I'm doing my first BA shop in a mall this week, and the scheduler convinced me to pick up a few to do while I'm there. Anyone have any advice or pointers? My main concern is keeping the visits straight in my head for each report. My thoughts were to do each counter, go in to a fitting room or restroom, and regurgitate as much as I can into a note on my phone before doing the next one. I always stress out when I have new "clients" to audit (when I do a new shop). I'm an auditor in my FT job, where I conduct brand standard audits, and while they are not announced, they are "revealed" so to speak, and I can refer to the audit on my ipad, without having to be inconspicuous. For something that should be "fun", (per this forum lol) I really stress myself out whenever I have a new shop to do. They can't all be easy Panda Express takeout shops

The hardest part is spending the required time at each counter. If they are in the same store, then you have to avoid the advisor that you just shopped. It could get awkward.

I thought, once upon a time, that it would be cool and someone would teach me how to wear makeup and such. But it turns out, after doing several, they don't teach you how, they just put makeup on you and make you look like a clown, then set you loose to scare young children.

I don't do those anymore..

@Morledzep wrote:

they just put makeup on you and make you look like a clown, then set you loose to scare young children.

-falls over laughing- You're a treasure, Morl.

Perhaps you could think of them as one long shop with several advisors taking over for each other. I have shopped cosmetic counters in department stores with the same advisor telling me about fragrance and then I remembered I wanted to know something about a certain make up. I have also done fragrance shops where the advisor passed me along to a different advisor.

I think it's a good idea to step away and take some notes. I'll also take a picture of the product and say I want to think about it. The photos help jog my memory too. If I can snap a discreet photo while I'm there I'll try that too.

These used to pay more or just get bonuses more in my area. I didn't find them to be that hard but I don't find them to be worthwhile for the base pay. Another thing, if you end up shopping some of the same counters at different locations (if the guidelines haven't changed) try asking about the same kind of products at each one, foundation, blush etc. That way you won't have to learn the different product names. Also, if you can have a product in mind before you go that will help with keeping details straight.

Thanks for the tips. The shops I am doing I get reimbursed for a purchase, I never did them before when they were strictly $15 beauty counter evaluations. When I saw these are lux brands with a decent reimbursement, I took them. They are in an area of Florida where there are little to no shoppers, so I'm guessing that's why the scheduler reached out and asked me to pick up more. I could do a third, but I feel like I would be greedy, and I also am concerned I will make some sort of mistake and be out over $200. I did look at the brands' website and have in mind some purchases so that I won't have to constantly ask how much things are!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/2024 10:20PM by Tiffany0921.

@Tiffany0921 wrote:

Thanks for the tips. The shops I am doing I get reimbursed for a purchase, I never did them before when they were strictly $15 beauty counter evaluations. When I saw these are lux brands with a decent reimbursement, I took them. They are in an area of Florida where there are little to no shoppers, so I'm guessing that's why the scheduler reached out and asked me to pick up more. I could do a third, but I feel like I would be greedy, and I also am concerned I will make some sort of mistake and be out over $200. I did look at the brands' website and have in mind some purchases so that I won't have to constantly ask how much things are!

Okay, I've also done some purchase ones in the past and found them to be a little demanding. Definitely have a target of some item in mind that is in your price point. Keep your receipt and don't open them until approved if you're concerned there's any chance it could be rejected!

The only other suggestion I could have for you would be to try two or three things max. My first beauty counter purchase shop the BA showed me every fragrance they had. I didn't catch all the names (there were literally 15-20) and they were all in another language. The shop was sent back to me and I had to go to the website to get all of them and their exact spelling and accents, etc. After that, never again! I'd say something like I like vanilla or rose and then smell 2-3 max.

I don't normally post on here, but I did want to chime in that I've noticed the beauty shops have gotten lower and lower starting rates. There's only so many times I'm personally willing to go get incorrectly color-matched or doused in floral vomit at the same counter by a pushy grandma, and it definitely needs to be at the right price. $15 is too low for me to consider these days, but I regularly see them at $25 or even higher mid to late in the month. Hold out, if you can, to help keep the rates up. Minimum wage around here is $20, and life and gas is only getting more expensive.

As for the product reimbursement ones, I've noticed there is no base pay and only reimbursement up to a specific amount per category. I actually just had some issues with a well-known beauty product reimbursement shop this week. The shop logs have three possible categories, all with different reimbursement allowances. Sometimes the category will not match the assigned reimbursement amount. Some of the shops only show a numerical address for a shopping mall with multiple retailers representing that specific beauty brand. Another issue I've found is that the budgets do not match the required purchase options.

For example, I had a skincare audit with a budget of $71. The available products ranged from $180-$400+. When I mentioned this to my scheduler, she told me that there were products available in that price range and that I should check the website...which I already had <_< I still attempted the shop only because I was already onsite for other shops. As I had anticipated, there were no products in the budget to complete the shop.

It would be really nice if schedulers could maintain a helpful attitude when shoppers come forward with issues like this. Unfortunately, I did not feel positively empathized with by my assigned scheduler. She seemed irritated at me for asking about all the discrepancies, and she didn't seem to believe me.

That's the tough part of this job. I realize there are silly people often overloading the schedulers with questions they could figure out on their own. But for some us, we read EVERY detail and notice when the information conflicts. Shoppers need correct information to perform the job correctly, especially when making one mistake can void your entire shop/time/gas/effort.

I mostly do the no-purchase, inquiry only ones. My day job is near several department stores which have multiple fragrance/beauty retailers so it's easy to grab a few each month, but I generally wait until the pay is raised. I did one recently that reimbursed $50 for makeup purchase, it was at one of these stores. I asked which particular retailer and was told I could choose any one. I figured I'd walk around and see who approached me/offered assistance (I don't wear a lot of makeup so there wasn't a particular one I wanted to buy from). Well, the first one to offer was Prada, so I went with it. The woman gave me a full-face application of every product they had -- definitely enough to scare small children, as @Morledzep noted -- and she laid the compliments on as thick as the makeup. So... when it was time to purchase, she gave me the rundown of pricing on everything she had applied. HOLY COW!!!! Almost every product alone cost in the $100s. In the end, I bought a lipstick, which cost the full $50 (no reimbursement for the tax). Next time I will pick a less expensive counter!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2024 02:34PM by CorrieCJ.

I once had a beauty shop at a luxury department store, where the sales person put make-up on me. When she finished, I looked in the mirror and was shocked! My face was made up so beautifully that I looked like a high fashion model. Later in the visit she told me her regular job was make-up artist for weddings; the department store job was just extra cash and to keep upgrading her talents on a variety of different faces.

I sometimes wish I had saved her biz card...

I’m in FL too, I completed 3 $15 non purchase shops this week. They’re not difficult. Do not walk around with your phone out to not be seen as a shopper. Go at busy time when the BAs are with customers to blend in best. There are a good amount of questions for the pay. Some of the higher end products make my face feel so hydrated. Some BAs are more friendly than others. The purchase shops are 40 miles away. I plan to snag a couple when I’m visiting family. I’d purchase a large toner or small sized skincare product etc. Hope the items you’re interested in are in stock!

@Morl haha, funny because sometimes true

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2024 10:22AM by SFLshopper.