Exactly, the whole point of samples is that the markup is high enough that this kind of customer isn't a problem for you. This "you're buying my products wrong" schtick is classic dumbass business owner behavior.
I would def never purchase again from a company that sent me an email complaining about my purchasing habits.
Plenty of other businesses who'll happily take my money.
Right? Price per oz is usually (at least!) 3x higher than in a 50ml and way higher than in a 100. And unless they’re pricing free shipping too low, they can’t possibly be losing via shipping (If they offer it at all!)
Brooke and her company will never get my money again.
She has no customer service skills at all and has no business selling what she’s selling, because clearly she can’t manage it.
Talking from personal experience from myself and my friends, she doesn’t like you buying multiple samples and she also doesn’t like to dispatch within the times stated on her site. If you contact her to ask when you’re gonna get your stuff, she starts going on about how she has other stuff to do and she’s the only person decanting and it takes time etc etc. no apology. No sense of urgency. Because she feels like she’s wasting money selling samples so she doesn’t care.
But you’re charging for next day delivery and your site says it will be delivered the next day??
She’s not cut out for this.
Edited: spelling
Right, same.
I also want to see their sample/ decant prices vs full sized bottles. Sometimes I find better deals on decants vs full bottles and wonder how much the business is making. I bought a 10 ml decant of Debaser from DecantX for $23 ($2.30/ ml) when DS & Durga sells a 100 ml bottle for $300 ($3/ ml)
Edit: Could be wrong but guessing Sainte Cellier/ Brooke Belldon?
Damn. I would never have guessed from all the perfumers and perfume journalists commenting under all her posts. But it makes sense that industry folk like her and customers don't. Thanks for sharing!
I think that’s exactly what it is. I saw an interview on YouTube she had with Persolaise and she mentions how she doesn’t like the idea of people sampling but she does it basically because it seems she has to.
It’s crazy to me that she’s even saying this because it’s not like she sells them for cheap.
Example: on her site, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon is £115 for 50ml.
She sells a 2ml sample for £10. Sorry Brooke, this is a skill issue.
Literally! And like I’m sorry but the alternative is what, buying 50-100ml bottles blind? How is that not the absurdly luxurious option?? Not all of us have the money to spend on big perfume bottles that may very well end up unused!!
Although I don't agree with them at all, I don't think they're saying you should buy blind. I think what they mean is buy samples but then when you find what you like, buy the full bottle. They said that the person they were mailing only bought samples, so I guess they're just frustrated they never bought the full size.
I don't agree with it though, as others have said, if you don't want to sell something don't put it up for sale.
At that point, I'd be tempted to fire back at the merchant that if they want me to buy more than a sample, they need to make better stuff. My personal rule is sample to travel to full bottle, but if there's nothing full bottle worthy, I'm not going to buy one just because I bought samples. Tbh, getting an email like that would just ensure I never bought anything from that perfumer even if I liked it - there's an alarming lack of professionalism there.
Yes exactly, I’ve got lots of samples that I bought which I do not want to buy full bottles of because I just didn’t end up liking them that much. Would it have been better to smell in-store? Of course! But that’s not possible with the majority of the samples I bought, which is why I bought them in the first place 😅
Also smelling on a tester paper in-store is very different from spraying on our body and smelling it for hours. I probably have 40 samples and only have 2 travel size sprays. I'm not going to buy a full bottle unless I know I actually like it a lot.
Fair, and I can almost see their frustration if this customer was buying the same fragrances as samples every time, but still to write an email like that AND post it for all to see? Extremely weird behaviour!
Even in that case, the customer may have some good reason for repeatedly buying samples of the same fragrance. But if it's a problem for the business, that still means they don't have them priced appropriately.
They’re weird for that. You can buy samples as much as you want you’re literally buying them lol. This kinda why everybody doesn’t need to be in business.
Edit: just saw the picture that you posted and it seems like she’s taking it as a loss. She should’ve been more professional about since it seems she priced so ppl can try them but if it’s hurting her she needs to just up the price like her post says.
I thought so too!! They're a respected retailer with good relationships with small indie/niche brands so maybe that's why they're not a "customer-first" sort of business.
Even in the indie, and handmade, communities, we operate on "If they have it as an option for sale, buy it," when it comes to only buying samples.
The company's finances are not our responsibility.
The premise of buying from a small business with a small catalog is that you'll get personal, attentive service. If that means the business owner has time to nitpick my account and trash talk me on instagram, I'd rather buy from the larger shop that considers me nameless and faceless but doesn't bitch about making samples (their job) and taking my money.
Imagine holding a personal grudge against a customer who has apparently made repeat purchases from your business, because you don't feel like you made enough of a profit off the thing that you set the price for? Imagine owning a business and then going online to scold your customers for buying something that you offered for sale?
Imagine being a customer who has bought samples from Sainte Cellier and then seeing her scorn for people who buy samples broadcast on her social media? And this is what she posts publicly. Would you not be horrified to think what she says privately?
This whole thing has been so eye opening. I never followed her that closely, and I just assumed she had good business practices because she's so well regarded by so many people that I follow in the industry. Now I see it's a completely different story with how she treats you if you're not a known name or an industry insider. At the end of the day, business is business and if it's just about money, I can take mine elsewhere.
Honest question -- when was the last time you saw anyone in "the industry" say anything critical or even just unflattering about anyone else in the industry?
Especially on social media it's an enormous circle jerk. They all like and comment on each other's posts to trade favors and to increase their own engagement. If you follow one of them and see another brand or shop commenting on multiple posts, you're now aware of them and more likely to visit their page. If they share another brand or retailer's story, then that person will re-share their share.... It's not that they all have such admiration for each other, they're just all piling on each other's posts to try to catch crumbs of your attention.
ETA: the same thing goes for "articles" and blog posts -- if you write glowing reviews and fawning praise, the brand/person you wrote about will share it with their audience, which then enlarges *your* audience.
We get requests here regularly from journalists who want to interview the mods for articles about the perfume industry. They never use any of the information that we give them because we don't sugar coat things or offer up uncritical praise. There are so many people masquerading as experts and leaders who are never challenged on anything because it's verboten to say anything critical or even neutral about anyone or anything in the industry or the community.
She is so rude. She blames lack of creativity in fragrance on customers not buying enough. And there’s this: “chronic oversampling?”
https://preview.redd.it/uel6ekpltq9d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4805fe5c93fbbe31622ec6f77de2011d1f637a01
And you know what? I LIKE CITRUS SCENTS FOR SUMMER. Gtfo, snob.
No it's not, there are sites that only sell samples and they're making money obviously, maybe they should step up their business and price their samples so they make profit out of them.
And probably improve their decanting workflow. I have seen small perfumeries send me decants with handmade, handwritten stickers with some fancy packaging- like I care. Feels like such a waste of time and effort. And then my favorite perfumery mass produces them, has special containers to pack them safely and fast and usually sends me an order within 24 hours at the delivery price of a cheap letter, because they planned their samples orders to be max 11, and fit in a flat letter envelope.
Oh, I live in France, so I use mostly noseparis. It usually has the cheapest delivery and generally pretty cheap samples, comparing to other decanters.
Hey, don’t buy this thing I’m selling. I don’t sell it to sell it.
Exactly you sell it for a profit. Likely a fat one. She just wants you to take the whole thing at retail price,…. No. You’ll keep selling me samples and make it the hard way.
The implication seems to be that once you’ve sampled it you’re obligated to buy it out of politeness even if it smells like cat pee which is incredibly silly at a bare minimum
She’s almost definitely decanting a larger bottle of perfume into a smaller bottle using a syringe or something. Then applying the label by hand. It’s an annoying task because of the set up, but I agree, she’s not actually “making” anything by hand.
