Rant - Sephora Inside JCPenny

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Our JCPenny store finally got with the program and opened their Sephora Inside JCPenny section about a year ago.  It's my main beauty supplier outside of the web.

It has limited stock and limited brands - but it does the job.

Well, this weekend I had a wedding job and I went to the Sephora store that is located about 1/2 to 45 minutes from home because the Sephora inside JCPenny doesnt carry the MakeUp Forever brand.

I spent a lot of money and confirmed with the manager at Sephora that my products were fully returnable incase I dont use any of it and if it was returnable to any Sephora or JPC store - she said yes.

That was Saturday - today I go to my JCP and try to return the products only to find out that they wouldnt except my receipt because the registers were coded differently.  The return would have to be without a receipt. 

Okay, what does that mean? 
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Nothing - you still get the full amount - Oh, we dont carry this brand.
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I know - the manager said I could return it anywhere.
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Yeah, you can, but we'll just throw it out.

WHAT?!
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Yeah, we can't resell it and we cant ship it back so we just throw it out - are you okay with that?
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Uh, no, but what do I care - I dont need the products and I want my money back.
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Ok - oh wait, it's over $150?  I dont think we can do this.

Um...
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I'll call my manager.

1/2 later, some back and forth with the JCP manager who is NOT the Sephora manager and then some more back and forth about Sephora being Sephora but its not when its JPC Sephora - it was confusing.

In the end, I got my money back - they probably kept the products for themselves instead of throwing it out and someone is probably going to get fired because they werent supposed to take back the products that they dont carry and cant properly credit because the product was purchased at a Sephora store and NOT a JCP store!

What a friggin nightmare.

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They really have to sort that stuff out... if they want to be considered the same store then let everything be equal....purchase at a Sephora means can be returned at ANY Sephora.... 

but if they are going to make it two separate stores then make it clear and obvious so people don't get confused. Call it something OTHER then Sephora. 

Bummer to hear about your troubles... at least you got your money 
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Sounds kinda crazy, but in the end at least they took care of their customer properly.  That's what really counts in my book, good customer service.

 
It was "ok" customer service.  There wasnt any arguing or anything, but I felt like Vixie said - if you're going to be Sephora, then be a Sephore and dont give your customers a hard time and confusing dialogue.  I spent my entire lunch hour there trying to return items that should have only taken 10 minutes tops.

 
Yeah most likely they wont get in trouble I worked at macys Lancome & ppl were able to return mac cosmetics that they bought from another macys & we were able to take em even though our MAcys didnt carry M.A.C products  !!  We just threw em out no big deal!!  & I think technically a Sephora in a jcp is still Jcp Because Just like you cant buy Origins at a Macys & return it to a Free standing Origins store  & You cant use your M.A.C Pro card at a M.A.C in MAcys   I would think the same would go for a Sephora in JCp!!!

 
That stinks that there was such miscommunication! I probably would've just waited until I was in the area of a free-standing Sephora to return, but I can understand wanting to get your money back, especially after being told you could. 

 
Thats unfortunate, you should have been able to return it with no hesitation. I work at Sephora inside jcp and we take all kinds of returns, from Sephora free standings, Sephoras or Sephora inside JCP in other states and even online. And JCP managers don't know exactly what goes on in the Sephoras like the Sephora beauty managers do so it's odd that she would ask them. Hope you have better experiences in the future!

 
My sephora at JCP is pretty good, but i remember being in there around christmas time and a lady in front of me was buying a gift card and they had to 'remind' her that it was only good at JCP Sephoras, not regular Sephoras. I thought that was really odd.

 
Really when you deal with people always keep in mind that when someone isn't sure about something they just make stuff up regardless of the rules they should know about.

Thank god they throw the product away, what if some disgusting person returned items they licked and then sold it to you. The thought of it, uugh grossssss. 

 
I had a (sort of) similar issue in my SiJCP when the Pantone collection came out.  I had been very excited about it and was going to check it out in the store....but then it became available online and I couldn't wait, so I purchased a couple of things online.  Before it even arrived, I was in the store and asked them if/when they were getting the collection and she said they HAD it already--it was just in the back because they weren't supposed to put it out yet.  She asked if I wanted to check it out and I asked if I could purchase it and she said yes, so she went and got it.  I ended up liking the big kit that had like five things in it, but I had already ordered the eye shadow quad and the eye liner set and I didn't want doubles.  She said "Oh you can purchase this tonight and then when your other stuff comes, you can just return it here."  I guess this was MY fault for not asking, but I ended up getting store credit and not my cash back.  I went back in to return the stuff I had ordered online and she said sort of the same thing--since it was an online purchase she would have to do a return without a receipt, even though she was holding the packing slip in her hand.  So I got store credit, which was fine I guess, because I knew I'd spend it--but I REALLY wanted my cash back on it.  But again, I suppose I should have asked when she told me I could return it. 

