Lalique

[donna255]

I ordered it blind off Amazon..true I may regret it but I hate sniffing perfume in department stores. Every time I try I end up getting fed up with the assistants bothering me so I leave after only a few seconds. L'Occitane stores are better because I can enter, spray what I want to try, sniff and leave before the assistant has finished serving the other customer. If I decide I want it an hour or so later I can just go back, grab it, pay and leave. In a department store I'm lucky if I can find what I want, and if I can...find a tester. I hate having to ask for something. I like shopping alone, and being left alone. If I go with someone else I feel under pressure to hurry up and if I go alone I end up avoiding sales assistants so don't enjoy it anyway.

Did I say I hate shopping...?

Tips:

One do not make eye contact with SA. Just say,"No thank you, just looking." Then ignore them.

If you have to ask about a product, state clearly you only want to smell it. "I would like to try (fill in name), but need to walk round for a while and see how it settles on me."

Or just give them the death serial killer stare, Clear off or I will rip your head off.:mysmilie_15: You might have to practice that one, I recommend watching Dexter.

Belfast they tend to leave you alone, just a quick can I help? Funny in our L'Occitane store they ask immediately you walk in if you need help? I just say I am having a wander round.

 

[Weathergirl]

Thanks for the tips Donna. But what a military operation perfume shopping can be!

Equus arrived. Hubby really likes it. So do I, bargain! Phew

 

[donna255]

That is great Weathergirl.

 

[Autumn]

I find the whole "begging" for samples embarrassing tbh , it reminds me of the Tv show Extreme Couponing ( which i love) but there totally nuts lol

 

[sharonk]

One of my staff was off with breast cancer last year so I made her an advent calender and filled it full of nice samples of things that she could use like burts bees lip salve, samples and minis
of locci and various things from beauty counters from skin care to perfumes for when she was better.

I was cheeky and asked at lots of counters,explaining what I was doing and why, Dior were really generous and gave me loads as did body shop, it also went searching online for free samples of perfumes.
I thought her skin may change and it was a good way to test things to see what suited her skin.
It was well worth it cause she loved it

I can't remember coming across any beauty assistants that were funny with me and I would have no qualms asking for a sample product.

 

[donna255]

Yesterday in House of Fraser and Debenhams, I was wandering and had two SA offer me samples. Would like to try this? The one in Debenhams I did not realize she was talking to me and walked on, she followed and said it a bit louder until I turned I did turn round.

So Knot by Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, neither of which I like.

 

[CallMeQ]

the SA's in debenhams can be quite insistent that you buy something.
I was in the one in Cardiff recently and saw that they had the Men's Aramis gift set at a sale price - as my dad loves this I would it would either make a great xmas pressie, i picked it up and turned around to show my mum (mainly to ask if she wanted to have one for him as well) but before i was able to do that the SA took the gift set out of my hand and said "shall I ring that up for you, if you'd like to follow me"... after a few seconds with my mouth open, I let him know i wasn't finished shopping and he reluctantly gave me the item back and you could sense him following you around the rest of the beauty department, as we were about to cross into the menswear you could tell he wasn't happy (but you don't have to pay there, you can pay at any checkout) - do they work on commission?

 

[Vienna]

The sales staff vary in my local Debenhams. The Benefit counter staff operate like the SAS, stalk you, hold you hostage and strike you from the rear, the Clarins sales woman is so generous you only need to be sniffing a product and suddenly you have a little bag thrust into your hand containing a sample of whatever you were sniffing/testing plus half a dozen other products in the bag too, the Estee Lauder woman tends to drown you in perfume at the slightest opportunity even if you`re not actually looking for pefume and the Clinique counter, well the words "ducks" and "a*se" come to mind because they always plug full sizes of everything and vow they can`t possibly give you samples to try at home first.
I`ve never "begged" a sample in my life. If I`m interested in buying a product then I`ll test it in the shop first and then ask if they have a sample to try at home. Skin care and cosmetics are so expensive and as a sensitive skinned person it`s amazing how many supposed hypoallergenic items I`ve reacted to. Wasting 20, 30, or even 40 pounds on something I can`t use isn`t my idea of fun. If they can`t give me a sample then I won`t buy it. I`ve learned from past mistakes and have several expensive items tucked into my dressing table drawer because they make my eyes itch, my face blotch or simply don`t sit right on my skin.

 

[donna255]

Debenhams is in big do do, so really want you to buy.

The worse one in my Debenhams is Helen E, pounce on you, they use to walk round with a bag selling £50 worth for £12.99. Now the staff are on commission only they are worse. I got p*ssed off and emailed and complained to the store. I was grabbed and asked, "Do you want a make over love." One never ever invade my personal space, I will beat you to a pulp! They don't bother me now as I gave them a dirty look and said, " I don't use cheap sh*t!" Well not their cheap sh*t anyway.

 

[Weathergirl]

This is interesting and exactly why I hate shopping in places like Debenhams and House of Fraser. I know we all complain that the likes of DBF do the hard sell but I just switch over, and to be honest most of my Q beauty purchases are made via the App without watching at all. Q allows me to get the sets of make up at good prices, I can return them or sell the odd bits on ebay taking the price down even further. On the whole I have to say I enjoy buying beauty from Q, I feel very uncomfortable in stores and therefore leave without buying anything.

 

[Vienna]

My local Boots has the right idea. They have a wicker basket filled with small empty plastic pots beside the till on the No 7 counter and a notice saying help yourself to a pot and ask the sales staff to decant you a sample of anything from the No 7 range. They don`t pester you and even though I`m not a fan of No 7 I`ve tried one or two of their creams and foundations this way.

 

[grovesy]

I had not been accosted by Benefit staff in my Debenhams for ages, but my friend and I were accosted in the mens wear department on Friday.