Why do AA Aveda saleswomen always attempt to discourage me from buying products?

[Sasha Fierce]

Tonight is the second time that I have gone to Aveda ready to try out some of their newer products and have been darn near reprimanded by an African American salesperson about the products I wanted to try.

I was set on buying the DR treatment which the Black girl seemed fine with. I wanted to try some of the styling products and also mentioned that I sometimes have problems with dryness. My hair goes limp with the slightest amount of product so I wanted to try something advertised as not being heavy. This attracted me to the light elements line styling whip. I was quickly told that this was for women with layers (which I have). This was not good enough for her as she went on to say it was for women with finer hair and would do nothing for me.

She then said that I needed the emollient gloss to add moisture to my hair. (I didnt think that was a moisturizer). She said some ppl like to seal it in with the universal styling cream (isnt this logic backwards?). This made me all the more skeptical of her advice.

So I continued to look around. I asked if she would show me how to use the reviving mist. She didnt budge but looked at me and said "Thats for people with curly hair". (Why don't they just show the customer what they asked to see?)

I decided to follow my own train of thought and choose the DR treatment and light elements whip. I went to check out and she looked at me in a reprimanding way "I advise you dont buy that whip. It will do absolutely nothing for your hair". I explained that I was sold on the "light" and would be trying it. She again argued that it was not designed for me. At this point I decided to put everything back because I did not want her to get commission off of me. I really wanted to do my hair tonight so I reluctantly went to the counter with the DR treatment only. Then she goes on to say that I cant just use that and that I NEED something else. Then she starts to back peddle "Well go ahead and try the whip it may work. you never know". I'm like no just please give me my DR. I payed and bounced and now I don't wanna do my hair until I can find a style product. I wish she hadn't even gotten any benefit off of me.

Tell me the truth. Am I trippin? Is that line simply not made for me? Am I the anti-Aveda? The previous time I went to Aveda the black girls there told me to go buy keracare and mizani and said nothing would be good for me in there.

PS. I tried both the whip and usc in the store. I had placed the whip on my hair first. When the girl started to push usc i tried it a little while after browsing. I pulled a comb through my hair a little while ago and it feels really light and soft. But now I dont know if it was usc or the whip. What do you think?

ETA: I also asked her about the hang straight and she said it wasn't for me since my hair is relaxed. So all of the ladies here who are having great results using hang straight on relaxed hair should really stop having satisfactory results because the Black girl at Aveda won't allow it

 

[Nefertiti0906]

I think you should go on and purchase it. Forget what she thinks, if it doesn't work out you can always return it.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

I think you should go on and purchase it. Forget what she thinks, if it doesn't work out you can always return it.

Yeah you are right, Nefertiti. I let a group of Aveda stylists discourage me from buying anything last time cause they repeatedly told me Aveda wasnt really designed for me. I attempted to ignore her comments to night but I went back and forth with her 3 times as she told me it wasnt for me so I decided that I did not want her to benefit from my purchase. I gave in on the dr cause i wantd to do my hair tonight which i ended up not doing anyway

 

[cocosweet]

Did she examine your hair then tell you those products wouldn't work or just assume? Even if she truly feels those products wouldn't work for you, she sure could have found a better way to express that. You asked to see some products her job was to show you. Shoot finding out what works for you is all about trial and error.

I can't tell you the amount of times where someone suggested something for my hair only to have it not work, so why couldn't the reverse be true?

Good customer service is a dying art I tell ya.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

She just asumed cause I was black, i guess. she didnt touch or examine my hair. she basically didnt recommend anything for me outside of the brilliant or dr line. and she kept wanting to put gloss on my hair as a moisturizer. she sucks. i saw macherieamor's review of the hair mist and it seemed pretty neat. the lady at aveda just kept boxing me in saying what i could not use and i just dont like that feeling. i love products formulated close to hair type but i never like the feeling of being out of the loop of certain things especially when aveda labels many procducts as "for all hair types".


