# Confronting  Guests “Sampling”in Beauty



## Calico Tapeworm (Jan 31, 2020)

I work in Beauty and many times I’ve come upon a guest opening product and applying it. Sometimes it’s nail polish, sometimes makeup. I’ve actually stood next to a mother who let her teenage daughter open a bottle of nail polish and “sample” it on the front of the display unit and then actually apply it to her nails. I made my presence known, but neither seemed to think that what they were doing was inappropriate or wrong.
What do you in situations like this? Correct the guest? Come up with a snarky response to shame them?  Get a leader?
Do you take the product immediately away and damage it out?
Thank you!


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## Ashfromoldsite (Jan 31, 2020)

We allow sampling in our store. We damage it out, mark it with a display sticker and let other guests continue to use. We provide qtips tho.


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## Calico Tapeworm (Jan 31, 2020)

Do you do that with everything? Or just just certain shades?


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## Captain Orca (Jan 31, 2020)

Put the open bottle of moisturizer down now and get the fuck out of my store you slob.


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## Kaitii (Jan 31, 2020)

Ashfromoldsite said:


> We allow sampling in our store. We damage it out, mark it with a display sticker and let other guests continue to use. We provide qtips tho.


sounds like free manicures


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## NKG (Jan 31, 2020)

"Are you finding the right nail polish" will require the guest to respond and acknowledge what they are doing. I used to tell them "let me know what you try so I can take it off the shelves" and then if you get desperate just stand there and clean up after each item they use. Basically guest service them until they stop


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## happygoth (Jan 31, 2020)

So "You use it, you bought it" is not acceptable? How about "Seriously, Bitch?"


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## Amanda Cantwell (Feb 1, 2020)

happygoth said:


> So "You use it, you bought it" is not acceptable? How about "Seriously, Bitch?"


Forcing guests to buy stuff they open and use... it’s how you build the basket!


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## Captain Orca (Feb 1, 2020)

Don't kiss the customers ass!  "Karen, I watched you open a sealed product and that is a form of tampering and is against store policy.  I am going to call our asset protection team to deal with you."


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## happygoth (Feb 1, 2020)

Oh, if only...!


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## 60SecondsRemaining (Feb 1, 2020)

I once watched someone try out a bunch of cosmetics.  After she made her selection, I walked up to her cart and started opening them up and looking at them.  When she got upset I just said "oh I thought all of this was for community testing".

She went to the desk and asked for the manager.

Which was me.

Mission accomplished.


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## Captain Orca (Feb 1, 2020)

Worst I've seen is in the grocery store.  Big local chain.  Name not important.  I was checking out the meat and saw a woman poking holes in the chicken packages and smelling the meat.  Not a Karen, more like a dirtbag.   The meat guy was replenishing stock a few yards away, I called it to his attention.  Man, was he pissed off!  He confronted her, pulled all the perforated packages (about 5) and told her that she must leave the store.  Good for him!  Would Target have the balls to do that?  I doubt it.


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## Captain Orca (Feb 1, 2020)

Target is work.  No getting around that, every position is work.  Most of it is not easy both physically and mentally.  LOA's for medical reasons and education: perfectly acceptable providing you're past 90 days.  Taking an extended leave to fuck around and not be productive and do something cool is a lame ass childish reason.  I wouldn't take you back.  Adults don't do stupid shit like that.


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## Yetive (Feb 1, 2020)

Sure they do.  Sabbaticals, for instance.


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## Yetive (Feb 1, 2020)

As to guests opening cosmetics, we have an open return policy.  If they don't like it, they can bring it back, so the end result is the same.  When you see this going on, use your product knowledge and selling skills.  Ask if they have questions, or help choosing.  Being nice will probably result in fewer open packages.


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## Captain Orca (Feb 1, 2020)

Target employees don't take sabbaticals, read the post carefully.


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## Captain Orca (Feb 1, 2020)

Being nice will have zero effect when it comes to product tampering.  They'll walk all over you.  They open stuff, they touch stuff, how do you know they won't intentionally contaminate a product?  You don't.


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## BullseyeBabe (Feb 1, 2020)

I’ve walked up to guests and said, “Do you just want to hand those over to me? We can’t sell them after they’ve been opened. Did you know you can return our cosmetics? I’m sorry, but we don’t have testers.”
Works every time


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## Tessa120 (Feb 1, 2020)

Captain Orca said:


> Target is work.  No getting around that, every position is work.  Most of it is not easy both physically and mentally.  LOA's for medical reasons and education: perfectly acceptable providing you're past 90 days.  Taking an extended leave to fuck around and not be productive and do something cool is a lame ass childish reason.  I wouldn't take you back.  Adults don't do stupid shit like that.


-cough- Taking a vacation.


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## redeye58 (Feb 1, 2020)

Captain Orca said:


> *Adults don't do stupid shit like that.*





Yetive said:


> *Sure they do. Sabbaticals, for instance.*





Captain Orca said:


> Target employees don't take sabbaticals, read the post carefully.