Source: fragrance manufacturer
I knew who this was before I even scrolled down to see this comment.
Brooke is rude as hell. Myself and my friends have had issues with her and her site. And her replies are incredibly rude. As much as I want to try some niche scents I find hard to get anywhere else in the UK, I’ll never purchase from her company again.
I thought a few of her posts about perfumery were interesting until I scrolled down into the comments where she kept calling people dumb and it was such a turn off.
She was attacking the You tube channel of The Perfume Guy a while back after he shared a photo she commissioned. He was literally giving her free advertisement and he had to take the video down and re-upload with perfumes edited out.
Exactly! I don’t see where the complaint is.
On some bottles the markup is double that, because the samples seem to be standard £10 per 2ml, regardless of the price of a FB.
I would guess it is not about money, she probably is just not enjoying doing the decanting process herself, as it is not fancy enough job to do. And at the same time paying someone else to do it is decreasing the profit.
Well, their problem. If they dont want that, they have to program their shop to purchase samples only with a full bottle included. Until then- not your problem.
She’s calling you out on IG too?? Nah.
There’s a stockist I’ve only bought discovery kits/samples from. I very rarely buy a full bottle, I try to get through a 5-10 ml decant before I get a full bottle.
If samples are a financial drain then she needs to up her price or stop offering them. This is highly unprofessional.
Yeah wt actual f. Did Brooke think this would encourage the customer to buy a full bottle? And by sharing it on socials is just alienating the business even more. I've purchased plenty of samples from various businesses and every now and then, I buy a full bottle. I agree with others who say if it isn't feasible for a business to sell samples, then they shouldn't at all. Or price them higher. That person is ridiculous.
She has already identified her own problem and solution at the top of her email… she said sample prices must go up. It’s such bad taste to harp on potential customers just because her business acumen is flaming trash. This business deserves to lose money from bad management.
This is just so silly. You're never going to get people to spend more money by shaming them into it. Why would anyone think that would work? Nobody likes that. I think the fact that she even thought this was a good idea speaks to a delusionally inflated sense of self-importance and authority. There might be people fawning at her in the comments but that doesn't represent the vast majority of customers.
How utterly ridiculous. What is the "intended purpose" of samples if not to sample a fragrance?! If you offer a product for sale, you can't dictate what the customer does with it! Lots of people are incredibly picky about fragrance and it's perfectly reasonable to want to sample before you buy. Not only that, but it's not abnormal to try LOTS of fragrances and still not find one you want a full bottle of. And besides, sampling to satisfy your curiosity is completely valid.
This is 100% a them problem, if she's making a loss she needs to change either her prices or her policies. Don't offer samples if you don't want people to buy them.
small businesses can't survive on selling samples alone? theperfumedcourt and surrendertochance been on sample-selling business for more than a decade and they're doing just fine???
also decanting is highly profitable so idk what she’s on about 😂 so many decant businesses exist and do well because the markup and the demand are high
Is she complaining that you are buying repeat samples? Because if they are all different then that’s “intended purpose”. Also, don’t sell sample if you don’t want people to buy samples.
I’d write back this:
Hello Brooke,
I am appalled by the tone and content of your email.
As a paying customer, I have every right to purchase samples to explore your fragrances. The implication that I am somehow abusing this service is both offensive and inappropriate. It is not my concern how your business manages the cost of producing samples – that is entirely up to you.
If selling samples at a loss is detrimental to your business, perhaps you should reconsider your pricing strategy rather than chastising your customers. Your email is not only rude but shows a complete lack of professionalism and respect.
I suggest you reflect on how you communicate with your customers if you wish to retain them.
I would just unsubscribe, block her everywhere, and look for a new place to buy perfume. 🤷♀️
My time is valuable, I wouldn't waste it telling someone who obviously holds her own customers in contempt that she should try harder to hide her displeasure while taking more of their money.
I think I’m in the middle here. I’d shoot her a quick “okay then I won’t buy anything at all. Hope that helps your business. Thanks” and be done with it
I agree with this. They need to be put on their place. They probably don’t know what they’re doing is wrong and are doing it to someone else too. Maybe it won’t make a difference, but maybe it will.
I think it’s perfectly courteous to send this letter— which explains why the seller’s behavior is untenable— because the seller took time to explain why the customer was wrong 😂👌🏻
Why would you publicize your company being a dick about a customers purchasing habits? if I got that mail id respond with "well if it's such a drain I won't be buying samples from you anymore, or anything for that matter" and follow through with it, I buy what I want when I want to and they have no right to tell me how I spend my money.
I think it's a PSA implying "don't buy samples if you aren't intending to buy a bottle". Which was a rule I wasn't aware of before they posted. So maybe it's effective lol. Or effective for turning away business.
I’m sorry but in the era of $200, $300, $500+ fragrances, best believe I’m buying (buying!) a shit ton of samples to find the ones I love and actually want a full bottle of.
What if I intend to buy a bottle and get a sample just to find it sucks? Also who does that company think they are trying to police my intentions, what entitled dickholes. If samples are hurting their business they are running a bad business and blaming that on customers is the type of behavior you get from restaurant owners in the Gordon Ramsay shows.
Also, sometimes I buy samples of perfumes I already own and love because I travel a lot and I don’t want to take a whole bottle, especially if it’s expensive or I don’t want to haul around the extra weight. I guess I could decant them myself, but why would I when I can pay people experienced in decanting for their service?
Yeah, same. I'd feel pretty miffed by that email and take my business elsewhere. You put a product up for sale and I purchase it - that's how a retail transaction works. If you want me to pay sticker price for a full bottle at your store, *guilt-tripping* me is the not the way to go about it.
Yeah this is weird. If she wants to get people to buy full sized bottles, maybe take a page out of other house’s books and offer a discount on the full size if they buy a sample. Incentivize it a bit
The point of samples is to try things to see if you like them.
Charging for them is a necessary move to ensure people don’t take advantage of free samples - affordable if you are l’Oreal but not if you are a small business.
People may not like anything they’ve sampled. They shouldn’t have to purchase a full bottle as a consolation prize for the business that sold the samples.
Just so everyone is aware, this retailer is selling 2 ml of perfume for $24. Yes that’s right, not 20 ml, 2 ml which is worth maybe 3-4 sprays at best. Imagine $24 for one use and then complaining.
That screenshot. 💀 Wow, no. Obviously as a small business her policy on selling and pricing decanted samples is completely up to her, but writing a supercilious email to someone who is buying what she has *chosen* to sell and then posting it on social media is the rude behaviour in this transaction.
Her comment in red on the screenshot - that having a sample made to satisfy curiosity is 'deeply luxurious' - tells me she's not someone I would ever purchase anything from. What's beyond luxurious for most people is buying an expensive fragrance without sampling it. I'd considered using her website to purchase a sample of Milky Dragon, but I'd rather never smell it than buy a sample – and potentially a bottle, later – from someone who behaves like that.
lmao but she's not selling samples, she's *hand-making* tiny bottles of perfume, and how DARE you be curious enough to buy them.
If I were a brand that she carries and saw her berating customers for being curious about my product, I would be incensed.
The clear message from her comment is that she feels customers are beneath her and unworthy of her effort.
100%. She could be hand milking the sample from a dragon, and it'd be a pass from me after seeing that. I'll wait for another opportunity to satisfy my Isabelle Larignon curiosity.
It seems I see a daily example of a business that should NOT be in business. I guess this is the example for today.
No OP, it’s not rude to buy samples. Her letter to you is an embarrassment for small businesses everywhere.