Good customer service is definitely hard to find. I like aveda a lot but AA workers/stylists there always seem to challenge me. I feel like they may as well put up "No Blacks Allowed" by certain products the way they come at me sometimes. The time before this I had Aveda stylists literally direct me to other areas of town where I could fine Keracare and Mizani. Though these are great priducts for many, I have had success with neither. This is the second time I was confronted my AA folks in aveda about what i could not try. It sucks cause some of the products i read that many ladies on lhcf have had success with erplexed

 

[cocosweet]

She just asumed cause I was black, i guess. she didnt touch or examine my hair. she basically didnt recommend anything for me outside of the brilliant or dr line. and she kept wanting to put gloss on my hair as a moisturizer. she sucks. i saw macherieamor's review of the hair mist and it seemed pretty neat. the lady at aveda just kept boxing me in saying what i could not use and i just dont like that feeling. i love products formulated close to hair type but i never like the feeling of being out of the loop of certain things especially when aveda labels many procducts as "for all hair types".

That's what I suspected . Have you tried the Be Curly? I think it could be good to try since your hair seems to be on the finer side.
ETA--When will our people learn that gloss and shine don't equal moisture?
Also, if you do return to that Aveda counter perhaps you could speak to the manager about the craptastic customer service you've received.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

That's what I suspected . Have you tried the Be Curly? I think it could be good to try since your hair seems to be on the finer side.
ETA--When will our people learn that gloss and shine don't equal moisture?
Also, if you do return to that Aveda counter perhaps you could speak to the manager about the craptastic customer service you've received.

I havent tried the Be curly but I'd definitely be interested. My hair is fine type 4. I think next time I go to Aveda I will decline any comments, suggestions, or help offered by the attendees and go for what I want. Afterall, I can always return if it indeed is no good for my hair.

It prolly woulda been a good idea to talk to management about this. I usually ask for them when I really feel tiffed or disrespected. I guess this chick considered herself pointing me in the right direction and wasnt being blatantly rude...though she certainly didnt honor my choices. But I think it is piss poor service to question what someone wants to buy once they have chosen and placed on the counter and you have already given them a run down of whats what.

 

[cocosweet]

I peeked at your profile to see if you had a fotki. I was going to say the Be Curly might not be worth the trouble if you've got a lot of hair. You could end of using half the tube during a single styling session! My 4a hair is thick so I needed a product with more weight to get the effect I want, but for finer hair I think its worth trying.

I hope things go well on your next trip to the Aveda counter.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

I peeked at your profile to see if you had a fotki. I was going to say the Be Curly might not be worth the trouble if you've got a lot of hair. You could end of using half the tube during a single styling session! My 4a hair is thick so I needed a product with more weight to get the effect I want, but for finer hair I think its worth trying.

I hope things go well on your next trip to the Aveda counter.

Thanks I will give this a try! I dont have a fotki yet but my hair is nape length after I had it cut recently due to some breakage. I already plan on dodging all the negative nellies during my next Aveda trip, lol!

 

[la flaca]

Go and don't ask for help!! Grab & go!!!

 

[Dayjoy]

I wonder if there is another place where you can buy Aveda products like a salon or another Aveda store ( we have a few in the Chicago area). Maybe someone else will appreciate your business enough to serve you properly. Good luck.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

Go and don't ask for help!! Grab & go!!!

LOL!!!! I have learned my lesson! I promise though, this girl kept coming after me asking about what I'm looking for and I got suckered in....but NEVA again, LOL!!! I will be grabbing my products and heading out like

 

[Sasha Fierce]

I wonder if there is another place where you can buy Aveda products like a salon or another Aveda store ( we have a few in the Chicago area). Maybe someone else will appreciate your business enough to serve you properly. Good luck.

Thanks for the well wishes I'm in Atlanta and actually went to this one in the mall since at the institute 4 Black people basically told me I was waisting my time with any Aveda product. Now I wont worry. I will just go to which ever is closest at the time, grab my stuff, round em up, and move em out!

 

[Tamrin]

There is no reason for the back and forth and her advice. When a sales person tries to get into what Im trying to purchase. I simply say "Thank you very much I came here for one thing and my mind is set. If I need help i will ask. thank you" At Aveda's I got my stuff no fuss no mess.