I realize it's tricky because it's not an actual Sephora store so it still has to play a little by JCP rules, but they need to make it less confusing for customers.  It IS all Sephora, afterall, and my stuff hadn't even been taken out of the package--I got it in the mail, took it out of the shipping box, and returned it.  But I guess I understand them not being able to sell it--they can't take that chance.  I guess next time I'll try and remember to ask the appropriate questions. 

Dream, I'm glad you got your cash back, even if it was a headache--that's a lot of money!

 
I know that this thread is a little old but I feel compelled to reply :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Let me just start by saying I'm very sorry for those who've had unfortunate experiences in sephora inside jcp. I work at a sephora inside jcp in Nj and we are urged to satisfy the client first. Before there have been troubles with miscommunications between sephora free-standing and SiJCP because we have jcp registers and therefore do not have all of the capabilities that a sephora free-standing can have. However, now with all of the changes that have been going on in JCP, sephora is more equipped to handle returns from a stand alone store. I hope this singular bad experience doesn't deter you from shopping at a sephora inside of a jcp again! Also, returns that have been used by the client are marked as defected and disposed of. Associates cannot purchase used products and DEFINITELY cannot purchase free-standing products that have been returned, used or not ;) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
I don't have a free standing Sephora within a twenty minute drive...closer to an hour away. There is a Sephora inside JCP and I've always had excellent service and reccomendations from them! Usually, if I can't find it there or a similar item they think would work for me and is available instore, I'm recommended to go to the free standing store or online. I'm happy with my "mini" Sephora, although I always ask if I can get a sample to try or get with a purchase...they're not ones to offer, but that would be the only "issue" and isn't a big deal.

 
I've always been confused about this. I've returned stuff that I order online to a JCP Sephora but they always have hesitated. One thing I've learned to do is call the Sephora customer service line and then the store. I'll ask for the name of the associate that I spoke with so that I'm able to back myself up when I show up.  That way there I can confirm all is a-ok before my 45 minute drive so that there shouldn't be an issue at all.

 
Originally Posted by Adrienne /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I've always been confused about this. I've returned stuff that I order online to a JCP Sephora but they always have hesitated. One thing I've learned to do is call the Sephora customer service line and then the store. I'll ask for the name of the associate that I spoke with so that I'm able to back myself up when I show up.  That way there I can confirm all is a-ok before my 45 minute drive so that there shouldn't be an issue at all.
That's actually pretty smart. First time and last time I ever made a return at a JCP Sephora, they were hesitant and I got a little run around about online orders/stand alone stores and returns at the JCP locations, but they did take the item. I was also encouraged to check online and contact the main Sephora CS number to verify. All the while, they were quite polite and nice about everything, but hesitant as in unsure if it was acceptable. They never once seemed like they didn't want to help, which is nice. I think that's really the only time I've made a return....which means I've happily been making purchases..far too many, but that's for another thread lol.

 
To begin with, you probably bought the product to do a wedding, you were paid really well for, and returned the unused portion correct? Sephora is not your go to store to borrow makeup to do a wedding party and return it to get your money back. One reason Sephora's in the US won't make it. You people have a tendancy to take a good thing and screw it up over there.

 
Originally Posted by Annie200 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

To begin with, you probably bought the product to do a wedding, you were paid really well for, and returned the unused portion correct? Sephora is not your go to store to borrow makeup to do a wedding party and return it to get your money back. One reason Sephora's in the US won't make it. You people have a tendancy to take a good thing and screw it up over there.
Wait, what?
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Im sorry you had trouble returning your Sephora online purchase at the SIJCP. As a SIJCP Beauty Leader I cant understand why they only gave you store credit with your online order. We do returns from freestanding and online all the time and yes we do have to do the return as without receipt but you should get it back the same way you paid for it. If it is an online purchase we just call Sephora to verify the price paid and payment method then we can return it in the same manner. Hope that helped.

 
That's kind of weird. I mean, Sephora is their own seprate company (so I thought), so if a JCP doesn't have a Sephora in there...shouldn't they not be able to do a return? I mean, I'm glad you got your money back and all! That's good. But throwing away the product? That seems weird because it would be a waste. Expecially if you didn't use it. Interesting!

 
That's kind of weird. I mean, Sephora is their own seprate company (so I thought), so if a JCP doesn't have a Sephora in there...shouldn't they not be able to do a return? I mean, I'm glad you got your money back and all! That's good. But throwing away the product? That seems weird because it would be a waste. Expecially if you didn't use it. Interesting!
In regards to cosmetics, l think a lot of companies toss returns. Also, they are talking about the Sephoras in JCP.. not just JCP. You could never return a Sephora product to any old JCP counter. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
 

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