Who has the better rewards program? Ulta or Sephora?

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Thanks ladies for all the input! I don't know if I'll make VIB or Platinum this year...I have some Christmas shopping left to do but I'm about $150 away at both stores so next year for sure.

We have the points system at our Ulta which, as a coupon & discount lover, really appeals to me. But I also love getting free stuff which appeals to me about Sephora. Only problem is, the two closest Sephora's, 40 minutes, & 2 hours away are both inside JcPenney's and I've never had the greatest customer service. I will probably make VIB by shopping online and use Ulta for most of my in store purchases.

At least now I have a goal for next year. 
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That's exactly how I felt, but I just emailed customer service and they were able to switch me! It's worth getting in touch with them if you plan on buying anything soon.
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thanks for the info! Definitely going to call!
 
Both Sephora and ULTA are about equal, as both offer a lot of great incentives. If you want higher end, top rated products Sephora definitely wins this matchup, however; if you are a beauty enthusiast that appreciates trying new products (whether low, medium, or high-end) than you will enjoy ULTA. I have to admit that I am very impressed with Beauty.com and Nordstrom, as both are adding a lot of amazing incentives into the mix and are as good as both Sephora and ULTA for purchasing beauty products. Sometimes I even believe both Beauty.com and Nordstrom have stronger incentives, as well.

 
Thanks ladies! My Ulta uses the rewards system as well, and they never had anything I ever wanted, but I just called and they switched me over to the points system, yay! Ulta might be seeing more of my money now, lol.

 
I've just rediscoved my love for make-up and see myself making a lot of purchases in the next 6 months to rebuild my stash. I've seen lots of talk about Sephora VIB and the Ulta Rewards program. Anyone have any opinions on which one is better?  Both stores are about 30 minutes from me and in the same shopping center so it's just going to be a matter of who has better rewards to determine where I make my purchases. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
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Hi I just wanted to reply to your question as a lover to both stores and also a ulta associate. I'm not being biased cause I work at ulta but I find the rewards program for them to be better because instead of getting free makeup products (like with sephora) you get money off your purchases, which is very useful when you are buying a lot of products. The free makeup from sephora is great but sometimes the products aren't that good. Ulta does have a great return policy they will take anything back for a full refund regardless it it was used or not. I'm not sure how sephoras return policy is though. But anyways I hope this helped some :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
 
I definitely like Sephora's better.  I don't shop at either very often, but even just the points I accumulate buying Christmas gifts always gets me something free with points that's pretty decent.  I don't understand the Ulta rewards much.  I think I have to spend like $300 for something lame like a shampoo I can care less about or a free ulta eyeshadow.

 
I definitely like Sephora's better.  I don't shop at either very often, but even just the points I accumulate buying Christmas gifts always gets me something free with points that's pretty decent.  I don't understand the Ulta rewards much.  I think I have to spend like $300 for something lame like a shampoo I can care less about or a free ulta eyeshadow.
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Well they can switch you over, the Ulta by me uses the reward system too, but I was able to call customer service and have them switch me, and I had already gone platinum lol, so now I have a bunch of points that I can use for stuff. But honestly, for atmosphere and high end skincare and makeup, I prefer Sephora hands down and they'll probably still get most of my business.
 
Quote: Originally Posted by Prtylitlesyko /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Well they can switch you over, the Ulta by me uses the reward system too, but I was able to call customer service and have them switch me, and I had already gone platinum lol, so now I have a bunch of points that I can use for stuff. But honestly, for atmosphere and high end skincare and makeup, I prefer Sephora hands down and they'll probably still get most of my business.
Thank you!  That's good to know.  Even though I don't shop there often, I much rather have points to use towards makeup I want.

 
You know, last week I called in and spoke with someone at Ulta about changing me over to the points system and they flat out told me no. Apparently Texas only associates their customers with the rewards program right now, and there is no way to switch me out. But of course, they had to throw in the "Don't worry! All of our customers will be swapped over to the points system in the near future!".....I heard that over a year ago and did that happen? No.

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On Ulta's website it states that you'll be put into the rewards program that your area particpates in. There's also a list of the states that participate in the points reward program.

 
Quote: Originally Posted by Misdameanor /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  You know, last week I called in and spoke with someone at Ulta about changing me over to the points system and they flat out told me no. Apparently Texas only associates their customers with the rewards program right now, and there is no way to switch me out. But of course, they had to throw in the "Don't worry! All of our customers will be swapped over to the points system in the near future!".....I heard that over a year ago and did that happen? No.

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what? i'm in texas and i get the rewards points. could it be because i signed up before i moved back down here?

 
Quote: Originally Posted by pinkcrayon /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
what? i'm in texas and i get the rewards points. could it be because i signed up before i moved back down here?
I'm not really sure......I originally signed up in Minnesota, and all they offered me at the time was the rewards program, so maybe I'm just stuck with it? I have lived in Texas now for 3 years. 

