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Style & Beauty

Annoying Benefit sales technique

20 replies

ATeaPleaseBob · 06/12/2014 08:09

I visited the Benefit counter in my local Boots yesterday and came away thinking I'll just buy online next time!

I wanted a Christmas gift for my friend. Sales Assistant approached me as soon as I got to the shelf with gifts. "Are you looking for a gift?"
"Yes"
"How much are you looking to spend?"
"About £25"
"Ok, well there's these that are £25 (some sort of bronzing kit which I don't think my friend would use) or yesterday this gift came in. It's worth £60, but costs £50. You get a full size blah blah blah......"
"No thanks, £50 is too much". Was irritated that she'd suggested something at £50 when I'd said my budget was £25 ish.
"OK, well these kits come in different colours. Would you like to take a seat and I can talk you through the different options?"
No, I don't want to sit down while you give me the hard sell. I didn't say that. I just said "no thanks, I'll just take a look at these on my own"
She went away. I had a closer look at the gifts and there were others that she hadn't even mentioned to me .

About 20 seconds later Benefit sales assistant number 2 appeared, "oh, are you looking for something in particular?"

Aargh, leave me alone. I said a colleague had just assisted me and then made my escape. Totally put me off visiting the Benefit counter. It didn't feel like she was being helpful, but just trying to push the latest product at double my budget. Has anyone had any similar experiences?

OP posts:
dexter73 · 06/12/2014 08:26

You know they have to approach you. They can lose their jobs if they don't talk to their customers.

flux500 · 06/12/2014 08:30

I ended up being forced into the brow zing kit one minute I was just owning it up an the next she woman has applied it! When I got outside I realised my eyebrows were reddy- ginger! Felt pressured into buying it there and then and when she checked the stock it was out. Thank god or I would be sitting here typing with ginger eyebrows and very un-ginger pale blonde hair.

forago · 06/12/2014 08:33

yes and I agree with you, its really annoying

YourKidsYourRulesHunXxx · 06/12/2014 08:37

They have targets to meet, as well as commission. I applied for a job there a while ago, and even in their job interview they expect you to approach customers (even if they're in the shoe bit if youre in Debenhams) and get them seated, after being briefed quickly in the product. I feel sorry for the people who work there, especially if they're someone looking to become a makeup artist (there are no brushes involved, just fingers dabbing product onto the customer's face. Not the best work experience for an aspiring MA.)

Anyway, I get that it's annoying.

japaneseplum · 06/12/2014 08:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

forago · 06/12/2014 08:40

I wonder why the management think its a good technique? if it annoys and outs people off. OK they might be able to brow beat you once into buying an eyebrow kit but most people then wouldn't go back or order online. that's what happened to me, it was completely the wrong colour and I've never benn near a benefit counter since.

Lampy · 06/12/2014 08:48

I work in retail and absolutely hare doing the hard sell. Unfortunately I have to it they would fire me and hire someone who does.

It's horrible. You know the customers gate it so feel like a right tit. Please complain to benefit about it. If more customers did that companies may listen.

CoffeeTwo · 06/12/2014 08:51

Their "hey gorgeous" emails and social media approach really irritates me too. I don't know why exactly but I just find the whole thing really pushy and false.

A couple of their products are really good and I will continue to use them but always avoid the counter.

Eminybob · 06/12/2014 08:52

I am less inclined to buy anything if I get a sales person badgering me. I walk out of shops on a regular basis.

I actually work in sales (albeit financial) but hate hate hate being sold to.

ATeaPleaseBob · 06/12/2014 08:53

I realise it's their job and that they've been told to approach customers like this. I much prefer a simple "Can I help you with anything?" and then they leave you alone if you prefer to browse by yourself.

I suppose it's an effective sales technique, as a lot of customers will feel pressurised to buy something.