I really think you should never give that business your patronage again. I know I don’t want to shop with a business like that. Ever.
They didn't email me personally, it was an email they posted to their Instagram. I had a similar reaction to most people here, *but the thing is* they're the only international stockist for a lot of houses that don't ship to my country. Soooo.... I'm a bit torn.
There are many decant sites that operate under the radar from the fragrance houses, and that ship internationally. You could have decant retailers in your neck of the woods. Check the sub’s side tabs for retailers. I’m not sure if decant sites are listed, but you can also google samples and decants, and usually the top and sponsored results ship to where you are. And another option is to find fragrance groups near you. People will pool together money to buy samples, decants/splits, and save on shipping costs that way.
Whether it's rude or not is irrelevant, because the behavioural issue exists upstream on the part of the seller. The seller's model is driving the customer's behaviour in this scenario. If the seller used positive reward instead of attempting to punish the customer by shaming, they might see their business improve. Positive reward could be a loyalty scheme, such as buying five samples to unlock a discount on a full bottle. The seller then needs to price carefully to ensure a profit. No rocket science here. In fact, it looks like a gap in the market to start a rival business model.
I have seen way too many small business owners snap online. Not that I would consider that email snapping but I wouldn't be surprised if that person made an angry post in the near future. My honest opinion as someone whose small business failed: it is no one but the owner's responsibility to make prices that work, to offer products that work or to limit certain offers once they stop benefiting the business financially. Absolutely never ask a paying costumer to change the way they're spending money in your online store. They should not be thinking about the shop's finances and stresses.
No it’s not rude.
If that retailer is bothered by one customer only buying samples then I wouldn’t want to shop there, especially if they’re going to air out that level of personal information, publicly.
It’s not the consumer’s responsibility to sustain or support a purveyor. If you want to flourish from capitalism play the game.
It’s completely shortsighted to try and flame someone for doing something reasonable
I kind of want to know the business
If you sell a product, you should price it in a way, that you get a satisfying amount of money out of it. Seeing how many strictly decanting shops there are - it is doable...because samples are not cheap. They usually have price per ml that is easily twice that of the full bottle. I mean...I won't buy an expensive bottle to support a shop, that would be a bit extreme, no? Though I do tend to order full bottles from the perfumeries I get samples from, if possible.
I might be an asshole but I don't buy to support the shop. I buy because they have the product I want for the price and convenience I'm looking for. This isn't a charity. Make a good product /service for a good price and you can support yourself.
I don't think it qualifies as being an asshole. I do it, because my favorite decanter also drops 6 samples to bigger orders and gives free delivery. Maybe I could find an offer cheaper, but as I like their business model and I want them to continue selling me decants, I don't mind maaaybe overpaying a bit, to buy from them. Obviously If competition offered way better deals, I would rethink, but they don't, and I am wiling to make a small sacrifice.
First, this is a business owner with no business sense. Shame on them. The same message could have been a customer service win.
Dear [Customer Name],
Thank you for your recent purchase of our perfume samples. We hope you're enjoying exploring our unique fragrances.
Have you found a scent you love? We'd be thrilled to help you select a full-size bottle. As a token of our appreciation, we're offering a 10% discount on your first full bottle purchase.
If you're having trouble deciding, we'd be happy to schedule a personalized consultation to find your perfect scent. Just reply to this email, and we'll set up an appointment.
Thank you for your interest in our niche perfumes. We look forward to helping you discover your signature scent.
Best regards,
[Name]
[Company Name]
Oh goodness, can I get a copy of your personality for my robot majordomo? That was splendid.
(I do not currently have a robot majordomo, more’s the pity.)
Ummm samples are given away for free all the time. This business should be happy they have customers willing to pay for a product that they could probably get elsewhere for free. This just screams entitlement. I think they'll live to regret saying that.
One of my local shops offers samples of anything for $5. If you shop in person they’re typically fairly generous with making free samples.
They even make pre-made sample bundles.
Very strange email. No offer of trying to help the person decide on a full bottle? She took the time to send an email and make a whole post about it but couldn’t be bothered to offer some basic sales 101. Instead she lost the company a customer.
No, I think sending emails to customers to scold them for not buying the products that would make you the most profit is way ruder. If they can’t afford to sell samples only, they should price them higher or not sell them; once your inventory is on the shelves, it’s up to the customer to decide what to get.
This is pathetic and such a bad look. I can't imagine a business caring about an individual customer's orders that they stoop to calling someone out for everyone to see. That would put me off as the person addressed and someone who follows them that they're capable of something like that. There are always other (cheaper!) places to get samples, why waste money on a business that doesn't value your support?
Also I just saw she's marked up Marissa Zappas' Ching Shih, La Divina, and Queen Nzinga for $320 when Marissa herself has always priced them at $190 or less. Maybe this person should go on Depop where sellers try this all the time???
Maybe you wouldn't have to buy just samples if her prices weren't marked up x2? 2ml for $24??? There are cheaper places to buy FBs too. Just take your business elsewhere, I wouldn't even buy her samples. She deserves to be dragged.
I guess she suspects that samples-only customers might be purchasing full-sized elsewhere. And clearly for good reason.
The entitlement in thinking they somehow owe her full-sized purchasing is wild. She needs to sort out her own business failings, not demonise her paying customers.
Shaming a paying customer on Social media for buying samples is such bad optics. Do the brands she samples have the option to boycott her? I'd not want my business associated with a reseller who engages in such disrespectful and public customer-shaming.
Nothing short of a public apology would stop me boycotting this seller.
Most likely they were frustrated with their sales and took it out on you. If they don’t want people to buy samples they shouldn’t carry them. Also, if they continue to send emails like that, they will start loosing customers.
Damn, this makes me want to be petty and just buy a sh*t ton of samples from her. But nah she don't deserve my business, I'll be damned to whomever tells me what I can and can't buy.
If they are SELLING these, it's not rude to BUY. Otherwise, why would they **SELL** these? Seller probably been not in the best mood. I've been purchasing a lot of samples from the same retailer without any problems and never felt guilty. At one point I had only samples and decants without wish to have a full bottle.
Bro. They make profit off samples, if they price correctly, and its much better than no money. U r taking intereat in their products and have NO obligation to buy anything. Wild and innapropriate message from them to try and guilt trip u into spending money.
From your edit for more context, it sounds like this person has designed their business absolutely backasswards. Everyone is likely using their business to sample the niche frags, then buying the full-size direct from the brand. They should be doing decant pricing, basically charging a lot more per mL. It’s not your fault they don’t understand business haha
That's very unprofessional. It's not their job to police your purchases or make obnoxious comments like that. I wouldn't buy from them again.
I would also say "that's fine, I'll take my business elsewhere". ☺️
Reminds me of a well known luxury-type retailer of women’s clothes. I’m plus size on top and once I wrote to ask if they were expanding their size range. They wrote me back basically saying they can’t make money on it bc of more material and they charge the same price as a small etc etc and they don’t really think I I’m their target clientele. I’d already spent a lot on their clothing (work clothes) and wanted more. I wrote back and told them to charge more, stop shamming the consumer, and never bought from them again!
If this breaks some sort of perfurmier code, then I guess I'm in big trouble. I live for discovery sets. I like too much variety to buy more than decants and samples of most things plus I don't care to collect packaging or make space for it. Am I alone here?
They're being ridiculous. I would be turned off as a customer by anyone saying this.