 
3. Participating Stores. Currently, ULTAmate Rewards is only available at the following ULTA stores ("Participating Locations"): ALL stores in the states of Arkansas, California; Colorado; Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin; FL: Orlando (Waterford Lakes; Orlando Square; Millenia Crossing) Altamonte Springs Winter Park Winter Garden Kissimmee MD: Hunt Valley; Silver Spring; Rockville; Baltimore; Elkridge; Annapolis; Hagerstown; Frederick OH: Beavercreek, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Hamilton, Lancaster, Mason, Toledo; VA: VA: Woodbridge; Springfield; Fredericksburg; Richmond; Fairfax (Fair City Mall; Fair Lakes Center); Newport News; Sterling; Virginia Beach; Glen Allen; Charlottesville

 
From what I've heard, by the middle of next year everyone will be on the dollar reward system! 

 
I feel like this should be a poll question with radio buttons. Anyways, I prefer Ulta. I'm on the points/$ reward program; which is funny because I moved from CA to TX and the cashier in TX told me they don't do that, I can't use my points and I can call customer service to change my program to the quarterly one. I realized I could stay on my current rewards program and use my rewards online :) Ulta makes me stay away from spending every single penny at Sephora. I prefer dollars to spend on whatever I want vs predetermined gifts. I'm still more of drugstore girl and when it comes to high end, I'd rather get $ notes at Nordstrom than mess with Sephora. Something about Sephora makes me anxious. LOL

 
I'm down with Ulta! If you are a platinum member you can rack up points fast! points = $ off your purchase They also have coupons and occasionally they will have coupons that include Prestige brands This past Friday, I used a 20% off coupon and redeemed 2000 points for $125 off my purchase
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My $215 purchase cost me $39 plus tax out of pocket It love Sephora too (for my Nars fix) but Ulta is MUCH closer

 
I lean towards sephora only because (and I don't mean this to sound snotty) but it's just a better feeling and higher end feeling shopping experience. Ulta just kind of feels more like a target with a few higher end brands to me. I've also found employees at my sephora to be nicer and more helpful, although I know some people have issues with attitude at sephora. Lucky for me to live by a good one! And as a "first world problems" thing, I HATE ultas app and love sephora's. I do most of my shopping online and the app is just so easy for sephora. Maybe too easy...:.

 
Quote: Originally Posted by Jill1228 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I'm down with Ulta! If you are a platinum member you can rack up points fast! points = $ off your purchase
They also have coupons and occasionally they will have coupons that include Prestige brands
This past Friday, I used a 20% off coupon and redeemed 2000 points for $125 off my purchase

My $215 purchase cost me $39 plus tax out of pocket

It love Sephora too (for my Nars fix) but Ulta is MUCH closer
This really frustrates me!  People rave about the points = dollars program, but that's not available in my area.  Until the Ultas here change to that program, and even though I just went to Ulta to get my birthday freebie and picked up a couple of pencil sharpeners and a nail polish, Sephora will remain the default for me.  I'll go to Ulta if they have something I can't find elsewhere (OPI limited stuff is easier to get at Ulta than anywhere else in my area, for example) or that they have on sale (the sharpeners were buy-one-get-one-half-off, and I do like to pick two up at a time when I find a store that has them for that price.  I usually get this particular brand -- essence -- at Fred Meyer, but they're usually out of stock at Freddy's when they're on sale, and I happened to notice that Ulta had essence on special right now, so I went ahead and got two as long as I was there), but if I'm buying something that is the same price at both stores, I'll go with Sephora because Ulta's rewards (safe, crowd-friendly things like ballet pink nail polish) and my preferences (not-so-safe things like steel blue, glittery black, and silver polish) are not in alignment.  I rarely get the point perks at Sephora because, again, preference alignment is rare, but at least those points don't expire.

 
This really frustrates me!  People rave about the points = dollars program, but that's not available in my area.  Until the Ultas here change to that program, and even though I just went to Ulta to get my birthday freebie and picked up a couple of pencil sharpeners and a nail polish, Sephora will remain the default for me.  I'll go to Ulta if they have something I can't find elsewhere (OPI limited stuff is easier to get at Ulta than anywhere else in my area, for example) or that they have on sale (the sharpeners were buy-one-get-one-half-off, and I do like to pick two up at a time when I find a store that has them for that price.  I usually get this particular brand -- essence -- at Fred Meyer, but they're usually out of stock at Freddy's when they're on sale, and I happened to notice that Ulta had essence on special right now, so I went ahead and got two as long as I was there), but if I'm buying something that is the same price at both stores, I'll go with Sephora because Ulta's rewards (safe, crowd-friendly things like ballet pink nail polish) and my preferences (not-so-safe things like steel blue, glittery black, and silver polish) are not in alignment.  I rarely get the point perks at Sephora because, again, preference alignment is rare, but at least those points don't expire.
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If you are a platinum member (spend $400 within a year to get to that) then your points don't expire. I didn't realize that different areas have different programs. A Sephora recently opened 40 minutes from me.
 

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