Except when you have to purchase something from the Clinique counter at Macy's in Fashion Place Mall.
Macy's Clinique Employee: Can I help you?
Me: Yes, I need some Super Powder, 02 Matte Beige is the color.
Macy's Clinique Employee: Sure, one moment.
A few moments pass...
Macy's Clinique Employee: I'm sorry, but we don't have that color.
Me: You don't have any right now or you'r not carrying it anymore?
Macy's Clinique Employee: We've never had that color in our powder.
Me: Oh, yes you do. I've been wearing it for 15 years. 02 Matte Beige.
Macy's Clinique Employee: In the powder?
Me: Yes, in the powder.
Macy's Clinique Employee: I'm sorry, but we've never had that color. Can you please come around the counter and point to which product you are talking about?
Me: Um, okay sure?. (All the while I'm thinking to myself, did she seriously just ask me to come and point to a product like I'm a little child?). I'm looking for this (pointing to powder).
Macy's Clinique Employee: Right. Yeah no, we've never had that in the color you are asking for. (She grabs some random product and points to the label where it reads 02 but a different color name).
Me: *annoying laugh* Yes, you do have Super Powder in 02 Matte Beige. I've been buying it for 15 years. I guess I'll have to start bringing it with me when I come to purchase it to show that it exists.
Macy's Clinique Employee: Well, I'm sorry but I'm not new to cosmetics. I've been working in this industry for 20 years.
Okay, I'm totally frustrated at this point because I KNOW what make up I wear, I KNOW what color it is, and I KNOW I've been buying it for 15 years. I'm trying my hardest to not explode as this lady is trying really hard to, in her own words, tell me I'm stupid and don't know what I'm talking about ).
Me: Okay, thanks (for nothing).
Because I'm at the mall, and because both Dillard's and Nordstrom also sell Clinique products, I decide to see if they have this mysterious product that I've obviously made up in my head (and to see if they too have idiots working their counter). Dillard's is closest (and I've never have a negative experience there) so I decide to try my luck.
Dillard's Clinique Employee: Hi, can I help you?
Me: I sure hope so. I need some Super Powder in 02 Matte Beige.
Dillard's Clinique Employee: Sure thing, one moment. (She goes behind the counter, gets the product I asked for, and returns to where I'm standing). Here you go. Do you need anything else with that today?
I stand there, with the little, smooth, green box in my hands, turning it over to quickly verify that it is in fact Super Powder, in 02 Matte Beige. It is! SCORE! I KNEW I wasn't an idiot. I KNEW it existed! I LOVE IT when I'm right!.
Me: No this is everything. Thank you so much! The lady at the Macy's Clinique counter told me this product doesn't it exist, that it never did, and that she had never heard of this color before. She even showed me a product with the number 02 on it and the label read a different color.
Dillard's Clinique Employee: Are you serious? This is one of our staple products, and that color has been around for years and years.
Me: I know! I tried to tell her I've been wearing this color for 15 years but she proceeded to tell me that it doesn't exist. Oh, and that she's not new to cosmetics either as she's worked in the industry for 20 years.
Dillard's Clinique Employee: Did you catch her name?
Me: No, but she was an older woman, with a European accent. Short, dark-reddish hair (and I wanted to throw in that she had a ton of wrinkles but decided that it wouldn't be very nice).
Dillard's Clinique Employee: Humm...she doesn't sound familiar. But yes, I assure you we have had this product in that color for years.
Me: Well, I'll just come here from now on to buy it. By the way, do you think it would be rude of me to go back to the Macy's counter and show her that I was able to purchase this, and that it does exist?
Dillard's Clinique Employee: I would. If she's going to work for Clinique, she should know our product line. I don't think it's rude of you at all.
Me: I think I will. Thank you SO MUCH for your help!
Dillard's Clinique Employee: You're very welcome. Have a great day!
Walking off I'm thinking to myself "Oh I will. Especially now that I have this product in my hands. The very product in which 5 minutes ago I was told did NOT exist by some hoity toity employee at Macy's with some fancy shmancy accent."
Needless to say, I was pissed. And I was out to prove that I was right.
Me: (walking up to Macy's Clinique counter). Excuse me? (pulling out purchase from DILLARD'S bag).
Macy's Clinique Employee walks over to counter where I'm standing.
Me: I just purchased this from the Dillard's Clinique counter.
Macy's clinique Employee: That is super powder.
Me: Yes, I know. And it's also 02 Matte Beige. Obviously I'm not new to cosmetics either.
Right after I said that, I drop my purchase back into my Dillard's bag and turn to walk off, not really giving her a chance to respond. However, as I was walking off, I did hear her say "Thanks for showing me."
The best part of going back was that Macy's Clinique Employee sounded stunned. Stunned that:
- She (having worked in the industry for 20 years) was wrong.
- I had the nerve to come back and show her that I knew what I was talking about, and I wasn't crazy, the product DID exist.
- I flashed my Dillards bag in front of her and other Macy's customers at the Clinique counter, showing that I spent my money elsewhere, received what I had askef for, and had made it a point to let her know about it.
Thanks for showing you? Oh you betcha lady. I'd be happy to prove you wrong any day. But lucky for me, and Dillard's, I won't be back to your counter to purchase anything in quite some time.
As I walked away, finally satisfied with both my purchase and having stood up for myself to Little Miss Know-It-All, the saying "The customer is always right" floated through my head, and I just had to smile.
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