Comments on: Ultimate Showdown at Ulta, Part Two

By: Janet Baker

Janet Baker — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:03:21 +0000

I googled Ulta to see if anyone else had a problem with them. Might as well add my sad story to the pot. I just redeemed a 20 buck gift card auctioned at a church supper, right? (Paid 45 for it, charity) So their check-out requires you to register, and you go through all the credit card entry stuff that includes your address, your phone, and your credit card digits, and the gift card numbers, two of those–and then the sale ‘didn’t go through,’ no explanation so that I could fix it (I put 20 on the gift card and maxed it out and had a two dollar balance to put on my Visa) and not have to have wasted the last hour choosing something from their limited merchandise or given up my credit card numbers and address, etc. But there wasn’t anything I could do, as there is no instant chat or even a direct phone number on the order screen and I didn’t want to leave it in case I lost the info and screen. So I tried to place the order again, since it said it didn’t go through, and this time the screen told me the gift card had a zero balance; in other words, the previous transaction had ‘gone through’ enough to use the card up! So I have been calling the number on the gift card. It answers, tells me to hold for a gift card customer service representative, and then a minute or so later, says ‘sorry, a customer service representative is not available, please place your call at a later time.’

Are they totally a scam, or what? I sure don’t like to do all the shopping work, give up my personal info, and lose the gift card without being able to redeem it. Do you have an idea what I should do?

By: Alejandra

Alejandra — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:33:52 +0000

If you advertize an “anti acne” product is logic that a costumer is interested about the ingredient that helps to fight acne, in this case triclosan, and the next logic question is how much of triclosan is there?.
Regarding whats the legal deal of all this i think everybody has the right to know, specially when theres controversy around triclosan and when you said it was useless (i know now theres more research stating it helps as part of the whole treatment but curiosity could come as how much is helpful now??).

Theres products advertized for containing “extracts of amazonic fruits” that promises to rejuvenate skin 5 years. Even these extracts will not do anything for my skin, since are not going to kill me or cause me a terrible disease in long term, the company is allowed to lie… and commit a fraud i think (lets not talk about sunscreens without enough protection).
Whats the lesson for me about this example? that theres a difference between whats right, whats logic and whats legal.

However, I appreciate your honesty and care to read my messages, respond my questions and for letting me release my frustration due to cosmetics companies lies.
Also, thanks Paula and all the team for the trustful information you provide to consumers like me who saved a lot of money and dissapointment after knowing about your work.

Best regards

By: Daynah

Daynah — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:38:05 +0000

@Alejandra: I really commend your wanting to hold us to the same standards that we hold others to! But you should know that we rarely ask companies for exact amounts of ingredients, unless those ingredients are listed as “active,” in which case it’s mandated by law that the percentage be disclosed. What we’re advocating for is full disclosure of what’s in a product so that Paula can determine, using research, its benefit for or detriment to skin, not necessarily the exact amount of every single ingredient therein — though it is helpful that ingredient lists are listed in descending order.

By: Deborah Kilgore

Deborah Kilgore — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:08:37 +0000

@Alejandra- Thank you for your inquiry about Paula’s Choice Clear Normalizing Cleanser. Because the ingredients in this product are not regulated as over-the-counter drugs, we are not required to list or reveal exact percentages. As such, this information is considered proprietary, and Paula’s Choice reserves the right to keep it confidential. However, we do understand that this may ultimately affect your buying decision so we did contact Paula’s product team and have confirmed with that the concentration is 0.3%.

We hope this information proves helpful but please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team again if you have any other questions or concerns.

- Deborah Kilgore
Paula’s Choice Customer Care Manager

By: Alejandra

Alejandra — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:51:51 +0000

Paula, i admire your work and cant be glad enough for everything ive learned so is kind of shocking seeing that your team does the same than other sellers, not wanting to provide information about your products ingredients. Heres a conversation i just had with a person from your chat service:

Alejandra: ok, another doubt im thinking about buying the anti bacterial cleanser with triclosan but was wondering which is the concentration of this active ingredient

Tikisha: We aren’t given the amount but we are assured that it is in the suggested percentage for proper disinfecting properties

Alejandra: but shouldnt you provide this information?

Tikisha: Unfortunately we aren’t given that information for proprietary reasons

Sooo?? why do you critizise the same you do?? you assure its the right amount so what?? am i not allowed to know as you allways say?