 

[Bint Yusef]

You should report her. I mean she tried to kill a sell out of what spite??

Why is she policing your purchase? She must not work on commission.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

There is no reason for the back and forth and her advice. When a sales person tries to get into what Im trying to purchase. I simply say "Thank you very much I came here for one thing and my mind is set. If I need help i will ask. thank you" At Aveda's I got my stuff no fuss no mess.

Exactly. I don't know why those I have encountered "insist" on expressing their opinion. Maybe I have been too open to listening to their comments. But who woulda thought that could hurt?

 

[Sasha Fierce]

You should report her. I mean she tried to kill a sell out of what spite??

Why is she policing your purchase? She must not work on commission.

When I put stuff back she started talking really fast trying to get me to buy her suggestion. When I said no, she told me that I should "go ahead and try" what i initially wanted. i said no again. at this point i think she realized that she was about to make no commission at all and wanted to salvage things.

 

[angellazette]

I just grab and go...no questions unless a product is out of stock.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

I just grab and go...no questions unless a product is out of stock.

this is my plan from here on out

 

[Samory07]

this is my plan from here on out

Thats exactlly wat I would do lol But let us know how your next encounter turns out lol

 

[coconow2007]

I think the AA Aveda lady really thought she was giving u sound advice she has probably heard negative things or used the product and had a bad experience and she thinks she may be saving u from wasting ur money. If u go back to her again u may just educate her on the positive things u heard about using Aveda - and give her the link to LHCF

 

[Nita81]

Did you go to the one at Stonecrest?

I went to the one at Lenox....if anything the sales ladies will try to upsell you instead of discouraging you. Go with what you feel may work for you...Aveda has a return policy.

 

[alundra]

I was also told to use the emollient with the USC. I tried it and it didn't work. That was around the beginning of my hair journey.

I still love the USC though.

 

[WomanlyCharm]

Man, this story pissed me off!

Why do the salespeople always assume they know what's best for you? This chick was wayyy off. I've used all those products she was talking about. And for some to say Aveda is not made for african-amerian hair...that's just straight up stupid.

From now on, just go in and buy your products. If someone attemps to argue with you, just look at them and say, "I am paying for these products, thank you. I'll decide what I will purchase."

 

[sareca]

That stinks! I think I would have asked for another sales rep.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

@Samory I'm headed back to claim my Aveda today and will report back, lol!

@Coco yep she prolly thought her advice was good. Maybe she was tiifed that I wanted th products despite her advice

@Nita nope i went to the one at Lenox w/ this encounter. The previous time I went to the institute on Piedmont. Yeah I heard another salesperson happily explain to another customer that she could bring a product back if it didnt work for her so I'm not sure why this chick was expressing her opinion so hard.

@Alundra. Yeah the usc sounds like it may be good when used sparingly but the emollient in addition sounds like overload for my hair which gets to looking pitiful when I add the wrong things to it.

@Charm. That's what I'm doing from now on. It would be nice to have conversation about hair/products etc. But the ones I have encountered have taken it too far. The incident before this had me almost afraid to try Aveda

@Sareca. I should have. These ppl seriously make me concerened though when they come on so strong and talking themselves out of a sale.

 

[Nita81]

Just curious are the prices of the products the same at the institute?

 

[Sasha Fierce]

Just curious are the prices of the products the same at the institute?

Yep the prices are the same at the institute. I also been to a couple of smaller spas and noticed that the pricing remain is consistent.

 

[bocagirl]

You could just go to a salon to purchase your products. Or if you know what you are looking for and they ask if you need help say no and that will take care of all the drama.

 

[Sasha Fierce]

You could just go to a salon to purchase your products. Or if you know what you are looking for and they ask if you need help say no and that will take care of all the drama.

Yep I was safe until she noticed I was browsing for so long. (It's hard not to want to learn about everthing in there, lol). I will probably go to whatever is close at the time salon/spa/store and just politely (as much as they allow me to be) decline their help