What's the deal with Lush?

[MagnifyingGlassSearch]

I don't shop there, never have, but I have taken my DD there for the odd birthday party so I have always thought the target market was tweens. My DD has just turned 11 and was given a £30 Lush voucher. I took her to our local shop yesterday to spend it. The shop was almost empty as the football match hadn't quite ended yet. I thought my DD could spend her time perusing the items and then making her choices. Except as soon as we walked in we were approached by a sales assistant who appeared to be on speed and didn't stop talking for the next 5 minutes. We thanked him for his sales pitch assistance and said we were going to have a browse and then decide. He said that was fine so we continued looking at the products when quite literally 30 seconds later another sales assistant hounded us, it cannot be described any other way, and did not stop talking at us for the next 10 minutes. I honestly don't know why I didn't find any assertiveness in me and asked her to give us 5 minutes to look at the products in peace. I felt stressed out and my DD went quiet. In the end my DD ended up spending half her money on two products I am not sure she even wanted. I have not experienced such an aggressive sales technique in a really long time. I was also shocked by their prices. Perhaps I got this wrong but I feel their products are quite expensive for what I thought was their target market?

And one more thing. My DD had her voucher in her new purse in her new handbag, and I encouraged her to go to the till and do the transaction by herself. Except the sales assistant kept talking to me, and she didn't shut up, and she even asked if we wanted to give money to charity. I had to answer on behalf of my DD who was the one paying, so I said NO, and then she asked my DD if she wanted to receive the receipt by email. WTF is wrong with this shop??

@megletthesecond the mystery shoppers for Lush are internal - ex managers who literally do nothing else. It's every three months. It's hard to spot, but occasionally you have an idea. It is a very difficult review, with many categories to score. But it works and keeps every store on their toes.

@MagnifyingGlassSearch I get it, I never ask a minor for the donation as they feel pressured by it. I really would recommend going back in and voicing it though, they are far better rectifying wrongs at a shop level.

I remember cosmetics to go! The only real competition to the body shop back then!

I don’t see why it’s inappropriate - they’re trying to save on paper.

No they are not. They want your data.

I don't mind it but I can understand it's not for everyone. In my experience I've found their staff really highly trained and have exceptional product knowledge. I tend to buy my stuff online tho as our store is really small and my asd son can't cope with the tiny space and smell

I hate the OTT friendliness as well, but I normally just tell them I know what I'm looking for and they let me get on with it. I find some of their products have been a bit hit and miss - I don't get on with any of their moisturisers - but I love Daddy-O shampoo, American Cream conditioner and Ultrabland cleanser

I will never set for in Lush again after the Spy Cops Campaign. Nor will my daughter

Ah Cosmetics To Go.

Their Ginger perfume was the dog’s bollocks and Lush no longer produce it

@SuburbanRhonda if you like Ginger perfume try the Origins one. Gorgeous!

Thank you @greenlanes - I’ll look out for that

@Tara336 the spy cops campaign was poorly executed, the imagery used gave the wrong message, but the campaign itself is a worthy cause and a massive feminist issue, I realised this particularly after listening to some of the victims. They had more exposure about their plight in the one weekend compared to the years they had been trying to get help from the government.

I really love some of their products but also used to find some of the OTT hard sell pushy sales assistants really annoying.
I think most of them must know me in our local shop know as I am not continually bombarded. But like others have said if you politely say no thanks i’m just ok/just browsing or whatever they don’t take offence and do leave you alone.

@pushpops I am aware of the reasons behind the campaign and agree it was poorly executed. But as the wife of a police officer I am disgusted that someone actually allowed this campaign to go ahead in this form. The police work their arses off on our behalf and there are those that are less intelligent who will believe the campaign applied to every officer. No one has a problem when undercover police infiltrate terrosist cells and save countless lives. I’m not saying I agree with what when on with these women just that it needed to be a better thought out campaign.

But at the end of the day I can buy overpriced soap anywhere and not have political views pushed on me. So the only way is to vote with my feet which is what I and I believe countless others have done.

I like lush and avoid the hovering salespeople by shopping online.

The Lush near me is always jammed to the rafters with teens and tourists ( think v.popular seaside town near London). I never get bothered by SA. Infcact my gripe is that I can never get anyone to actually help me.
I like some of their stuff but it is HIDEOUSLY over-priced so I only buy eBay bargains.

I used to live in NZ and every time we went to the mall, every shop was like your experience in Lush. Full on stalking- aggressive sales- how was my day going-shit.
So visiting Lush now is like water off a ducks back, I feel immune to it
I do like some of their products though, well I should say my skin does.
I'm well beyond my tween yrs though

Best thing to say?

'I used to work for Lush, I know all their products really well. Thanks'