Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Clinique asst wanted my phone no. FFS!

23 replies

PollyPerky · 17/09/2016 15:26

Bit annoyed about an overbearing asst in Boots. I asked for a sample of their new foundation.

Anyway, they are offering a free 7-day sample, so in I went and waved 2 colours at her, being very polite and pleasant.

She almost 'demanded' I was colour matched- didn't ask if I'd like to be - so I had to sit in the chair and go with it....

All was going well until she handed it to me and did the usual 'are you on our data base?' I said no and didn't want to be. (I think I am actually because I've bought online and get loads of emails.) She tried to insist this was necessary as 'You've got a free sample and it's our practise'. Then she asked me for my phone no- FFS- so she could call me in 5 days to ask how liked the foundation. I refused and again she tried to pressurise me by saying it was 'usual' when they had given out a sample. I still refused. I don't give out my phone no willy nilly and I certainly don't want some asst phoning me during my working day to talk about make up!

Seems a bit OTT- Anyone else come across this with Clinique cos I never have with Dior which is my current foundation.

OP posts:
KoalaDownUnder · 17/09/2016 15:28

Oh, fuck that. Way to make a 'free' sample not worth the hassle, Clinique. Hmm

MrsHam13 · 17/09/2016 15:30

It's every company's normal practice. its to stop folk that are total scadgers just wanting free samples.

You did sound rude actually. If a customer waved two colours at me instead of politely saying hi first of not of been happy.

MrsHam13 · 17/09/2016 15:31

Yes its a 'free sample' but it's obviously to try get a sale out of it.

expatinscotland · 17/09/2016 15:33

Just give them a fake one.

burnishedsilver · 17/09/2016 15:35

I don't mind giving my email address but I wouldn't be happy giving my phone number either.

Buzzardbird · 17/09/2016 15:35

This happened to me in Boots too. I told her she could call me but as I was going to Cuba, she wouldn't be able to get through. The colour matching was shite as well.

Original poster
PollyPerky · 17/09/2016 15:53

MrsHam I can assure you I was not remotely rude. Look at my post- I said I was pleasant and polite. The word 'waved' could as easily have been 'showed' or 'handed'. I am quite able to know when I'm being rude and offhand or when I'm not.

The asst was actually very rude because she made me feel uncomfortable and defensive. She didn't say' Would you mind' or anything, she was very bossy, almost rude herself, and it just got my back up.

I'm comparing it to the Dior counter where the lovey asst in John Lewis gave me samples for my mum who is elderly and can't get out often. There was no pressure at all then.

OP posts:
Fairylea · 17/09/2016 16:05

I spent 15 years working for Clinique. It's what we were told to do. I used to hate doing it too, trust me, but if we didn't and you had been a mystery shopper we would have been marked down and the area manager would have gone ape.

Fairylea · 17/09/2016 16:10

Also, samples at Clinique are given out as a data collection exercise. We were usually given training sessions / updates about how each sample was to be given and we weren't supposed to give them out without obtaining data. That was the point of them.

AmeliaJack · 17/09/2016 16:11

You didn't "have" to go and sit in the chair. You could have said no.

Just like you said no to the phone number thing.

She'll be following a script. You don't have to follow it.

The question to ask is whether the free sample is dependent on the phone number because if so, then it should state that on the add.

OhtoblazeswithElvira · 17/09/2016 16:14

l haven't bought from Clinique for donkey's years but I know to avoid them in future!

RandomDent · 17/09/2016 16:15

I buy a fair bit of Clinique and have never been asked for my phone number. Email, yes. How long has this been going on?

Original poster
PollyPerky · 17/09/2016 16:16

The question to ask is whether the free sample is dependent on the phone number because if so, then it should state that on the add.

Maybe they should make it clear to their customers?
I know I didn't have to go and sit in the chair but she was very bossy and I was trying to be cooperative. She was like a robot. Anyone with any sensitivity would have sussed my body language.

I've bought Clinique for over 30 years, had samples and colour matches and never ever been pressurised, not even recently since data collection arrived.

I have also had samples from Dior, Estee Lauder, and Bobbi Brown after being colour matched. Never had any pressure then.

OP posts:
Doobigetta · 17/09/2016 16:26

I buy Clinique foundation and get pissy looks every time when I politely decline to give them my email address and postcode. Funnily enough the younger staff tend to be a bit more understanding when I say I don't want to go on their database- it's the ones my age who are really arsey.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 17/09/2016 17:17

Their foundations aren't very nice anyway.

maggiethemagpie · 17/09/2016 19:34

I would have given her the number after the third time she asked, and then when leaving say 'oh by the way, the number's fake. I told you I didn't want to give you my number but you weren't interested in what I was saying'.

Job done.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 17/09/2016 20:33

I really hate this new thing when they ask your postcode overtime you buy something.

RandomDent · 17/09/2016 20:38

Fake number is the way to go. And always give the postcode SW1A 1AA.

RandomDent · 17/09/2016 20:40

I think this is your new phone number: 020 7219 3000.

Original poster
PollyPerky · 18/09/2016 08:12

Ha ha! The thing is, even if she'd got my phone number what was she going to do? It was a store I don't usually shop in, so I wouldn't have gone back there anyway to buy it, I'd have gone to one closer to home.

I hate this data collection stuff. One of my family works in data at a high level so I know why it's collected and what it's used for. On the surface, it's used to profile you - what you've bought and when- but the other side is all the info is shared and sold eventually to other companies.

OP posts:
witsender · 18/09/2016 11:25

I normally give out my number...with a digit wrong.

MrsHam13 · 18/09/2016 11:35

It's not something we like having to do. We are pestered and have pressure put on us from higher up in the company. its also included in your appraisal as a section in the two companies I have worker for as an Account Manager.

We make a client card for you and keep details of products sampled and bought or even liked as gifts and then they send friends and family in at christmas. The amount of people who were happy to give details and then come in and say oh I got a sample I want to buy it but can't remember the shade etc and we could then tell them.

For customers who are regulars. We could call and tell them about new events and launches and they'd come in. And appreciated that. It also built a rapport with your best customer.

If that wasn't your local, I'd of just said okay no problem. I wouldnt be bothered about your number. There's certain companies now though. who won't give a sample without follow up details.

maggiethemagpie · 19/09/2016 20:58

If they ask for a postcode I'd be tempted to give soemthing like CU4 3NT

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread