What brand or retailer has the best online shopping experience?
I think the online-to-in-person experience of receiving and opening a package goes to Chanel–they deliver in a very Chanel-like, thick cardboard box that’s reusable and a wax-sealed receipt. I’ve found that Sephora is fairly reliable for shipping and packaging thoroughly, though one warehouse they ship out of has poor packaging materials (crumpled up wads of thick paper but nowhere near enough to keep things safe). In terms of a website, Sephora remains more navigable than most retailers. I don’t know that there’s a brand website that stands out as particular amazing (most are good enough).
— Christine
Beautylish.
I have never bought anything directly from the brand (where they’re high end) since I prefer to check out the products in person if I’m going to spend a lot of money. Also, having things delivered directly to Luxembourg (where I live) can be pretty spendy.
Beautylish is an exception since they carry multiple brands that I wouldn’t be able to check out in person. I loooovvee receiving my orders from Beautylish. They’re packaged so very nicely and neatly and you get a personalised message. It does make one feel so special.
I don’t much like online shopping BUT I’ve actually been enjoying Amazon for items I can no longer get at Sephora or Shopper’s – REN Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial and Australian Gold tinted sunscreen, most recently. They also sell amazing yoga pants and crops WITH pockets and for 1/4 the price of lululemon (whose yoga pants are now such poor quality that the price is absolutely NOT justified).
Good to know about the yoga pants!
I’ve had the best luck with Chanel over the years. The online help is really excellent and they are good to help you find a similar shade. I queried them about a discontinued lipstick shade and they suggested a very close alternative that I ended up loving as well. Their return policy is also excellent since they understand many cannot get out during this time to visit a counter in person. Online I am also able to find shades and perfumes that are not available at most counters (such as the Les Exclusifs perfume line) and they have great Holiday selections too.
My all-time favorite online retailer for beauty products is most definitely Beautylish! They package products with such care that they’ve literally blown me away with almost every order! & the only reason I say ‘almost’ is bc some things are just hard to get excited over (like a shipment of micellar water or something lol).
I used to be a big fan of a Chanel mascara but always purchased it in-store so I can’t speak to their online experience (unfortunately), but you’ve officially piqued my interest, Christine!
Have an amazing day! ♥
Agree 100% with your thoughts about the Chanel experience; everything arrives so carefully and beautifully packaged. Although not as luxe, Beautylish and Drunk Elephant also offer nice online shopping experiences, listing product ingredient and usage information consistently and taking great care in packaging their items neatly and thoughtfully.
While their online experience is okay, in my experience Sephora products are packaged haphazardly.
Beautylish, Chanel, Tom Ford and Sephora
pat mcgrath is amazing! always fast and they’re customer service is so amazing
PMG has always been hit or miss with shipping and online experience for me. Between release debacles, slow shipping and a quirk on the site where you can only access/edit your shopping cart immediately after adding to it – if you go to view something else but don’t add it, there’s no button or link to the cart. The site leaves a lot to be desired for me.
Easiest to navigate: Sephora
Best packing: Beautylish and Nordstrom
Best customer support: MAC
Oopsy Daisy! I totally forgot to add Pat McGrath above! I guess my coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. Last night was CRAZY here, so I had a terrible time sleeping. ?
Anywho, her brand knocks it out of the park with how carefully they pack items, even when I despised those black plastic spiders (as did the poor delivery person when shreds of it were streaming outside of the box, LOL), and her customer care has been fabulous.
Website wise I like the simplicity and informational content of Paula’s Choice site. Also great online support, always fast delivery, they use minimal packaging, mostly recyclable. I can fill my cart quick, promotions are always visible, site loads fast.
From the big stores carrying multiple brands, I would lean to Sephora. It’s not ideal, but it’s just the fact that I don’t like having too many options, I don’t like navigating through hundreds of brands and thousands of products. But it’s easier to navigate than Ulta’s website, for example.
Shipping wise, I just hate how wasteful Sephora is with packaging and adding lots of unnecessary plastic bags. The only thing more wasteful I can think of is Path McGrath who not only packages items in plastic bags (cardboard is just fine), but also adds those plastic sequins.
Clinique is also a nice shopping experience, excluding when you write reviews. They take the Drunk Elephant approach of always putting the blame on the customer they didn’t used right. Some brands simply can’t accept that their products can’t be all 5 star reviews for everyone.
Cultbeauty! Slightly shorter shipping and delivery times than other sites (like beautybay or sephora) and very easy tracking mechanism)
Beautylish hands down. Very carefully packaged & great customer service. I live in Europe and shipping fees are very reasonable too.
Sephora Germany – the website is plain horrible, I think the US equivalent may be a bit better.
Cult Beauty and Niche beauty are ok as well for international orders..
Beautylish tops it though, wish they would carry more brands
Glossier, hands down ?
Beautylish, Nordstrom, Chanel.
I like the way Beautylish packages things. Sephora is the worst! One piece of crumpled paper…ALWAYS in my experience. Whereas Beautylish makes sure there is sufficient protection and everything is individually wrapped; sometimes even tied with string (brushes, for instance).
For me, it’s Beautylish, Cosmetic Capital (Aus only) and I have experienced pretty good service from Colour Pop (their lipsticks) and Sydney Grace.
I’m pretty happy with the overall Sephora online shopping experience. That said, I recently bought a couple items from Tarte’s site and really liked the packaging. The box had a little lip-shaped sticker on it with the brand name, the box lining had a fern/palm tree leaf print, and they included the most beautiful deep purple tissue paper!
Chanel has flawless shipping and stunning packaging…the customer service is stellar…my granddaughter loves re-using the beautiful thick box to make doll houses out of. You can get anything from quality bags to shoes to mascara.
Beauty Pie uses all recyclable millennial pink packaging (from outer box to tissue to the product packaging) and they use bio-degradable vegetable ink for printing. The customer service is quick and knowledgeable. The website is easy to use on either laptop or mobile device.
Sephora is easy, reliable and fun. Good customer service, easy online returns, solid shipping. Have not had issues with broken packages.
Definitely Chanel and Beautylish! If I want to purchase an item at full price and it is not a Chanel item I will go with Beautylish. Ironically, Selfridges out of London is pretty fast too for an overseas retail as long as it’s not perfume. Perfumes take longer because they are considered hazmat. I love the little drawstring bags the place the items in. I have ordered Chanel as gifts to be sent because it is such a great experience to receive packages from them and also with the free overnight code, it ends up being the same price as if I bought it in store for a gift.
Cultbeauty, By far my favourite
I haven’t wanted anything from Chanel in years but I kind of wish I knew the experience! Never have ordered from them.
I do like the website of Beautylish and the way my items are packaged when they arrive.
I love Sydney Grace’s customer service.
Mac’s website is sooooo annoying. It definitely stands on its own and I think they tried to make it cool but I hate it. Inglot is annoying sometimes in the same way too, especially if many colors are offered of an item.
A bit self reflective but I feel kind of bad that I can think of more sites to complain about than ones I enjoy shopping at! Maybe since I don’t have problems they don’t stick out in my brain? Thinking about it, Sephora is pretty steady, as are most brands I shop from. I find what I want, I buy it, it shows up generally when expected and in good condition. The only one that has stood out recently has been Pat McGrath with all that glossy black packing material and sequins. It’s terrible for the environment but this magpie gets a little thrill from it just the same. And since I collect hobbies almost as much as I collect makeup there’s the secondary little joy of having something fun to repurpose.