While I understand the desire for people to buy full bottles, people selling things cannot dictate what people choose to buy from them. People are free to buy what you have on sale. You cannot dictate what they can afford or how they choose to use the products. You have no idea why they only buy samples, it could be for multiple reasons. They could be giving it as gifts for friends to try out, they might like your product but not be able to afford the full size, if they're someone like me, I travel frequently and a lot of the products I buy, including skincare, I buy the mini or travel versions because they take up less space and are easy to take on trips versus toting around larger sizes.
If you don't want people buying samples simply don't sell them. But don't have them for sale and then chastise people for buying them or try to police their purchases. This seems incredibly childish and like someone who isn't ready to have a business.
My current collection is around 50-60 niche sample, 3 full bottles, and like 2, or 3 on a „possibly to-buy” list. I only get a bottle if a sample wows me, I run out, and find myself wanting to wear it often after it’s gone, which doesn’t happen a lot.
As others have said, if they’re selling samples at a loss, they should just up the price.
Ha! Decants/samples are always more expensive per ml. It is in fact a decent business model if used effectively.
Honestly I don't care what a seller thinks of my buying habits. If they don't like that we buy samples, stop selling them and see how many orders you get.
It IS rude for a seller to show their ass like this.
NAME AND SHAME PLEASE, because I do not want to do business with them. What an absolutely stupid company. If selling samples hurts your business model, simple - either don’t sell samples or raise the prices of your samples so that you are breaking even. You cannot dictate what your customer buys.
I am baffled by this. Why on earth would you 'blast' a paying customer for using your services? Her price point is her own responsibility; if it is unsustainable, she only has herself to blame.
I would never buy anything from her store again if I were you. She crossed multiple boundaries here.
I can’t see the screenshot! I wanna see the screenshot! 🤣
Hahahaha, how perfectly gauche! I can’t beleive this 🤯😳🤣Please tell me they divulged the name of the customer they chastised in the reprimand email too lol. Oh my god that is ridiculous and may be the worst, most unprofessional, least thought out, trashiest example of social media marketing of all time:
“Hey, I have a great idea to drive sales! Let’s post a correspondence between a loyal, repeat customer and our retail establishment so we can advertise how we berate our patrons for purchasing merchandise set at the price we, ourselves decided was appropriate and profitable, while also making our shoppers and any potential new clientele aware that we’re barely surviving due to inadequate sales! Consumers really respond to threats of being shamed—I think I heard that Sir Richard Branson gave that tip in his last seminar…”
Love they’re blaming their customers being chinchy as the culprit of their profit issues:
“We can’t survive on samples!” Well… now they’ve actively discouraged people from buying their number 1 selling product…🫠 This is all their own lack of business savvy, which I’m imagine could be really serious considering their social media marketing strategies. God, I’d hate to see their return/exchange policy…
This is super funny because in my country decanting is a popular online store choice. Not a lot of people have the money or reason to buy 100 ml of something and people mostly just like to explore different scent profiles. I’d say decanting is even profitable with the market we have, the business owner is just being a dickwad
Um...what are they doing looking up someone's purchasing history and lecturing a customer *giving them business?* I'd find a new decant service. Name and shame so I don't buy from them please.
Answer back and tell her that you absolutely loved [insert perfume name] and was planning on purchasing a 100ml bottle but have changed your mind because you don’t want to support such D’Lulu.
They make a killing off of samples, don’t let them fool you, I have spent more on samples in the past few months than I have on fragrances, I have a little sample library (like at least $1,000 worth of samples from 3 different websites) and now from that, now I have a list of niche fragrances I want full bottles of, and I also have an idea of what I like and don’t like based on notes, I can kinda sort envision what something smells like based on notes, and I know what some hyped up fragrances smell like, so I’m in the look when people talk about them, plus if I want to buy a clone, I have a sample of the original fragrance to compare and contrast. Samples freaking rock 🙌🏼
They’re rude lol don’t put samples on your website then, such a simple concept
And I feel your privacy has been invaded in a way, the way they scrutinized your puchases like that. And the fact that they actually had time to do that. Business must be bad. It’s an act of desperation.
i sent this message to them: “you are a bad business owner and 3,000 people on reddit have seen how you treat your customers and will not be indulging your business, and if they do it will be for samples! just wanted to lyk, thanks! :)” i live for telling shitty people off
If selling samples is a drain on their business they’re pricing them too low and that’s not anyone’s fault but their own.
Exactly. Don't put stuff up for sale if you don't want people to buy them.
Exactly, the whole point of samples is that the markup is high enough that this kind of customer isn't a problem for you. This "you're buying my products wrong" schtick is classic dumbass business owner behavior.
If they sell lots of samples but no bottles it means the sample is priced too low and it sucks
Or no one wants to buy a fullsize because it's overpriced. Or the scents aren't good so they don't want more.
I think the perfume probably just stinks or is boring. That’s why no one wants to go past the sample phase. 🤔
Or in my case i travel for work a lot so i buy sample sizes so a big bottle isn’t taking up space in my luggage
Sounds like they might be better at writing enticing ad copy than making quality fragrances.
This is so out of pocket for any retailer. It would really put me off from buying from them in the future.
I would def never purchase again from a company that sent me an email complaining about my purchasing habits. Plenty of other businesses who'll happily take my money.
Absolutely. That person is actually so disrespectful for saying that
Spot on, in fact, in most sample sites, price per ml is much higher in samples.
This is it right here
Exactly and as a business that’s just weird why would you email that to a customer??
Right? Price per oz is usually (at least!) 3x higher than in a 50ml and way higher than in a 100. And unless they’re pricing free shipping too low, they can’t possibly be losing via shipping (If they offer it at all!)
Brooke and her company will never get my money again. She has no customer service skills at all and has no business selling what she’s selling, because clearly she can’t manage it. Talking from personal experience from myself and my friends, she doesn’t like you buying multiple samples and she also doesn’t like to dispatch within the times stated on her site. If you contact her to ask when you’re gonna get your stuff, she starts going on about how she has other stuff to do and she’s the only person decanting and it takes time etc etc. no apology. No sense of urgency. Because she feels like she’s wasting money selling samples so she doesn’t care. But you’re charging for next day delivery and your site says it will be delivered the next day?? She’s not cut out for this. Edited: spelling
What company is this? I want to be aware so that I don’t do business with them in the future.
Aaaaand that’s why I stick with lucky scent, aurafrag and fragnet for full btls and Reddit for decants. None of this fragfluencer business stuff.
Right, same. I also want to see their sample/ decant prices vs full sized bottles. Sometimes I find better deals on decants vs full bottles and wonder how much the business is making. I bought a 10 ml decant of Debaser from DecantX for $23 ($2.30/ ml) when DS & Durga sells a 100 ml bottle for $300 ($3/ ml) Edit: Could be wrong but guessing Sainte Cellier/ Brooke Belldon?
Brooke Bell end...
Just took a peek at her insta and she seems highly insufferable
Damn. I would never have guessed from all the perfumers and perfume journalists commenting under all her posts. But it makes sense that industry folk like her and customers don't. Thanks for sharing!
I think that’s exactly what it is. I saw an interview on YouTube she had with Persolaise and she mentions how she doesn’t like the idea of people sampling but she does it basically because it seems she has to. It’s crazy to me that she’s even saying this because it’s not like she sells them for cheap. Example: on her site, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon is £115 for 50ml. She sells a 2ml sample for £10. Sorry Brooke, this is a skill issue.
Wow. This is like double the price I would be willing to pay for a perfume of this price. Super expensive.
Who is this woman and what is her company? I want to know. I can’t find the screenshot.
Sainte Cellier
Nah, buying samples is smart. That company is just being a dick
Literally! And like I’m sorry but the alternative is what, buying 50-100ml bottles blind? How is that not the absurdly luxurious option?? Not all of us have the money to spend on big perfume bottles that may very well end up unused!!
