Do excuse my bitterness today;
I needed to get this short and informal post published as soon as possible!
After a week's delay from its official release date, the Mac Archie's girls collection finally arrived at our stores. Which technically is more than a month past its release in the UK.
Now, I may have managed to locate and ultimately purchase the one thing I really wanted from this collection (Veronica's Ronnie Red lipstick), and yet something has turned me off from this whole limited-edition business.
You see, Ι intentionally chose to visit a Mac corner that is never-ever busy, and yet 5 items were already sold out! The lovely makeup artist/sales assistant informed me that whenever a LE collection is released to the Mac shop-in-shop corners, they are given only
3 units of each lipstick/eyeshadow, etc.Seriously, Mac???
Is it just me, or is this genuinely a lousy marketing idea?
Sure, the free-standing Mac stores are said to carry more LE stock, allegedly around 12 of each lipstick, etc... Still, when a makeup collection is so hyped up, why would a company produce and distribute such a limited stock, resulting into
A LOT of unsatisfied customers?
Please let me know your thoughts on this subject-
and if you have other complaints on Mac's LE collections, drop them in as well!
Evi xx
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteεδώ και 2 χρόνια σταμάτησα να αγοραζω le mac. 1)δε συμμετέχουν στις εκπτώσεις 2)πολλές αποχρώσεις μοιάζουν με της κανονικής συλλογής ή προηγούμενων limited edition που ήδη έχω 3)οι συσκευασίες είναι μεν διαφορετικές, αλλά φτηνές (πχ απλώς ένα αυτοκόλλητο) 4)βγάζουν πάρα πολλές limited editions μέσα στη σεζόν.
ReplyDeleteΩ ναι, πήγα άνετη στο ταμείο κ τα €20 μου κακοφάνηκαν! Και η συγκεκριμένη συσκευασία μπορεί να μην έχει αυτοκόλλητο, αλλά τη νιώθεις στο χέρι κάπως φθηνιάρικη...
Deletexx
That annoys me too, usually I visit MAC counters on THE DAY new LE is released and guaranteed a few items will have Sold Out written on them. I think they know human psychology very well in that when we see something Sold Out we crave it even more and go to any lengths to find them. Now I just buy my MAC from their online store as not only is it released much earlier than counters but they always have stock.
ReplyDeleteOh I wish we had a Mac online store over here as well! I know what you mean though, Mac surely knows how to make us lose our sense of logic and control our consumer behaviour on attributes based on instincts alone...
Deletexx
oh, now you' re hitting the nail in the head. After the "Apres Chic" LE collection, I went on a tour to 3 Mac stores (Ermou store, The Mall Athens, Notos Galleries corner)in order to find a lovely lipstick from this collection. Everywhere the same story: sold out. After your post, I can now understand and I am totally dissatisfied with Mac. I wanted the same Veronica lippie but I didn't go, no! It's such a disgrace, I think I'll stand for Greek companies instead, I don't like to give my money (and let them travel to a foreign bank, maybe?) and be fooled in my face at the same time. I think that if we all customers stop tolerating such practices maybe these companies will stop being so arrogant. Thanks for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteUgh, that's so off-putting! I can't even imagine your dissatisfaction :(
DeleteIt's strange that Mac doesn't seem to consider it loses loyal customers from such practices, isn't it?
xx
yeah, and as I already mentioned in your FB page, they have put on the LE counter some lippies from the permanent collection, on the basis that the colors were similar (!) to the ones sold out. Malpractice or what? I have lost my faith in MAC or as we Greeks say "exo xenerosei" :) xxx
DeleteYep, I feel exactly the same way! :/
DeleteAnd replacing the LE testers with lipsticks from the permanent collection is just lame...
xx
Δεν αγοράζω σχεδόν ποτέ le και αυτά που έχω έχει τύχει και τα έχω πάρει είτε με έκπτωση από μπαζαρ, είτε επειδή έχει περάσει καιρός, έχει έρθει καινούρια συλλογή και κάποιο προιον έχει ξεμείνει, οπότε συμμετέχει στις εκπτώσεις!Όλη τη μέρα πάντως τρώγομαι να πάω να βρω to daddy's little girl και να το αγοράσω...Συμφωνώ πάντως,έχει παραγίνει το κακό, πολλές συλλογές, λίγα κομμάτια, σπανίως κάτι ξεχωριστό και οι τιμές στα ύψη! Στο τέλος καταλήγεις να αγοράζεις κάτι πιο πολύ από φόβο μήπως εξαντληθεί παρά επειδή το θες! Καλοφόρετο πάντως!
ReplyDeleteΑχ το Daddy's little girl το φορούσε η mua/πωλήτρια που με εξυπηρέτησε, θεϊκό! Κι αυτό το πράγμα με τις 5-6 νέες συλλογές το μήνα έχει καταντήσει κουραστικό πια... Ακριβώς όπως τα λες είναι!
Deletexx
I have the same complaint about ALL limited edition collections. They're just made to create a craving, rush us to the stores and fight each other over some hyped-up makeup. Not nice :(
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, such LE makeup collections seem to bring out the worst in us girls!
