Have my birthday in August and I very clearly remember being handed my gift from another Ulta store last year. I had not even asked but when they scanned my card, they automatically gave me my gift. Fast forward to this year, I happened to shop at the Olympia store earlier this week. The checkout clerk scanned my card, gave me my stuff after I paid for it. I forgot to bring my birthday up and she did not even bother reminding me. I came home with my haul and while I was checking out the new products, my husband looked at the receipt, noticed my double points for my birthday month and asked what I got. I told him I had not brought it up with the checkout clerk and convinced myself that maybe she genuinely missed it. I was in the mall area today and wanted to pick up something small at Ulta. Waiting in the checkout line, I saw the checkout clerk hand the birthday gift to the customer in front of me and I remembered to ask. I was told that I need to show her the UPC code from the email that Ulta would have sent me. I was perplexed because the customer ahead of me hadn't even flashed her phone to the clerk. Anyway, I thought, maybe she was on a different status from me. The checkout cashier asked me to call the guest services and ask for the birthday email. I had some time on hand and so called them from the car. The guy who helped me 'sadly informed' me that they were out of UPC codes that the corporate office had sent them and that they would get more the next day. I asked him to email me the next day and he said that company policy had been updated and so I would have to call again the next day and ask for the email. Like really! I have my Sephora card and even if I get just a nail color or eyeliner, they load my bag with samples and my birthday gift, if I shop there in August. I have enjoyed shopping at Ulta, both online and the store and also get salon services. But I guess I will have to look for some other place because there is no way I am going back. Ulta just lost a regular customer.
All USA
Have my birthday in August and I very clearly remember being handed my gift from another Ulta store last year. I had not even asked but when they scanned my card, they automatically gave me my gift. Fast forward to this year, I happened to shop at the Olympia store earlier this week. The checkout clerk scanned my card, gave me my stuff after I paid for it. I forgot to bring my birthday up and she did not even bother reminding me. I came home with my haul and while I was checking out the new products, my husband looked at the receipt, noticed my double points for my birthday month and asked what I got. I told him I had not brought it up with the checkout clerk and convinced myself that maybe she genuinely missed it. I was in the mall area today and wanted to pick up something small at Ulta. Waiting in the checkout line, I saw the checkout clerk hand the birthday gift to the customer in front of me and I remembered to ask. I was told that I need to show her the UPC code from the email that Ulta would have sent me. I was perplexed because the customer ahead of me hadn't even flashed her phone to the clerk. Anyway, I thought, maybe she was on a different status from me. The checkout cashier asked me to call the guest services and ask for the birthday email. I had some time on hand and so called them from the car. The guy who helped me 'sadly informed' me that they were out of UPC codes that the corporate office had sent them and that they would get more the next day. I asked him to email me the next day and he said that company policy had been updated and so I would have to call again the next day and ask for the email. Like really! I have my Sephora card and even if I get just a nail color or eyeliner, they load my bag with samples and my birthday gift, if I shop there in August. I have enjoyed shopping at Ulta, both online and the store and also get salon services. But I guess I will have to look for some other place because there is no way I am going back. Ulta just lost a regular customer.