From time to time, Mary Kay sales directors send out mass emails about the company’s product guarantee. In these emails, they’re discussing all the ways that the company might be trying to “get out of” honoring the 100% satisfaction guarantee on the products.

I always find this interesting, because I believe the guarantee is either 100% or it’s not. It can’t be “100% unless…” because then it’s not 100%.

Here is what Mary Kay Cosmetics says about the guarantee:

We stand behind our products with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. Consumers who use Mary Kay® products are among the most loyal in the world because Mary Kay® products are safe, effective and deliver the benefits they want. Mary Kay Inc. stands behind its products sold by Independent Beauty Consultants. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with any Mary Kay® product, it will be replaced without charge, exchanged or the full purchase price refunded following its return to your authorized Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. If she is no longer active, it can be returned to the Company with proof of purchase.

The guarantee says that company stands behind products “sold by Independent Beauty Consultants.” What does that mean? How does a customer know if a seller is a beauty consultant or not? How would she know if someone is a terminated consultant, or one who has sent product back, or if the seller has never been a consultant before?

The rumor mill now says that Mary Kay is not going to stand behind products sold by people on eBay, etc. Here’s an email that’s currently circulating:

I wanted to pass this along to you and our two awesome directors. It was brought to my attention in a phone call with Mary Kay Corporate this afternoon that there is a major change in our 100% guarantee. I facialed a really nice young woman this afternoon that I had met through a fish bowl I had out during the holidays who had lost her consultant and wanted to get back on the skincare, etc. She brought 2 formula foundations with her that weren’t the right shade or formula for her skin type and an eyeshadow that she didn’t care for either. I gladly just exchanged them out at the end for the right formula and color of foundation and a different eyeshadow as I wasn’t her consultant who sold them to her. The sale was $98.50 total. After deducting the two foundations and eyeshadow it brought it down by $34.00. I didn’t mind as I went to the library when I was done and did my return like normal. It got flagged. I called MK Corporate to figure out whatever help they needed. That is when I learned this new important information.

If you have not sold the product to the customer do not refund it for money or products. This was recently just updated and put out in the director’s memo. I know they are at leadership and might have overlooked something so critical to pass along to us. I explained to the lady at corporate that I have been at meetings, which I have and have not heard a word about this important change. The client/customer is to call 1-800-Mary Kay. The reason behind this is they are not honoring anything bought on Ebay, etc. Thank the Good Lord! They don’t want the sales force taking hits like this anymore. So just refer them out to corporate and let corporate figure out how to help them. They also don’t want the sales force taking hits on products not purchased by/from you. She was really wonderful on the phone about it and honored what I did, but she shared with me this important information to pass along, so we don’t lose sales anymore.

If you have any questions just call them, but it’s pretty simple. If you did not sell it to them, don’t refund it. They have to call MK Corporate.

Taking hits? As far as I know, there is no “hit” when a customer exchanges product, even if she didn’t purchase the original product from you. You take back her products, and you do a product replacement which makes you whole for the transaction. Period. There is no “hit.”

Here’s what I think is happening: Mary Kay is trying to discourage customers from returning the product. What a beautiful way to do it… tell consultants not to accept any product they didn’t sell. The customer has to go to corporate, which is clearly more of a hassle for the customer.