OP posts:
Fabulassie · 06/12/2014 09:03

They are very pushy. The Boots at the Arndale Centre has a lot of the big lines and Benefit are the only ones who will approach me in the skin care aisle and ask if I'd like a demonstration. The demonstration is pretty hard sell. I bought a foundation the first time they approached. I wonder why Boots doesn't object to their customers being stalked.

However, in House of Fraser, they hardly bug you at all.

BetweenTwoLungs · 06/12/2014 09:31

When I worked in sales we weren't allowed to use 'can I help you with anything' because customers could answer 'no'. We'd get told off and could be sacked for saying that. There's specific lines you have to use.

YourKidsYourRulesHunXxx · 06/12/2014 10:18

I agree with the notion that businesses don't seem to have a clue about customer needs and wants where upselling/ suggestive selling is involved. It's like they couldn't give a rats ass about repeat business. No person I have come across appreciates being harrassed in this way. Yes, you might get some extra sales, but the customer experience is dire. They are not there to help you get what you need at all- they have a flavour of the month they are trying to sell enough units of which they are encouraged to flog to each person they come across, so don't expect to get top-notch advice on a specific thing you are looking for, they'll veer you towards something else. I avoid them like the plague.

(People often work there as a stepping stone to work for Mac etc because Benefit offers no real work experience regarding makeup artistry. You don't even need experience applying makeup to work there because it is first and foremost a sales job. They even tell you that.)

YourKidsYourRulesHunXxx · 06/12/2014 10:19

And for the record, I am not slating them because I am bitter that I didn't get the job haha. I did all this research and wouldn't have accepted it anyway. No way would I put myself through all that tripe.

GeorginaWorsley · 06/12/2014 10:28

My daughter is a manager for Benefit and I know they are expected to approach customers and hard sell.
She always uses make up brushes though and goes on a lot of training days.
She has a lot of repeat customers but is a very good make up artist .
She will move on to another company I think eventually.
She gets slot of pressure from her manager to up targets all the time.

PorkyMinch · 06/12/2014 10:31

I avoid the Benefit counter for this reason. The few times I've stopped to browse, I've been sent scurrying away after being pounced on by a lady demanding to know what I'm looking for.

I often don't know what I'm looking for! It's much easier to run away to a more peaceful counter than face their persistent questioning about what I'm doing there.

mrscumberbatch · 06/12/2014 10:32

I chose not to work for them after the interview.

I was stuck out on the shop floor and told to chivvy folk over for a makeover. I only had 5 products to my arsenal and wasn't allowed to discuss anything else.

Being a friendly sort- I had no problem getting folk over... I brought over 3 older ladies who were going for lunch. They all wanted a bit of makeup so I did it for them- got a telling off for bringing more than one and had to do all three by myself.

We had a great time, I had a good laugh with them and told them what the products were etc. then they ladies went off for lunch.

I got such a dressing down. A) for approaching a group B) for them not being target customers as folk over 60 are not their demographic.


Well, I plodded on, had a great makeup chat with a new mum who was a bit low on confidence. I really enjoyed meeting people etc.

The ladies came back after lunch and bought sets for their granddaughters because they loved my style. New mum came back to see if she could book me for a full makeover as I made her feel 'more human'.

I would have loved to have done it, but I could not work for them. They don't want actual interaction with people, just a hard sell.

GinFace · 06/12/2014 17:30

Make up selling techniques in general just fuck me off. I've recently switched from Bare Minerals to Laura Mercier. All the LM sales dude did was slag off Bare Minerals; I'm not here for you to tell me I've been using a crock of shit for three years mate - just tell me how good YOUR stuff is.

dottytablecloth · 06/12/2014 17:39

I would probably spend more if I was allowed time to browse in peace.

StatisticallyChallenged · 06/12/2014 18:13

This is the reason I buy a lot of make up at the airports - you don't tend to get hassled nearly as much if at all. Remember wandering around Dublin duty free thinking how nice it was to be able to look at Mac, Benefit etc without some pushy orange person bugging me!

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