Does processing/shipping speeds impact what retailer you purchase from?

Absolutely! If I know I can get it from one place faster, I’ll opt for that over the slower retailer unless there’s a huge discount at one but not the other.

— Christine

16 Comments

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Andrea Avatar

For international retailers outside of the European Union, the answer is it depends. When the website says 2 to 3 weeks I expect it to be twice that, if not longer. So, when I order from that far away, it must be something I really want and can’t get closer to home. I know it’ll take longer and I’m willing to wait. Usually I dwell on these type of orders for a very long time and do a bulk buy.
Nevertheless I’ll check out the reviews and if somebody’s been waiting for almost two months and can’t even track it, for me it’s a pass… Unless it’s something which I “must have” AND cannot replace with absolutely anything else and the price must be perfect, I do mean absolutely perfect! Having said that, in this day and age not many things are unique and cannot be replaced, so typically it would be a no. If they send it by regular post instead of DHL or one of the other known carriers it’s a “big no” from the get go.

For EU retailers I simply will not order if it takes ages to arrive as there’s always a better alternative. It’s not normal for it to take months tbh. In Portugal (domestic orders) I only order from “known” websites, i.e, those that have an actual shop. If it took ages I’d go to their shop, why wait for two months!?

UK sort of falls into its own little category now. Before it was quite appealing. I remember ordering stuff from B.B. and the price made it worth my while – almost 3 for the price of 1 (on sale), even in quids, but today there are so many extras to consider: taxes, converting currency, clearing though customs, etc etc. It’s simply not worth the hassle anymore. I’d rather order something exotic from Japan than something “ordinary” from the UK.

kjh Avatar

Not as often as previously. Waiting time was relevant for gifts only. I can wait. If something takes lengthy time, as in most Asian sites (side eying you, YesStyle) I tend to stop tracking deliberately and wait to be pleasantly surprised. Larger orders are, uh, in order. It’s always a production, bec my cards are usually refused as out of profile or ? Of fraud. You have to keep reminding yourself this is actually a good thing, when you have to show up in person to clear the (local) debit card and call the credit card companies. It’s easy for me to talk myself out of certain Asian websites. EU is far easier. And probably quicker than Canada.

Andrea Avatar

My first order with YesStyle took months to arrive! They’re lucky I don’t speak Korean otherwise I’d be taking my business elsewhere! hahah!

Lydia Avatar

Speed doesn’t matter to me so much as cost. If free shipping is available but I can pay to get it faster, free shipping always wins! That being said, I’m trying to buy Christmas presents early since the post office here in the US is expected to be an absolute catastrophe come December.

Penny Avatar

I’m with you Christine…If it’s a new release that I’ve been anxious for (I’m not good at being patient)
then shipping time is very important. I will definitely order from a site that I know will get it out immediately and I’ll receive it in 2-5 days rather than a site that takes 10 days or more. When dealing with my staples as skin care and such that I’m not out of yet and I’m just purchasing backups, then shipping time doesn’t matter to me….then I’ll go for the lowest price……

Lesley Avatar

I still prefer to order my tretinoin from All Day Chemists in India (which is now warning about minimum 30 day shipping times because of the pandemic) than get it from a pharmacy on account of the US retail price. But for just about any other product, shipping time does influence the retailer I use. Lately I have been searching out brick and mortar sources to avoid shipping altogether but I know that’s a privilege of geography.

Ana Maria Avatar

Since I track my products, know approximately when I’m going to need replacements and schedule my purchases in advanced, I simply don’t care about how fast an order arrives. I mean… I wouldn’t choose to get items in one months, but a 7-10 days delivery time is not an issue for me. I choose retailers based on other perks. To my it’s way more important how they package the shipment (less waste, but still protective), rather than shipment time.

Alice Avatar

Yes, but not as much as perks/rewards. ex) I’ve found Sephora ships faster and packs better, but Ulta’s reward system is so much better that I don’t mind a little slower shipping and a higher free shipping threshold (plus I can do buy online pickup in store with ulta and not with my local sephora).

Also it will affect if I try a brand only available though their website. I’m willing to forgive a small brand having a 2 week TAT all the time, or a pre-order that takes 2 months to ship because 3 people are hand-pressing 1,000+ palettes. But I’m not really willing to wait a month or more for any normal order, and especially not when a brand has 10+ employees and/or outsources the actual production.

Nancy T Avatar

I would have to admit that that makes a difference to me more than I had would have thought. Sephora’s shipping has been slipping recently. As a Rouge for quite a while, I guess I got a bit spoiled when I would actually receive my order 2 days later. Now, it feels more sporadic, I suppose? On the other hand, MAC has been killing it! I’ve placed orders, and gotten them a day and a half or two days later! ColourPop feels like they’ve slowed down somewhat, but I owe that to USPS getting slower.

Stephanie Avatar

Being in Canada. shipping costs are a huge determining factor for where or if I am going to order something. If the shipper is DHL, I will not order. It is not uncommon for duties with them to double to cost of a smaller order. I love Beautylish because the exchange is treated fairly and the duties are prepaid. I am impatient and will forgo a bit of cash back to get something faster, but a good discount can buy my patience.

An example of choosing faster shipping just happened to me last Friday. I knocked over my expenseive makeup mirror and smashed it. (ouch!). I ended up ordering from Amazon because I could get it the next day instead of in a week or so from the manufacturer site. The price was the same. I try and avoid Amazon as much as possible, but I rely on that mirror with my aging eyes so made the choice. And I got a pink one which is kind of fun.

Denise S. Avatar

I love when the send the product quickly! But during these times of increased shipping globally I have a more relaxed attitude about delays. And since I own way too much stuff I’m rarely in a super hurry to get anything. The Indie brands sometimes push the limit though. Because they only make small batches with limited personnel they can really make you wait too long and I lose interest or it’s out of season by the time they finally ship.

brendacr1 Avatar

I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay more for shipping than the price of the product, nothing turns me off more than that. I try to save my orders up so that I have enough so that my shipping is free. Paying for shipping is a pet peeve of mine. Usually if I’m ordering something I don’t need it right away so the time doesn’t matter to me. Just give me free shipping!

Susan Nevling Avatar

Absolutely. I must receive the orders reasonably quickly. Even more important to me is shipping costs. I live less than a mile from Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s, a few miles from Dillard’s and a pleasant ride to Nordies. I prefer to order because of chronic pain but have come to expect free to almost free shipping.

Nikki Avatar

Not really. I tend to order most things from Sephora for several reasons: I’m Rouge and can keep building up points and perks, shipping (billed as 2-day) usually arrives within 2-3 days, and if something goes wrong with an order (like my recent broken PMG Celestial Odyssey palette), I’ve always had excellent experiences with their customer service. If I really want a particular product, I’ll order it from just about anywhere that has the product, has decent or better reviews, and accepts my credit card, regardless of shipping time length.

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