Samples at the Makeup Counter

Today, whilst out with my mum, I visited Myer and I made a beeline for Estée Lauder, because I really wanted to pick up some Advanced Time Zone moisturiser. I had such a lovely interaction with the girl at the counter, which is really important to me. I don't like to buy things (especially expensive things) from sales assistants who are not nice, or who talk down to me. But this girl was just so sweet. She was friendly and helpful and had a chat with me about non-product related things. It was just generally a very nice interaction. And along with the cream that I bought, she gave me three very generous samples, which really made my morning. Hobbling around with broken ribs is not very much fun, and I certainly didn't look my best (no makeup + big dark bruises under both my eyes), but she made my morning so much nicer. I appreciated that a lot.

My new face cream, feat. samples of Advanced Night Repair and Daywear serums.

The next counter I visited was Lancome, which I have never even given a second glance to. But since animal testing is now banned across Europe, I thought I would have a look. Also, I have been seeing a lot of their serums in Vogue and other fashion magazines lately, so I wanted to check them out. My skin has a variety of concerns, the major one being that it is hypersensitive. But aside from that, there is the slight redness that comes with pale, Nordic-looking skin (God bless you, fake tan) and also I have some pores that I'm a bit shy about. So I went to look at these pore-refining, colour-correcting serums that people seem to be raving about. And not only was I met with two quite rude older women at the counter, but when I asked if I could possibly please sample the serums, one of the women informed me quite rudely that, "We do not give out any samples when we're on gift because we have to sit down and have a consultation. You can come back in two weeks."

Um, how about no.

Okay, fair enough you have a gift-with-purchase promotion. That's fine. But is there really any need to be rude to me? It has taken me six years of shopping at department store beauty counters to even work up the courage to ask for a sample (generally trying something in the shop and then discovering that I'm allergic to its ingredients is very unpleasant. I would much rather try it at home, in private, where my anti-inflammatry products are). I started buying products from the counters when I was sixteen going on seventeen; and I'm twenty-three now. In the beginning, I was completely lost and had to learn by trial-and-error. I was also embarrassingly shy and even now, I have trouble approaching a counter if the staff look unwelcoming. But I'm a grownup now, and I have learned that it is okay to ask for samples, particularly if you are buying something else. I would have happily spent money with them if the products worked for my skin. I have delicate skin, that is not my fault. And just because I look young, doesn't mean I can't afford to buy expensive skincare and makeup. I prefer to buy the brands I know work for me (Dior, Chanel, Estée Lauder, Yves Saint Laurent) but I also like to experiment a little bit.

My favourite beauty counter salespeople have always been the friendly ones, the ones who don't treat you like you're wasting your time, and yes, who give you samples. Samples build customer loyalty. That customer doesn't just remember the brand, they remember you. You, as a salesperson, hold a lot more power than you think you do. I have not shopped at one particular branch of David Jones in about five years, simply because the staff they had the last time I was there, were horrible. And yet, I would drive forty-five minutes out of my way to visit one specific salesgirl at Yves Saint Laurent because the last time I bought things from her, she gave me a whole bunch of samples that I ended up going back and buying later.

When I worked for The Body Shop, I used to give samples to people all the time. And so often, they would come back to me and say, "Do you remember that sample you gave me last time? I loved it."

Samples build repeat business and customer loyalty. In my opinion, at least. I am much more likely to return to a shop, a counter, a salesperson, simply because the experience I had while I was there was so good. I prefer to spend my hard-earned money with people who are nice and who make my day nicer.


What about you? Do samples bring you back to a place?