A former Ulta employee recently sparked debate on TikTok when she shared what workers really wish customers wouldn’t say.
TikTok user Maddy (@makeupbymaddyyy) took to the platform with a straightforward video that’s now racked up over 253,100 views. In it, she shares the most frustrating phrases she encountered during her three years on the job.
“This is a public service announcement for anyone shopping at Ulta,” she begins before listing her grievances.
What phrases does the former Ulta employee criticize?
One major annoyance Maddy starts with is customers asking about their reward points after completing the transaction.
“No, we’re not allowed to tell you,” Maddy explains. “It’s Ulta’s policy.” She adds that the company’s policy requires customers to ask about points during the transaction, not after.
She also addresses the popular $3.50 off $15 coupon, calling out customers who insist it works on prestige brands.
“No, you didn’t,” Maddy says, claiming those who argue they’ve used it before are “actively lying.”
The company confirms this on the official Ulta Beauty site, which lists exclusions for the coupon, including “prestige brands of cosmetics, skincare & bath, some prestige brands of haircare & nail.”
Next, she criticizes customers who ask about fragrance sales, which she says almost never happen, except for the “the little not high-class ones” and occasional 20 percent off coupons around Christmas.
The Daily Dot was able to locate a few designer fragrance sales at Ulta, such as Ralph’s Club Parfum by Ralph Lauren for 50 percent off or Dolce&Gabbana’s Light Blue Summer Vibes for 30 percent off.
Other struggles of working the Ulta floor
Maddy mentioned stockroom requests as well.
On truck days, she explains, the back is full of boxes, making it impossible to search for a single item. “Please go home and come back when it’s on the floor,” she advises.
Another one of her gripes involves customers who claim not to have a phone number for their Ulta account.
“You live in 2024 and don’t have a cellular device?” she asks, pointing out how this impacts employees’ performance metrics.
According to Business Insider, loyalty programs are important for retailers and are tracked through things like sign-ups and customer engagement. Employees help promote these programs, and phone numbers could be used to track how well they’re doing.
The frustrations of handling customer expectations
Misreading sale signs is another common issue, according to Maddy, who notes that customers often miss the fine print and assume items are discounted when they’re not.
“Did you read that little fine print that’s really annoying to read at the bottom?” Maddy asks sarcastically. “Because I’m going to go over and get the sign, and I’m going to come back and tell you that it was not on sale.”
She also explains how free gifts tied to specific promotions can’t be swapped out for other items, though she admits some customers push until employees give in just to end the conflict.
While the Daily Dot wasn’t able to locate a specific Ulta policy, according to commenters on a post in r/Ulta, substitutions for free gifts are allowed for a different color but not for a completely different product.
When it comes to returns, Maddy urges being completely honest. Even lightly used items must be labeled as damaged, so lying about usage doesn’t make a difference.
“We’re gonna open it and check anyway,” she says. “So if you used it, just say that you used it, and you’re gonna watch us put that little damage tag on it and throw it right in the basket.”
The company’s policy page confirmed Maddy’s claim. “To ensure the highest quality, Ulta Beauty does not resell used, damaged, or expired products,” Ulta states on its website about the issue. “All returned products that don’t meet our standards are properly disposed of.”
@makeupbymaddyyy I’m so happy to not work retail anymore 🥲 #ulta #ultabeauty #ultaemployee #fyp #foryoupage #retail #retailproblems #retailtiktok #retailbelike ♬ original sound – Maddy
Viewers aren’t on board
In the comments section of the video, viewers didn’t necessarily agree with some of Maddy’s points. Others also disliked the overall tone of the video.
“Ulta employees when they have to do their job or customers have questions lol,” criticized one user.
“Okkk guurrrrr calm down,” urged another.
A third viewer claiming to be an Ulta employee also disagreed. “As an Ulta employee, I actually do be looking for your item in truck boxes,” they wrote. “I always ask if u wanna use ur points, and I’ll give u a random gift to replace the one we don’t have (if lead lets me).”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Maddy and Ulta via email.
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