Maybe Target employees don't take sabbaticals but ADULTS do, read the post carefully.


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## happygoth (Feb 2, 2020)

Captain Orca said:


> Target is work.  No getting around that, every position is work.  Most of it is not easy both physically and mentally.  LOA's for medical reasons and education: perfectly acceptable providing you're past 90 days.  Taking an extended leave to fuck around and not be productive and do something cool is a lame ass childish reason.  I wouldn't take you back.  Adults don't do stupid shit like that.


This was posted under the wrong thread.

Also, throwing around words and phrases like "lame ass" and "childish" and telling people to grow up is pretty strange coming from someone who claims to have worked on the planet Neptune. For some reason you seem to have made it your job to chastise posters.


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## Dead and Khaki (Feb 2, 2020)

"AP, can you come over to cosmetics?"  With or without actually holding the button.


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## Captain Orca (Feb 2, 2020)

Neptune: levity   humor missed, again.


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## Tessa120 (Feb 2, 2020)

@Captain Orca You certainly do have an interesting sense of humor, though lately it has not been so interesting and has at times fallen to condescending.  It's as if of late when talking about Target you have become far more bitter than when you first came here, which is odd for someone who left Target a long time ago.  And @happygoth is right, you've started picking on others.

And starting a sentence with a conjunction like "So" is acceptable and has been acceptable for centuries as long as it is not immediately followed by a parenthetical expression.


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## happygoth (Feb 2, 2020)

Captain Orca said:


> Neptune: levity   humor missed, again.


I'm fine with the Neptune stuff - it's a bit off-kilter and whimsical.

What I don't get is the rudeness to other posters. You have no idea why that other poster wants to take an LOA. Perhaps they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to travel somewhere, an internship with a favorite company, or maybe they do just want to goof off and be unproductive - what's the big deal?


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## ellabella (May 8, 2020)

I work in Beauty too and it feels a lot like a guest spitting in my face when they test things that are clearly sealed on the floor. I once had to damage out two thirds of our Maybelline lip glosses just because one woman wanted to try every color


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## redeye58 (May 9, 2020)

That ranks up there with bitch-slapping the girls who open nail polish & paint all over the displays.
I just wanna sit on 'em & paint 'em up like dysfunctional Kachina dolls.


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## yongfentables (Sep 2, 2022)

Unfortunately, the current generation has become arrogant. If I were you, I would immediately say it is unnecessary to behave like this. Moreover, I would likely have demanded a fine for the damaged goods. I have been working in the field of cosmetology for 5 years. I am currently undergoing an additional qualification at http://www.nwcollege.edu. By the way, the girl is too young to make a manicure. I always try to tell my parents about it. No one listens to this advice.


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## Sparkle5 (Sep 2, 2022)

BullseyeBabe said:


> I’ve walked up to guests and said, “Do you just want to hand those over to me? We can’t sell them after they’ve been opened. Did you know you can return our cosmetics? I’m sorry, but we don’t have testers.”
> Works every time


Yes this works at the moment for interception but so many get away with itnits icky. We actually had graffiti using the nail polish on those plastic panels in front of the polish display. Also an over 35K "loss" reported last month...no one fired...better check camera placement.


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## daemon (Sep 2, 2022)

I block any attempt to open packaging, and simply quote our very generous return policy. I have been getting a little upset at the mouth breathers who can't properly open a heyday package without ripping off the top. 

Sampling is not a thing, I never want to invite window shopping that would fill up an endcap with mark downs, especially since this could invite them to come back later and pickup the same product cheaper. The internet is a thing, if you want pictures of it then there are high resolution pictures on the internet that are more than what your dollar store glasses can handle viewing.


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## KarmaToBurn (Sep 2, 2022)

Our AP leader told us years ago "Not to confront guests over anything, ever" you'll get yer ass shot or stabbed. Beauty products are (or were) fully reimbursed by manufacturer after being defected out... and make your override to TOSS.... Do NOT Salvage that tainted shit. Yer RLE will hate you less if you do it right....


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## Xanatos (Sep 2, 2022)

yongfentables said:


> Unfortunately, the current generation has become arrogant. If I were you, I would immediately say it is unnecessary to behave like this.


Did you make an account just to resurrect a 2 year old thread?


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## jackandcat (Oct 28, 2022)

There are full-service department stores and beauty boutiques -- i.e. Nordstrom, Macy's -- with sales staff empowered to offer personal samples. Target is not one of these. We are a self-service store with generous return policies. If a guest wants personal sampling, a full-service boutique is a better option, though products will be higher-priced. Methinks part of the problem is guests who expect high-level concierge service at self-service bargain prices.


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## rd123 (Oct 28, 2022)

How about trying a hair brush and putting it back ?!🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️


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