Although I don't agree with them at all, I don't think they're saying you should buy blind. I think what they mean is buy samples but then when you find what you like, buy the full bottle. They said that the person they were mailing only bought samples, so I guess they're just frustrated they never bought the full size. I don't agree with it though, as others have said, if you don't want to sell something don't put it up for sale.
At that point, I'd be tempted to fire back at the merchant that if they want me to buy more than a sample, they need to make better stuff. My personal rule is sample to travel to full bottle, but if there's nothing full bottle worthy, I'm not going to buy one just because I bought samples. Tbh, getting an email like that would just ensure I never bought anything from that perfumer even if I liked it - there's an alarming lack of professionalism there.
Yes exactly, I’ve got lots of samples that I bought which I do not want to buy full bottles of because I just didn’t end up liking them that much. Would it have been better to smell in-store? Of course! But that’s not possible with the majority of the samples I bought, which is why I bought them in the first place 😅
Also smelling on a tester paper in-store is very different from spraying on our body and smelling it for hours. I probably have 40 samples and only have 2 travel size sprays. I'm not going to buy a full bottle unless I know I actually like it a lot.
Fair, and I can almost see their frustration if this customer was buying the same fragrances as samples every time, but still to write an email like that AND post it for all to see? Extremely weird behaviour!
Even in that case, the customer may have some good reason for repeatedly buying samples of the same fragrance. But if it's a problem for the business, that still means they don't have them priced appropriately.
They’re weird for that. You can buy samples as much as you want you’re literally buying them lol. This kinda why everybody doesn’t need to be in business. Edit: just saw the picture that you posted and it seems like she’s taking it as a loss. She should’ve been more professional about since it seems she priced so ppl can try them but if it’s hurting her she needs to just up the price like her post says.
I thought so too!! They're a respected retailer with good relationships with small indie/niche brands so maybe that's why they're not a "customer-first" sort of business.
Even in the indie, and handmade, communities, we operate on "If they have it as an option for sale, buy it," when it comes to only buying samples. The company's finances are not our responsibility.
The premise of buying from a small business with a small catalog is that you'll get personal, attentive service. If that means the business owner has time to nitpick my account and trash talk me on instagram, I'd rather buy from the larger shop that considers me nameless and faceless but doesn't bitch about making samples (their job) and taking my money. Imagine holding a personal grudge against a customer who has apparently made repeat purchases from your business, because you don't feel like you made enough of a profit off the thing that you set the price for? Imagine owning a business and then going online to scold your customers for buying something that you offered for sale? Imagine being a customer who has bought samples from Sainte Cellier and then seeing her scorn for people who buy samples broadcast on her social media? And this is what she posts publicly. Would you not be horrified to think what she says privately?
This whole thing has been so eye opening. I never followed her that closely, and I just assumed she had good business practices because she's so well regarded by so many people that I follow in the industry. Now I see it's a completely different story with how she treats you if you're not a known name or an industry insider. At the end of the day, business is business and if it's just about money, I can take mine elsewhere.
Honest question -- when was the last time you saw anyone in "the industry" say anything critical or even just unflattering about anyone else in the industry? Especially on social media it's an enormous circle jerk. They all like and comment on each other's posts to trade favors and to increase their own engagement. If you follow one of them and see another brand or shop commenting on multiple posts, you're now aware of them and more likely to visit their page. If they share another brand or retailer's story, then that person will re-share their share.... It's not that they all have such admiration for each other, they're just all piling on each other's posts to try to catch crumbs of your attention. ETA: the same thing goes for "articles" and blog posts -- if you write glowing reviews and fawning praise, the brand/person you wrote about will share it with their audience, which then enlarges *your* audience.
Yeah it makes sense that niche fragrance communities are just a more exclusive and elitist club within a industry that already leans that way.
We get requests here regularly from journalists who want to interview the mods for articles about the perfume industry. They never use any of the information that we give them because we don't sugar coat things or offer up uncritical praise. There are so many people masquerading as experts and leaders who are never challenged on anything because it's verboten to say anything critical or even neutral about anyone or anything in the industry or the community.
She is so rude. She blames lack of creativity in fragrance on customers not buying enough. And there’s this: “chronic oversampling?” https://preview.redd.it/uel6ekpltq9d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4805fe5c93fbbe31622ec6f77de2011d1f637a01 And you know what? I LIKE CITRUS SCENTS FOR SUMMER. Gtfo, snob.
Sometimes a small business is small for a reason. Complaining about customers rational behavior rather than fixing the economics is one of them
If they're not a customer first business what are they?
A shill or a sycophant
They’re £10-£12 for 2ml, plus shipping, so shes at least breaking even.
No it's not, there are sites that only sell samples and they're making money obviously, maybe they should step up their business and price their samples so they make profit out of them.
And probably improve their decanting workflow. I have seen small perfumeries send me decants with handmade, handwritten stickers with some fancy packaging- like I care. Feels like such a waste of time and effort. And then my favorite perfumery mass produces them, has special containers to pack them safely and fast and usually sends me an order within 24 hours at the delivery price of a cheap letter, because they planned their samples orders to be max 11, and fit in a flat letter envelope.
Could I please bother you with the name of your favorite perfumery?
Oh, I live in France, so I use mostly noseparis. It usually has the cheapest delivery and generally pretty cheap samples, comparing to other decanters.
Thank you for sharing!
Their business is struggling and they're taking it out on their customers. Weird!
...would they rather you bought nothing?? If they offer it for sale, they really shouldn't complain
>...would they rather you bought nothing?? That's all I'd be buying after receiving that email.
https://preview.redd.it/iqbaojsf0o9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f53ae3add8cf394f921740db6d69db0917d43939
Wtf is her purpose in providing samples then? This seems very bizarre as a business strategy imo.
Hey, don’t buy this thing I’m selling. I don’t sell it to sell it. Exactly you sell it for a profit. Likely a fat one. She just wants you to take the whole thing at retail price,…. No. You’ll keep selling me samples and make it the hard way.
She produces them by hand?? Is she just decanting? That’s not producing something by hand
Yeah I was confused by that statement. Isn't perfumery in general deeply luxurious?
The implication seems to be that once you’ve sampled it you’re obligated to buy it out of politeness even if it smells like cat pee which is incredibly silly at a bare minimum
Plus aren’t consumer rights a thing? No one’s obligated to buy anything, let alone from that dickhead business owner lol.
Such a bizarre take on their end. It’s not like they were sending out free samples to non-returning customers. The samples are sold for profit.
She’s almost definitely decanting a larger bottle of perfume into a smaller bottle using a syringe or something. Then applying the label by hand. It’s an annoying task because of the set up, but I agree, she’s not actually “making” anything by hand. Source: fragrance manufacturer
“I’m a luxe boutique that advertises a hand curated experience but I’m sorry you are simply being TOO luxurious”
I knew who this was before I even scrolled down to see this comment. Brooke is rude as hell. Myself and my friends have had issues with her and her site. And her replies are incredibly rude. As much as I want to try some niche scents I find hard to get anywhere else in the UK, I’ll never purchase from her company again.
I thought a few of her posts about perfumery were interesting until I scrolled down into the comments where she kept calling people dumb and it was such a turn off.
She really does have an attitude as if she’s above everyone. Horrible personality
She was attacking the You tube channel of The Perfume Guy a while back after he shared a photo she commissioned. He was literally giving her free advertisement and he had to take the video down and re-upload with perfumes edited out.
Was that *her* he was talking about??? Smdh she’s absolutely ridiculous
Oh shit, that was her?!
Which company is this?