By: ginny

ginny — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:07 +0000

I recently had my own bad experience with Ulta.com. I was sent the wrong (but similar) item. In fact, their website said that the wrong item sent to me was out of stock! I looked into the return/exchange policy and quickly discovered that it sucks. They do not include a postage-paid return label. You can’t exchange online, you have to take it to a retail store for that. You can only get a refund online. There was no way to report the return shipping to get THAT refunded as well as the original price/shipping (it was THEIR mistake, after all!). I sent an email, but was impatient so called. I was told, sorry, you can only get a refund online, even though it’s their fault. I said, the nearest Ulta to me is very far, that’s why I purchased online! She just said, sorry that’s the way it is. She said to include a note with the cost of return shipping and they would refund that too. Well, I was so irritated, I hadn’t gotten around to sending it back out. A couple weeks later, I finally got an answer to my original email. This one said, sorry for the mistake, we have resent the correct item. I was like, well, better late than never. But, they sent me THE SAME WRONG ITEM! I emailed again and sent them their own website links, with PICTURES, of the item I ordered and the item they sent me. Finally I was told, sorry, we never did have the item you ordered, send it all back and we will refund you. That’s it? I think I deserve at least a coupon or SOMETHING to make up for this ridiculous hassle!
No more business for Ulta from me!

By: Krissy

Krissy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:56:16 +0000

Being totally serious, what is wrong with Ulta? Every single one I have been in, the sales people are so rude. So many people I talk to say the same thing, they will not shop in Ulta anymore bc of this..
If they have such a problem with someone taking notes or pictures then it would just be easier 2 buy 20 shadow colors, take them home.,swatch them, take notes on the colors THEN return them with reciept I guess?
I went into Ulta and bought a 90.00 skincare set. Took it home and used it. As I was getting the box it came in ready 2 throw out I noticed the exp date on it, yep they sold me an expired skincare kit. So I go back 2 Ulta 2 return it and the very snippy boy behind the register rolled his eyes when he had seen it was a return. Then he asked why I was returning it with such attitude, and made me embarassed so I said in a loud voice, well Ulta sold me expired skincare and I was not spending 90.00 for expired skincare that goes on my face! And I was a little confused on how that happened and if they keep track of their stock/bow long products have been on shelves. He then looked at the box and said,”oh it’s only exp a month ago!” I thought,”really, did u really just say that 2 me”. I had also told him that there were 4 kits left and I checked b4 I went to the register and they were all expired as well. Well I went into Ulta last week and guess what, the expired sets are still there, nice huh? And this happened like 4 months ago. It is the attitude of the employees which is why I will go to Sepbora from now on. Sorry Ulta but you ruined your rep all on your own, just checkout other beauty boards and see what other say, not very nice!

By: Carla Larson

Carla Larson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:23:33 +0000

I can bet it was the Tukwila store. Ilive five minutes from that store and won’t shop there any more. They treat their customers like they are in the store to steal from them.

By: Bryan Barron

Bryan Barron — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:59:04 +0000

Um, Tambaer, this is the Beauty Bunch Blog. We blog about the cosmetics industry and other subjects related to beauty, which includes shopping for said products. Puppy mills and Darfur aren’t what this blog is for.

Your comments are welcome yet it seems you missed the bigger picture here, which is that the state of customer service in many retail stores is sorely lacking. And the manager that put Daynah through this experience didn’t just make one mistake; she made several, in sequence, and any logical person would find it unacceptable.

By: Tambaer

Tambaer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:58:35 +0000

WOW…It’s nice to know that so many of you are perfect and have never made a mistake at work (or life), or used poor judgment. This was ONE store manager who made a mistake. And while I totally agree that she handled it completely wrong- I am astounded by the self righteousness on this site- blogger and readers alike. I’m sure many, like myself, have had very good experiences at Ulta, but you all are acting like the company as a whole did something horribly immoral to all of you. Is that how you want to be judged? If someone you work at the same company you do makes a bad decision, do you really want the public to judge you personally for it? The regional manager was baffled by the issue as it was not company policy to not allow pen and paper- which should tell you this is probably a very rare (if not the only) occurrence. And you’re in an uproar because they won’t give out the names of managers and executives? You seriously don’t understand that? As far as you not shopping at there anymore-that would be great-I don’t have time for you. Because I’m pretty sure you are the same people holding up the line for the rest of us while you are trying to get an expired sale price on something, exchange a used product, or get a discount you don’t deserve. Maybe you have even shoplifted, causing the rest of us to pay higher prices. Oh…that wasn’t you? That was your cousin? You don’t want to be judged by what she did? And Dayna- I wouldn’t pat myself on the back too hard. You didn’t change a policy. One woman made a mistake about a PEN and PAPER. It’s just that most of us are lucky enough not to be crucified for our mistakes by a blogger. Well- I have wasted enough time on this issue and this site. If you all want to go get righteous and indignant and maybe even boycott something – get angry about something important, something worthwhile. Spend your time and energy on that. Maybe Puppy Mills. Rwanda. Darfur.Garbage Island. Like Blood Diamonds. Abused children. There’s plenty of really awful things happening in the world that you should offend you. Ultimate showdown over a pen and paper? Laughable.