These situations resonate with me because it speaks to how we treat other human beings. You don’t look like an arms dealer. What on earth did she think you were going to threaten her store with? You could have been taking notes for a Christmas list.
I’ve never been in an Ulta store, and will now never enter one, but it seems so clear that one of the biggest reasons that women avoid cosmetics counters altogether is the enormous sales pressure. Marketers who feel like they have to control every aspect of the buying experience, and can’t just back off and trust consumers to talk to one another, are doomed to spiral down to non-existence. The power of the consumer is too great. Sephora understands this so clearly. They let you have fun. They borrow from many cosmetic lines to achieve your satisfaction. They never dictate or pressure.
So although you had a CRAPPY day, now having had time to think about it, you’ve seen a whole new angle to this whole deal. And a fascinating one. I wonder what that woman told herself after you left the store?