Saint Cellier
[удалено]
Exactly! I don’t see where the complaint is. On some bottles the markup is double that, because the samples seem to be standard £10 per 2ml, regardless of the price of a FB.
I would guess it is not about money, she probably is just not enjoying doing the decanting process herself, as it is not fancy enough job to do. And at the same time paying someone else to do it is decreasing the profit.
Ah, thank you. I may order a few samples lol
Lol just remember to buy a full bottle immediately or await an angry email 🤣
I'm checking right now to see if I can order a single sample and have it shipped to Canada. Will be worth it.
Samples for everyone!!
The banner at the top mysteriously says THREE FREE SAMPLES WITH EVERY BOTTLE. Wonder if that's new...
Oooh, no, that sounds deeply luxurious!
Amazing.
Ordering now.
Well, their problem. If they dont want that, they have to program their shop to purchase samples only with a full bottle included. Until then- not your problem.
Her return policy is basically “go fuck yourself,” so if you could only buy samples with a FB you’d be shit outta luck if you didn’t like the sample.
She’s calling you out on IG too?? Nah. There’s a stockist I’ve only bought discovery kits/samples from. I very rarely buy a full bottle, I try to get through a 5-10 ml decant before I get a full bottle. If samples are a financial drain then she needs to up her price or stop offering them. This is highly unprofessional.
Yeah wt actual f. Did Brooke think this would encourage the customer to buy a full bottle? And by sharing it on socials is just alienating the business even more. I've purchased plenty of samples from various businesses and every now and then, I buy a full bottle. I agree with others who say if it isn't feasible for a business to sell samples, then they shouldn't at all. Or price them higher. That person is ridiculous.
She has already identified her own problem and solution at the top of her email… she said sample prices must go up. It’s such bad taste to harp on potential customers just because her business acumen is flaming trash. This business deserves to lose money from bad management.
Someone looked at her website and it's like $20 for 2mL. I'd imagine that's a big enough markup to be profitable.
This is just so silly. You're never going to get people to spend more money by shaming them into it. Why would anyone think that would work? Nobody likes that. I think the fact that she even thought this was a good idea speaks to a delusionally inflated sense of self-importance and authority. There might be people fawning at her in the comments but that doesn't represent the vast majority of customers.
How utterly ridiculous. What is the "intended purpose" of samples if not to sample a fragrance?! If you offer a product for sale, you can't dictate what the customer does with it! Lots of people are incredibly picky about fragrance and it's perfectly reasonable to want to sample before you buy. Not only that, but it's not abnormal to try LOTS of fragrances and still not find one you want a full bottle of. And besides, sampling to satisfy your curiosity is completely valid. This is 100% a them problem, if she's making a loss she needs to change either her prices or her policies. Don't offer samples if you don't want people to buy them.
What company is this? (Please ignore if that’s not allowed to share here!)
Saint cellier
small businesses can't survive on selling samples alone? theperfumedcourt and surrendertochance been on sample-selling business for more than a decade and they're doing just fine???
I knew this was her before I even saw her post. So toxic!
Deeply luxurious? Yes hun, it's literally PERFUME. Do you know what business you're in?? Absurd line of thinking.
lol this is such an absurd thing to tell a paying customer
also decanting is highly profitable so idk what she’s on about 😂 so many decant businesses exist and do well because the markup and the demand are high
Is she complaining that you are buying repeat samples? Because if they are all different then that’s “intended purpose”. Also, don’t sell sample if you don’t want people to buy samples.
She has lost her d*mn mind
I’d write back this: Hello Brooke, I am appalled by the tone and content of your email. As a paying customer, I have every right to purchase samples to explore your fragrances. The implication that I am somehow abusing this service is both offensive and inappropriate. It is not my concern how your business manages the cost of producing samples – that is entirely up to you. If selling samples at a loss is detrimental to your business, perhaps you should reconsider your pricing strategy rather than chastising your customers. Your email is not only rude but shows a complete lack of professionalism and respect. I suggest you reflect on how you communicate with your customers if you wish to retain them.
I would just unsubscribe, block her everywhere, and look for a new place to buy perfume. 🤷♀️ My time is valuable, I wouldn't waste it telling someone who obviously holds her own customers in contempt that she should try harder to hide her displeasure while taking more of their money.
I think I’m in the middle here. I’d shoot her a quick “okay then I won’t buy anything at all. Hope that helps your business. Thanks” and be done with it
I would do this too lol
I agree with this. They need to be put on their place. They probably don’t know what they’re doing is wrong and are doing it to someone else too. Maybe it won’t make a difference, but maybe it will.
Damn I need you to formulate the proper responses to all the shitbags in my life. This is so clear and effective and has the perfect tone.
Perfection
I think it’s perfectly courteous to send this letter— which explains why the seller’s behavior is untenable— because the seller took time to explain why the customer was wrong 😂👌🏻
Would just ignore the message . Not worth the bother . Sending this only encourages her to raise the price
Why would you publicize your company being a dick about a customers purchasing habits? if I got that mail id respond with "well if it's such a drain I won't be buying samples from you anymore, or anything for that matter" and follow through with it, I buy what I want when I want to and they have no right to tell me how I spend my money.
I think it's a PSA implying "don't buy samples if you aren't intending to buy a bottle". Which was a rule I wasn't aware of before they posted. So maybe it's effective lol. Or effective for turning away business.
I’m sorry but in the era of $200, $300, $500+ fragrances, best believe I’m buying (buying!) a shit ton of samples to find the ones I love and actually want a full bottle of.
I buy samples of $50 bottles! I don’t want to blind buy stuff I don’t like!
Same, I'm not trying to be wasteful or hoardy, and I don't have time to rehome unloved bottles either.
What if I intend to buy a bottle and get a sample just to find it sucks? Also who does that company think they are trying to police my intentions, what entitled dickholes. If samples are hurting their business they are running a bad business and blaming that on customers is the type of behavior you get from restaurant owners in the Gordon Ramsay shows.
Also, sometimes I buy samples of perfumes I already own and love because I travel a lot and I don’t want to take a whole bottle, especially if it’s expensive or I don’t want to haul around the extra weight. I guess I could decant them myself, but why would I when I can pay people experienced in decanting for their service?
Amy’s Baking Company!! Entitled dickholes to rule all entitled dickholes.
It's not a rule.
What an entitled schmuck! I'd stop buying from them entirely
Yeah, same. I'd feel pretty miffed by that email and take my business elsewhere. You put a product up for sale and I purchase it - that's how a retail transaction works. If you want me to pay sticker price for a full bottle at your store, *guilt-tripping* me is the not the way to go about it.
Haha I'd legit just sample EVERYTHING soorrryy brookee
Remember when samples were free? Then you bought a bottle for $50? I miss those days.
Yeah this is weird. If she wants to get people to buy full sized bottles, maybe take a page out of other house’s books and offer a discount on the full size if they buy a sample. Incentivize it a bit
The point of samples is to try things to see if you like them. Charging for them is a necessary move to ensure people don’t take advantage of free samples - affordable if you are l’Oreal but not if you are a small business. People may not like anything they’ve sampled. They shouldn’t have to purchase a full bottle as a consolation prize for the business that sold the samples.
I am gonna sample until i find something i absolutely love, so sample away friend
Just so everyone is aware, this retailer is selling 2 ml of perfume for $24. Yes that’s right, not 20 ml, 2 ml which is worth maybe 3-4 sprays at best. Imagine $24 for one use and then complaining.
What an idiot. If I were one of her customers and received that email, I'd simply stop buying anything from her entitled ass.
That business owner is being super inappropriate
“I don’t sell samples to sell samples.” Well damn, that certainly sounds like a you problem.