Deletexx
Θα συμφωνήσω ότι έχει παραγίνει το κακό! Το χειρότερό μου είναι ότι τα προϊόντα είναι ακριβότερα από της μόνιμης συλλογής, γιατί; Ζαχαρώνω το daddy's little girl και to Betty bright αλλά δε θα μπω καν στη διαδικασία του κυνηγητού σε όλη την Αθήνα για να τα βρω
ReplyDeleteΕίναι όντως τραγικό, μα να θες να τους αφήσεις λεφτά κ στην ουσία να μη σε αφήνουν; Πάντως το Daddy's little girl λέει ;)
Deletexx
Yperoxa pou einai... Agapw ton Archie apo to dimotiko ton diavaza me mania , mou efernan kai ta ksadeerfia mo apo ameriki (neura pou den iksera tote kala agglika). Opws kai na xei tautizomoun me ti veronica hahahaa i mpety itan polu glukanalati gia ta gousta mou...
ReplyDeletePolu mou arese to post sou...
Filia sinonomati
Evi apo Good taste of life
Χαχα κι εγώ το ίδιο, η Betty είναι πολύ ξενέρωτη!
Delete[Girl, έχεις blog τόσο καιρό κ δεν το ξέρω;;;]
xx
I was set on buying the pearlmattes but after swatching them I realized they were very similar to the ones that I already have from the Vera collection. I also swatched the Caramel Sundae palette, i found it below average with the exception of the lovely brown shade but I was not going to buy a whole palette for just one shade. So I only got the coin purse because I couldn't resist the cute design! I don't mind LE collections when there is quality and "unique" shades but unfortunately many of Mac's LE are just fireworks.
ReplyDeleteI remember Temptalia has given a very low score on the Caramel Sundae palette, guess she had a point after all! I know what you mean though, it seems these past few years Mac has switched quality over quantity...
Deletexx
meh, i always get fed up with this so i know and pre order when i want sth from a collection. the girls at my local mac are lovely so that helps ^_^ xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky too, I haven't come across yet a rude sales assistant at Mac :) You know what, I had completely forgotten that you can preorder if you wish! Duh...
Deletexx
I always believe MAC are kind of overrated and highly priced for their qualities and those LE just piss me off.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you do that, I guess they think its exciting to make people wait for a product and then make them run to get it too.
Exactly, what's the point in raising interest over a makeup collection and then make it so hard for the customer to purchase what he wants? Ugh, I'll never understand it...
Deletexx
update: I passed by Mac Kallithea store day, just because I was curious (always!), of course, of course all LE lipstics were sold out but there is another thing that put me off too: I mean this time,this collection looked kinda cheap, I don't know if it's the packaging or sth else. Where's the amazing Venomous Villains or Wonder Woman LE collection? And the prices, 22,5 euros for such a small quantity of a blush! No, Mac, an epic fail this time, sorry!
ReplyDeleteI had the same feelings- I saw the peachy Betty blush and it looked so powdery, not a good thing in my book... Oh well, hopefully their big summer LE collection will be a hit!
Deletexx
Hi hun, your blog is lovely- followed already ;)
ReplyDeletexx
i have limited my mac shopping because of the le stuff and because a lot of collections dont make it to greece(mainly the good stuff) nor do all of the products in a collection at times and i even sent an email to mac complaining, they gave me a bs response so i'd rather buy burberry or even chanel at those prices honestly.
ReplyDeleteeve
Isn't it kinda off-putting that the LE products are always priced a bit higher? I know that some collections never make it to Greece, there was a certain relaunch of a LE lipstick that I wanted but it was only released in the US :(
Deletexx
Δεν αντεχω αυτο το μαρκετινγκ l.e. αλλα να που πιανει,καλα αυτη η συλλογη με αφησε αδιαφορη δε πηγα καν να τη δω,απο το internet μου φανηκε λιγο tacky,η συσκευασια,μπλιαχ.
ReplyDelete(Ασχετο:Θελω να δω τις νεες 4seasons πουδρες της Guerlain αυτη με το κοκκινο τονο μεσα και χε...κα για τις συλλογες της MAC.χαχχαχα,Εγω η πλουσια ειπα...)
Αχ εμένα μου άρεσε η συσκευασία των κραγιόν! Τα άλλα ρουζ/πούδρες με τις καρδούλες ήταν όντως λίγο tacky... Πάω να ψάξω αυτές τις Guerlain πούδρες που λες! Α, έχεις δει τα κραγιόν/lip balm της Clarins από την καλοκαιρινή συλλογή; Πεθαίνω!!!
Deletexx
Ase με γιατι λατρευω τα Clarins και δε προλαβα το -35% που ειχε με τη Lancaster....Δεν ειχα πληρωθει και το Σαββατο που πληρωθηκα τελικα, ημουν τοσο κομματια που δε μπορουσα να συρθω μεχρι το εμπορικο....
DeleteΆστα, άστα... Τώρα έβαλε και το Sephora to 35% για τα προϊόντα χειλιών και τα έχω παίξει, δεν ξέρω τι να διαλέξω!!!
Deletexx