u/Ravenled

Previous post: https://old.reddit.com/r/AustralianMakeup/comments/1uf2075/sephora_just_accidentally_admitted_in_writing/

Update:

Hi everyone! I wanted to give you all an update on the saga with Sephora Australia regarding their recent "Extra 10% off Sale" app promotion and the shocking customer service experience that followed. First of all, thank you to everyone who commented on my initial post and validated that what Sephora was doing was not okay!

The TL;DR of the madness: I bought the Beautyblender Bounce Haus Essentials Set on sale ($70 down to $49, which is 30% off). The app explicitly advertised the "Extra 10% off Sale" promo banner directly under this item on the product page. When it didn’t apply at checkout, I emailed support thinking it was a simple glitch. Instead of fixing it, I was put through an absolute gauntlet:

• Rep #1: Claimed my item wasn't on their "hidden backend URL clearance list," so the promo didn't apply (despite the banner literally sitting on the product page).
• Rep #2: Claimed the item was actually part of a separate "50% off" promo that doesn't stack. They literally went into the app mid-dispute and retroactively added a red "50% off Selected Items" tag to the live product page! Too bad for them, my original screenshot proved it was only 30% off when I bought it, and their own math didn't even make sense.
• Rep #3: Accidentally confessed in writing that the Sephora app dynamically displays discount banners on items that aren't eligible simply because the promo hasn't been redeemed on your account yet. A literal dark pattern!

The Resolution: Once I had them in writing admitting that their app is designed to mislead shoppers, I stopped being nice. I formally demanded an escalation to management, cited Section 18 and Section 29 of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) regarding misleading price representations, and stated I was preparing a report for Consumer Affairs Victoria and the ACCC.

Suddenly, my ticket was moved to a "Senior Resolutions Team" for a week-long investigation.

Today, I finally received confirmation: they have approved my refund back to Apple Pay.

And how much was this grand refund that Sephora fought me tooth and nail over, lied to me about, and retroactively altered web pages to defend? ...$4.99.

Five dollars! They burned through multiple customer service reps and a week of investigations over a five-dollar discrepancy that their own buggy app caused. In their final email, they completely glossed over the lies and the fake tags, simply saying they "recorded my feedback regarding the differing information provided."

The Moral of the Story: I am a little petty, but this was never about the $5... it was about the principle! If I didn't have time-stamped screenshots of my cart and the product page at the exact moment of purchase, I would have been gaslit out of my money. Hundreds of other shoppers probably were during this sale!

Always take screenshots of promo banners and prices on the Sephora app before you check out. Know your rights under Australian Consumer Law, stand your ground, and hold these mega-retailers to account!

I just had to share this absolutely wild customer service ride I’ve been on with Sephora Australia this week because I am genuinely in shock.
During the recent Beauty Pass App Exclusive sale, Sephora had a promo for an "Extra 10% off Sale items" in-app.

I was looking at the Beautyblender Set. It was clearly marked on sale (discounted from $70 to $49, which is 30% off). Right underneath the product, prominently in the "Offers For You" section, the app displayed the "Extra 10% off Sale" banner. Naturally, I assumed it applied!

I checked out, and the extra 10% didn't apply. No big deal, I thought it was just a standard glitch, so I emailed customer service with screenshots showing the promo banner literally sitting directly on the item's page.

What followed were three completely different, contradictory excuses from three different reps:

• Rep 1: Told me that even though the banner was on the product page, the item wasn't on their "hidden backend URL clearance list," so it didn't count.
• Rep 2: Tried to tell me the item was actually part of a "50% off" promo (which doesn't stack), and they literally went and updated the app after my email to add a 50% off tag to it! Unfortunately for them, I had my original screenshots showing the 30% off markdown and absolutely zero mention of a 50% off promo at the time I bought it.
• Rep 3 : I politely pointed out the timeline discrepancy to Rep 2. The ticket got passed to a third rep who replied with this absolute gem:

"Please note that at the time you were browsing, the promotion appeared across multiple items because it had not yet been redeemed on your account. This is why you were able to see it displayed, even though it does not apply to all products."

The TL;DR / Conclusion:
Sephora customer service officially put in writing that their app is deliberately programmed to display a specific financial discount directly on the product pages of items that are not eligible for it, just to bait you until you use the coupon.

Under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), businesses can't just slap a promo banner on a product, take your money, and then say "oh our app just does that to everyone until they buy something." You are entitled to the overall impression they present to you at the point of sale!

I’ve escalated it to management and cited the ACL, but I just wanted to warn everyone here. Take screenshots of your carts and product pages when shopping on the Sephora app! Has anyone else had to fight them on this kind of targeted app glitch before?

I used to take Vyvanse 20mg/30mg but started to try Ritalin IR (15mg) to see if it gives me more control over the stimulants and to avoid insomnia. However, I've tried it twice now and I've noticed that I am very stimulated, good mood (almost euphoric but not a large degree) and social and feel good overall.

But then 60 - 80 mins in, I have a full on crash. Still stimulated but anxious, uncomfortable feeling, almost sad/not emotional but like there's no euphoria or good feelings left. And it impacts my ability to focus because I feel so on edge.

It's happened twice now. I had a Costco hot dog before I took the Ritalin too so it's not the protein issue.

Anyone else experience anything like this? It's such a quick, uncomfortable descent to an emotional and mental crash I feel. the first time was literally 20-30 mins and then crash.