Mary Kay has apparently changed the rules of the product replacement system, but hasn’t bothered to tell anyone. In theory, Mary Kay has a 100% satisfaction guarantee… that means a customer can return a product at any time and get their money back or a replacement product. For any reason. At any time.

Well check out this information from a sales director who tried to do a replacement on a (now obsolete) compact:

Did you know this?  I sat with a customer yesterday and she mentioned she had the color palette and had never filled it completely.  It was too big, and didn’t serve her needs.  So I took it back and gave her the $38 credit towards her order.

When I tried to do a product return today, the system would only give me $19 toward new product.  I called Product Return and spoke with “Marilyn” who has been with the Company 20 years and she told me:

1) That was all I was going to get because after a year, the compacts are considered wear and tear and are not replaceable at full price.
2) That if a brush set breaks after a year, they may or may not replace the single brush

I tried to work thru several scenarios with Marilyn because I was always taught that customer satisfaction means just that — and that there is no time limit.

Marilyn said that was true on product — and I said well, the palette was a section 1 product — but I was told that was different.

In 10 years of steady business, I’ve never run into this before.

I certainly don’t mind abiding by the rules — but first I’ve got to know them.  I begged Marilyn to have an article written in Applause or something put on the website to explain this difference in return policy.

And I told her I didn’t like taking the hit in my pocketbook……

Is Mary Kay trying to limit its losses on old compacts… while sticking it to the consultants and directors? You decide.