I am a loyal MAC customer. I am friends with artists at a few of the San Francisco stores. I get postcards and updates from MAC's corporate offices. I love MAC.
This has got to be the most disappointing experience I've ever had at MAC.
I ordered a mineralize skin finish online, and didn't like the shade. MAC tends to have a pretty good return policy, and I called corporate to see if I could return it in stores, so I wouldn't have to ship it back to MAC.
The woman, from corporate, said that I could do it but I would have to call the store ahead of time, because some stores can't do it. I understand.
So I called the bloomingdale's in SF, and they said that since they were a department store MAC, they couldn't take returns from the website. Ok, that makes sense. They directed me to the MAC store in Berkeley.
I called the MAC store on 4th street and spoke to a manager, she said yes of course, just bring in the packing slip.
I went in today, and it was awful.
First off, there were only two girls on the floor. One was a short girl who wore too much blush, the other was a taller, thicker girl who really liked to point. As in, "I will help you as soon as I help her *points*, her *points*, and her *points* ". Kind of rude, but ok.
As I came in, no one greeted me and I stood there waiting. And waiting. And waiting. I saw someone else come in after me. The tall pointy one said that she would help her, then me. I said to miss pointy that I was here before the woman who got in after me. She looked at me and smiled. What the hell.
Eventually, while pointy was ringing something up, I was tweeting about my frustration, and the woman who got in after me was beaming because she (a woman with more bronzer on than a Jersey Shore reject) was ahead of me, the short girl asked if I had any quick questions before she got to the next appointed point. I said that I just needed to return something. She said she can't take a return from online.
I explained that corporate said I could, that her manager said I could, and she said "sorry."
Horrible service, rude employees, and just overall an awful experience.
As a customer I deserve better and always receive better service than I got. It will always be worth it to trek out to San Francisco, where MAC employees are actually helpful and have brains.
And PS, short girl? Wash your face. read more