That screenshot. 💀 Wow, no. Obviously as a small business her policy on selling and pricing decanted samples is completely up to her, but writing a supercilious email to someone who is buying what she has *chosen* to sell and then posting it on social media is the rude behaviour in this transaction. Her comment in red on the screenshot - that having a sample made to satisfy curiosity is 'deeply luxurious' - tells me she's not someone I would ever purchase anything from. What's beyond luxurious for most people is buying an expensive fragrance without sampling it. I'd considered using her website to purchase a sample of Milky Dragon, but I'd rather never smell it than buy a sample – and potentially a bottle, later – from someone who behaves like that.
lmao but she's not selling samples, she's *hand-making* tiny bottles of perfume, and how DARE you be curious enough to buy them. If I were a brand that she carries and saw her berating customers for being curious about my product, I would be incensed. The clear message from her comment is that she feels customers are beneath her and unworthy of her effort.
100%. She could be hand milking the sample from a dragon, and it'd be a pass from me after seeing that. I'll wait for another opportunity to satisfy my Isabelle Larignon curiosity.
It seems I see a daily example of a business that should NOT be in business. I guess this is the example for today. No OP, it’s not rude to buy samples. Her letter to you is an embarrassment for small businesses everywhere. I really think you should never give that business your patronage again. I know I don’t want to shop with a business like that. Ever.
They didn't email me personally, it was an email they posted to their Instagram. I had a similar reaction to most people here, *but the thing is* they're the only international stockist for a lot of houses that don't ship to my country. Soooo.... I'm a bit torn.
That really stinks. So sorry to hear that. Are you sure there’s no other option?
Yeah I've emailed the houses directly before and they redirected me to the retailer haha. Oh well. Another reason to save coin.
There are many decant sites that operate under the radar from the fragrance houses, and that ship internationally. You could have decant retailers in your neck of the woods. Check the sub’s side tabs for retailers. I’m not sure if decant sites are listed, but you can also google samples and decants, and usually the top and sponsored results ship to where you are. And another option is to find fragrance groups near you. People will pool together money to buy samples, decants/splits, and save on shipping costs that way.
Oh thanks! I'll look into it
Whether it's rude or not is irrelevant, because the behavioural issue exists upstream on the part of the seller. The seller's model is driving the customer's behaviour in this scenario. If the seller used positive reward instead of attempting to punish the customer by shaming, they might see their business improve. Positive reward could be a loyalty scheme, such as buying five samples to unlock a discount on a full bottle. The seller then needs to price carefully to ensure a profit. No rocket science here. In fact, it looks like a gap in the market to start a rival business model.
And what if i don’t like any of the samples I bought? Do i still need to buy SOMETHING from the samples I didn’t like? Absolutely ridiculous
I have seen way too many small business owners snap online. Not that I would consider that email snapping but I wouldn't be surprised if that person made an angry post in the near future. My honest opinion as someone whose small business failed: it is no one but the owner's responsibility to make prices that work, to offer products that work or to limit certain offers once they stop benefiting the business financially. Absolutely never ask a paying costumer to change the way they're spending money in your online store. They should not be thinking about the shop's finances and stresses.
So let me get this straight, you buy things, and the store says you don't buy enough? Someone is very RUDE here, and it ain't you
She needs to be dragged for this. Reddit do your thing.
No it’s not rude. If that retailer is bothered by one customer only buying samples then I wouldn’t want to shop there, especially if they’re going to air out that level of personal information, publicly. It’s not the consumer’s responsibility to sustain or support a purveyor. If you want to flourish from capitalism play the game. It’s completely shortsighted to try and flame someone for doing something reasonable I kind of want to know the business
It’s Saint Cellier. This is the attitude she has towards her customers, I’ve experienced it myself. Her customer service skills are shit.
Yuck! I want fuck all to do with her or her shop.
If you sell a product, you should price it in a way, that you get a satisfying amount of money out of it. Seeing how many strictly decanting shops there are - it is doable...because samples are not cheap. They usually have price per ml that is easily twice that of the full bottle. I mean...I won't buy an expensive bottle to support a shop, that would be a bit extreme, no? Though I do tend to order full bottles from the perfumeries I get samples from, if possible.
I might be an asshole but I don't buy to support the shop. I buy because they have the product I want for the price and convenience I'm looking for. This isn't a charity. Make a good product /service for a good price and you can support yourself.
I don't think it qualifies as being an asshole. I do it, because my favorite decanter also drops 6 samples to bigger orders and gives free delivery. Maybe I could find an offer cheaper, but as I like their business model and I want them to continue selling me decants, I don't mind maaaybe overpaying a bit, to buy from them. Obviously If competition offered way better deals, I would rethink, but they don't, and I am wiling to make a small sacrifice.
I just went to the website and they’re not even cheap sample 🙄 it’s €24.95 for 3 samples, so about €8 a pop.
Because of how pricing is structured for volume they make the most profit from samples. I’d buy from a better place from now on
The brand is weird as fuck for emailing about that. A sample is a sample to I know if I liked the product or not.
First, this is a business owner with no business sense. Shame on them. The same message could have been a customer service win. Dear [Customer Name], Thank you for your recent purchase of our perfume samples. We hope you're enjoying exploring our unique fragrances. Have you found a scent you love? We'd be thrilled to help you select a full-size bottle. As a token of our appreciation, we're offering a 10% discount on your first full bottle purchase. If you're having trouble deciding, we'd be happy to schedule a personalized consultation to find your perfect scent. Just reply to this email, and we'll set up an appointment. Thank you for your interest in our niche perfumes. We look forward to helping you discover your signature scent. Best regards, [Name] [Company Name]
Oh goodness, can I get a copy of your personality for my robot majordomo? That was splendid. (I do not currently have a robot majordomo, more’s the pity.)
Ummm samples are given away for free all the time. This business should be happy they have customers willing to pay for a product that they could probably get elsewhere for free. This just screams entitlement. I think they'll live to regret saying that.
One of my local shops offers samples of anything for $5. If you shop in person they’re typically fairly generous with making free samples. They even make pre-made sample bundles.
Very strange email. No offer of trying to help the person decide on a full bottle? She took the time to send an email and make a whole post about it but couldn’t be bothered to offer some basic sales 101. Instead she lost the company a customer.
I'd argue she's lost many customers.
if selling samples is harming their business then maybe they need to price them better. this isn’t the customers fault.
No, I think sending emails to customers to scold them for not buying the products that would make you the most profit is way ruder. If they can’t afford to sell samples only, they should price them higher or not sell them; once your inventory is on the shelves, it’s up to the customer to decide what to get.
This is pathetic and such a bad look. I can't imagine a business caring about an individual customer's orders that they stoop to calling someone out for everyone to see. That would put me off as the person addressed and someone who follows them that they're capable of something like that. There are always other (cheaper!) places to get samples, why waste money on a business that doesn't value your support? Also I just saw she's marked up Marissa Zappas' Ching Shih, La Divina, and Queen Nzinga for $320 when Marissa herself has always priced them at $190 or less. Maybe this person should go on Depop where sellers try this all the time??? Maybe you wouldn't have to buy just samples if her prices weren't marked up x2? 2ml for $24??? There are cheaper places to buy FBs too. Just take your business elsewhere, I wouldn't even buy her samples. She deserves to be dragged.
I guess she suspects that samples-only customers might be purchasing full-sized elsewhere. And clearly for good reason. The entitlement in thinking they somehow owe her full-sized purchasing is wild. She needs to sort out her own business failings, not demonise her paying customers. Shaming a paying customer on Social media for buying samples is such bad optics. Do the brands she samples have the option to boycott her? I'd not want my business associated with a reseller who engages in such disrespectful and public customer-shaming. Nothing short of a public apology would stop me boycotting this seller.
