history to justify it? (Probably as punishment for this very Revdex.com complaint.) I'm sure not going out of my way to trek into some crappy mall Sephora to use my points there.
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and sincerely apologize for your experiences.
Please keep in mind that Sephora does not accept returns after 90 days. Should you experience a device malfunction, we recommend reaching out to the brand directly for assistance with...
their warranty programs. We are very sorry to hear your device may have malfunctioned!
For returns denied through [redacted], we strongly recommend contacting [redacted] and disputing the [redacted]ision as all disputes are reviewed, and may be overturned.
We apologize for the difficulties with your Holiday Reward Card and have forwarded the feedback to the appropriate department. As an additional apology, we have enrolled you – complimentary – in our Flash 2-Day Shipping Program. This subscription is valid through [redacted].
We hope you will choose to shop with Sephora again in future.
Best wishes,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted]
We regret that we are unable to return or replace the items that were sent to our Distribution Center.
We understand you have the invoice for the items received, however these were not the items returned to us.
Thank you,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/17) */
Dear [redacted],
We have received your Revdex.com complaint and are sorry to see that there may be some confusion regarding your account.
Upon review, only one order was placed on your account. This order was placed 7/22/2015 and shown as...
delivered on 7/24/2015. This is the only charge within our records made to your Visa.
It appears that in October, you disputed the charges for the order through your bank, however it was not until 11/10/2015 that our agents were notified that you had not received the package. A second dispute has been filed and is currently in progress.
Per our records, when you spoke with our agents on 11/10/2015, they reviewed the only order that we have on file in this account with you, however you confirmed it was not the order you were inquiring about.
As you have stated the order in question was placed through JCPenney, we highly recommend contacting them directly at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX so that they may research your order.
We believe that your Case Description may be dealing with two separate companies. In regards to any issues with Sephora, we are happy to assist. However please keep in mind that while the credit card dispute is in progress, we are not able to fully address the lost order. We regret that we are unable to speak on behalf of JCPenney and your order placed through their website.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted],
We have contacted our Solutions Department and have verified that you should no longer encounter any issues placing orders online through Sephora.com.
If you would like assistance placing an order, our Beauty Advisors would be happy to help you by phone.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
Dear [redacted],
We have reviewed your Revdex.com complaint and sincerely apologize for your recent experience.
We appreciate the information you have provided. As a company, we take this type of issue very seriously. Your information has been forwarded to the appropriate department...
within our organization. They will ensure the issue is fully resolved, and may be contacting you shortly.
We would like to further apologize for the confusion and inconvenience. In reviewing your online account we see you have not yet joined our Beauty Insider program. The Beauty Insider program is completely free and allows you to earn points that may be redeemed for deluxe samples. We are happy to sign you up as a Beauty Insider and add 250 points to your Beauty Bank (equal to a $250 purchase) – simply email [email protected] with your date of birth to confirm you would like to become a Beauty Insider.
Additionally, we have added an online store credit in the amount of $[redacted] to your account. This amount will cover expedited 1-Day Shipping on a future order. Alternatively, the store credit may be used towards your merchandise total. Your online store credit never expires, and will automatically apply towards your next order.
Thank you again for your patience in this matter.
Best regards,
Sephora Client Services
the returns were initiated on 1/31/[redacted] and so far Sephora has not reply me or provide and satisfactory solution.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/07/30) */
Dear [redacted],
Thank you for contacting Sephora.com; we appreciate that you have brought your concerns to our attention so that we may assist you further.
Per the complaint you submitted to the Revdex.com you were attempting to...
return products to your local Sephora but did not have the receipt for them.
We are sorry that we cannot accept your return and you will not be able to make further non-receipted returns for a period of 365 days.
Our decision is based, in part, on information provided by The Retail Equation (TRE). Your Return Activity Report (RAR) may help you understand the reason for our decision. A free copy of your RAR is available by visiting TRE online at
https://RAR.TheRetailEquation.com
This report is held in TRE's files for a period of 60 days following a return warning or denial. You may also ensure the accuracy or completeness of any information in the RAR by following the dispute process.
If you prefer, TRE's Customer Service Office can be contacted at 1-855-835-2320 (Monday - Friday, 8am-5pm Pacific) or by writing to The Retail Equation at [redacted] XXXXX-XXXX. When contacting TRE, please have the transaction ID at the top of this slip, your ID number, full name, address, and phone number available.
If we can assist you further, please contact us again by replying to this email or via phone at 1-877-SEPHORA (X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).
Regards,
Sephora Client Services
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/07/30) */
I have also reviewed the "return history" for no receipt returns provided by Sephora's third party "verification" service showing that since 2013 I have had a total of 5 no receipt returns, one of them being a partial exchange with receipt on my beauty insider card. 5 returns in 3 years is absurd for someone to be banned from returning anything especially with Sephora's return policy stating to return something if you are "not completely satisfied", considering every time I had returned items I have received store credit and purchased more product the same day, purchasing more than the store credit amount out of my pocket. As a loyal Sephora customer I am still very upset and shocked at my treatment in store and being treated like a fraud and thief for an exchange and a return of a gift.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/08/14) */
Below is a copy of the email this client was provided on 8/14/2015:
Dear [redacted],
Thank you for bringing your continued concerns to our attention.
We understand that this information is frustrating and apologize that we are unable to reverse the decision.
While a product may show in a client's purchase history, the history cannot be used to facilitate a return as the history does not provide transactional information such as price paid, method of payment, or whether discounts were or were not provided. The purhcase history is intended to provide our clients with a quick reference to their favorite products they have purchased in the past.
We encourage you to reach out to TRE directly with further inquiries.
Regards,
Sephora Client Services