Tip: How NOT to run a consumer-direct promotion

Yesterday I was shopping at an Ulta store near my home. I usually love Ulta but the following experience really put a bad taste in my mouth.

As I was checking out, the associate asked if I wanted two free copies of InStyle Magazine. Call me a cynic (I’m really not), but I took economics and I know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so I was looking for the “catch”. Here’s how the conversation went down:

Me: Do I have to sign up for something?

Associate: No, it’s free.

Me: (Hesitantly…) Okay…

Associate: Great, I just need your name and address.

I give the information, sign the digital credit card terminal for payment, she puts one free issue in my bag and hands me a slip…

Associate: Ok, I just need you to sign this.

Me: What is this? (Mind you, I don’t sign anything without reading it).

Associate: Oh, (she says nonchalantly) this just confirms that it’s ok to send the magazines to your house.

I start reading it because there’s a lot of little print for just confirming my acceptance. She actually seems to try to stop me from reading it by pointing out where I should sign.

Associate: Just sign right there.

Me: Wait, a second… this says it’s okay to charge my credit card after the two free issues for a year’s subscription unless I call and cancel. (Nice little detail she had left out). I don’t want this.

Associate: (Who actually has the nerve to sound irritated with ME). Well, it’s already been processed. (Nice response… really nice).

Me: I don’t care. I don’t want it. Cancel it.

Associate: Just sign it (she says with exasperation) and we can cancel it for you later.

I did start to sign then realized I really shouldn’t trust her at this point so I write cancel across my signature and hand it back to her. She sighs…

Associate: You can go ahead and keep the one issue (said like she’s doing me a favor) and we’ll cancel it but you probably won’t receive the other two.

Me: Great (said with quite a bit of sarcasm).

I left the store with my purchases but I didn’t leave the experience behind. Honestly, it ruined my day. At best, the associate’s approach with this promotion was unethical and misleading, in my opinion. At worst, I felt like it bordered on fraud. (I say “bordered” because they DO put it in the fine print but attempting to rush someone through without reading it is certainly “iffy”).

She appeared to have no plans to tell me they would be capturing my credit card information from the sale and sending it to the magazine. She never mentioned that I would have to opt-out of a subscription and, in fact, appeared to be trying to deliberately keep that information from me.

I’m guessing the associates get some sort of bonus or incentive if someone accepts the offer but, in my opinion, Ulta is toying with their reputation with consumers if they’re not requiring associates to explicitly outline all the details before someone accepts. At least I found out in the store, but there will be countless people who didn’t read the fine print and find out later. Many will NOT be happy and the blame will fall on Ulta, not InStyle, who actually seems to be the primary beneficiary of the promotion.

If, by some chance, my registration gets processed I will be even MORE upset than I am now at having to deal with the issue again. Unfortunately, this was actually my first time shopping in a physical Ulta store. I usually make my purchases on the internet with them. I won’t be back to a store now and probably won’t purchase online from them either. I was THAT bothered by the ordeal and the way the associate handled everything, including her misplaced irritation at ME for wanting to know the specific details and not liking them.

Bottom Lign: To consumers - caveat emptor… as always, buyer beware! Always read the fine print and remember that there really is no such a thing as a “free lunch”. To businesses - well, there are so many lessons here it’s hard to pick one but the big picture is that a positive reputation with consumers is essential to your success. It’s hard to get it back if you lose it. Don’t do things (or let your associates do things) that can damage it.