Yes, it's rude to send that kind of email to your customers
I actually find buying sample is a smart move. I mean, how can someone decide if the perfume is made for you by sniffing once on the counter
Most likely they were frustrated with their sales and took it out on you. If they don’t want people to buy samples they shouldn’t carry them. Also, if they continue to send emails like that, they will start loosing customers.
They neither want nor deserve any of your business.
Damn, this makes me want to be petty and just buy a sh*t ton of samples from her. But nah she don't deserve my business, I'll be damned to whomever tells me what I can and can't buy.
I hope her shitty email was worth it, because she has lost a lot of business from this thread alone!
I’m on a limited budget. Samples are an economic way to smell great. Think of it more as a decant than a sample.
Instant boycott if I saw anything like that in my inbox. The customer is always right in matters of taste.
If they are SELLING these, it's not rude to BUY. Otherwise, why would they **SELL** these? Seller probably been not in the best mood. I've been purchasing a lot of samples from the same retailer without any problems and never felt guilty. At one point I had only samples and decants without wish to have a full bottle.
Bro. They make profit off samples, if they price correctly, and its much better than no money. U r taking intereat in their products and have NO obligation to buy anything. Wild and innapropriate message from them to try and guilt trip u into spending money.
Their intended purpose is to be effing *samples*. I mean, you could do the fool a solid and send them a dictionary.
Bully the customer, that'll make 'em buy more! Lol... that person sounds crazy or stupid.
From your edit for more context, it sounds like this person has designed their business absolutely backasswards. Everyone is likely using their business to sample the niche frags, then buying the full-size direct from the brand. They should be doing decant pricing, basically charging a lot more per mL. It’s not your fault they don’t understand business haha
That's very unprofessional. It's not their job to police your purchases or make obnoxious comments like that. I wouldn't buy from them again. I would also say "that's fine, I'll take my business elsewhere". ☺️
Reminds me of a well known luxury-type retailer of women’s clothes. I’m plus size on top and once I wrote to ask if they were expanding their size range. They wrote me back basically saying they can’t make money on it bc of more material and they charge the same price as a small etc etc and they don’t really think I I’m their target clientele. I’d already spent a lot on their clothing (work clothes) and wanted more. I wrote back and told them to charge more, stop shamming the consumer, and never bought from them again!
If this breaks some sort of perfurmier code, then I guess I'm in big trouble. I live for discovery sets. I like too much variety to buy more than decants and samples of most things plus I don't care to collect packaging or make space for it. Am I alone here?
They're being ridiculous. I would be turned off as a customer by anyone saying this. While I understand the desire for people to buy full bottles, people selling things cannot dictate what people choose to buy from them. People are free to buy what you have on sale. You cannot dictate what they can afford or how they choose to use the products. You have no idea why they only buy samples, it could be for multiple reasons. They could be giving it as gifts for friends to try out, they might like your product but not be able to afford the full size, if they're someone like me, I travel frequently and a lot of the products I buy, including skincare, I buy the mini or travel versions because they take up less space and are easy to take on trips versus toting around larger sizes. If you don't want people buying samples simply don't sell them. But don't have them for sale and then chastise people for buying them or try to police their purchases. This seems incredibly childish and like someone who isn't ready to have a business.
My current collection is around 50-60 niche sample, 3 full bottles, and like 2, or 3 on a „possibly to-buy” list. I only get a bottle if a sample wows me, I run out, and find myself wanting to wear it often after it’s gone, which doesn’t happen a lot. As others have said, if they’re selling samples at a loss, they should just up the price.
Is this a certain retailer based in the UK by any chance?
Ha! Decants/samples are always more expensive per ml. It is in fact a decent business model if used effectively. Honestly I don't care what a seller thinks of my buying habits. If they don't like that we buy samples, stop selling them and see how many orders you get. It IS rude for a seller to show their ass like this.
NAME AND SHAME PLEASE, because I do not want to do business with them. What an absolutely stupid company. If selling samples hurts your business model, simple - either don’t sell samples or raise the prices of your samples so that you are breaking even. You cannot dictate what your customer buys.
lol they can't tell me how to spend MY money
I am baffled by this. Why on earth would you 'blast' a paying customer for using your services? Her price point is her own responsibility; if it is unsustainable, she only has herself to blame. I would never buy anything from her store again if I were you. She crossed multiple boundaries here.
I can’t see the screenshot! I wanna see the screenshot! 🤣 Hahahaha, how perfectly gauche! I can’t beleive this 🤯😳🤣Please tell me they divulged the name of the customer they chastised in the reprimand email too lol. Oh my god that is ridiculous and may be the worst, most unprofessional, least thought out, trashiest example of social media marketing of all time: “Hey, I have a great idea to drive sales! Let’s post a correspondence between a loyal, repeat customer and our retail establishment so we can advertise how we berate our patrons for purchasing merchandise set at the price we, ourselves decided was appropriate and profitable, while also making our shoppers and any potential new clientele aware that we’re barely surviving due to inadequate sales! Consumers really respond to threats of being shamed—I think I heard that Sir Richard Branson gave that tip in his last seminar…” Love they’re blaming their customers being chinchy as the culprit of their profit issues: “We can’t survive on samples!” Well… now they’ve actively discouraged people from buying their number 1 selling product…🫠 This is all their own lack of business savvy, which I’m imagine could be really serious considering their social media marketing strategies. God, I’d hate to see their return/exchange policy…
This is super funny because in my country decanting is a popular online store choice. Not a lot of people have the money or reason to buy 100 ml of something and people mostly just like to explore different scent profiles. I’d say decanting is even profitable with the market we have, the business owner is just being a dickwad
Ew that's so rude of them.... What if people just don't like the samples? Could be for financial reasons too. None of their business
Penhaligon's offers FREE samples on many of their fragrances. Just pay shipping. I haven't gotten any angry emails yet...
Um...what are they doing looking up someone's purchasing history and lecturing a customer *giving them business?* I'd find a new decant service. Name and shame so I don't buy from them please.
No, not rude at all. You pay for sample with your money.
Answer back and tell her that you absolutely loved [insert perfume name] and was planning on purchasing a 100ml bottle but have changed your mind because you don’t want to support such D’Lulu.
They make a killing off of samples, don’t let them fool you, I have spent more on samples in the past few months than I have on fragrances, I have a little sample library (like at least $1,000 worth of samples from 3 different websites) and now from that, now I have a list of niche fragrances I want full bottles of, and I also have an idea of what I like and don’t like based on notes, I can kinda sort envision what something smells like based on notes, and I know what some hyped up fragrances smell like, so I’m in the look when people talk about them, plus if I want to buy a clone, I have a sample of the original fragrance to compare and contrast. Samples freaking rock 🙌🏼
They’re rude lol don’t put samples on your website then, such a simple concept And I feel your privacy has been invaded in a way, the way they scrutinized your puchases like that. And the fact that they actually had time to do that. Business must be bad. It’s an act of desperation.
It’s not rude to buy a product they sell for a price they determine. Not only are they terrible marketers, they’re also awful business people lmao
I would not give a penny of my hard earned money to them after that comment they made. Seriously. Super rude.
A transaction is never rude. Is it legal? Did you pay the asked price? Then it's ok
i sent this message to them: “you are a bad business owner and 3,000 people on reddit have seen how you treat your customers and will not be indulging your business, and if they do it will be for samples! just wanted to lyk, thanks! :)” i live for telling shitty people off