The Racial Bias in Retail Study Commissioned by Sephora

Two in five shoppers have experienced unfair treatment in a US retail store on the basis of their race or skin tone. This impacts the entire retail industry, and Sephora is not immune. We are taking action. Last year we commissioned the Racial Bias in Retail Study to gain the specific insights needed to create a robust action plan, and now we’re sharing this research to benefit all retailers and promote change in our industry. We are also rolling out our own multistep action plan aimed to create a fairer and more equitable Sephora experience for all ❤️

That’s not only in the U.S.!! As a black woman living between Brazil and Spain I must say I’ve been followed and mistreated by employees and security guards in Sephora stores in both countries while I was shopping and minding my business in both countries. It’s past time to take action in stores outside United States too!!

[briG]

Apparently there still needs to be worked to be done as I have felt extremely uncomfortable being followed at a store today. I had to confront the person to tell them that them following me was excessive... crazy!

[harikari]

I worked at Sephora and while it was an awesome experience there weren’t any African Americans in leadership positions in the store I worked. I then noticed that I was hard pressed to find any African Americans in leadership positions in any New York locations. What are you doing as a company to change this?

[jaceny]

Shopping in store was a great experience years ago. Something changed. The lack of focus on customer satisfaction made in store shopping undesirable. It was better to shop the same brands in department stores or directly shop from the makeup brands online rather than deal with workers who seem annoyed to be working. This was before 2020. Now that we are all used to shopping online, Sephora will have to work harder to get people back in the stores.

[HighPriestessAngelique]

I can also say that as a tattooed & pierced multi racial woman I have been targeted as well. It may very well be different than being darker complexion but I am still being judged based on my appearance & NOT my ethics or integrity. Sephora treats many of their customers like they’re about to steal something, I have intentionally stayed in the store longer than necessary and watched it happen. I may not know how it feels to be a darker skin woman but I do know how it made me feel to be treated in that manner. It’s an enraging feeling though, because there’s so much you want to say to them in that moment but it all kinda gets stuck in your throat in the moment plus you don’t want to be “that girl” and further stereotype yourself. I get followed every single time I go around a Sephora & I started shopping online bc I got tired of it. It sucks that thieves (of every race, color & creed) ruin it for the honest shoppers. That’s how I see it. You are either an honest person or a dishonest person & you cannot measure that by looks alone. That’s why we should speak and judge from our own heart and learn to trust in our intuition not what we fear that is different from ourselves.

Blessings of love & of justice.

-HP Angelique

[reneeolivier]

I am glad you are taking action. I know personally I have been followed around in your store and have actually confronted the sales associate who was doing it. She apologized and said her manager instructed her to do so. There has to be something that changes fundamentally, including a new approach to how you stop shoplifting so that you are not making paying customers, like myself, feel unwelcome.

[jackbequick]

I’m very happy to see that Sephora took the time to complete this study. The video does reflect how I feel when shopping and is the reason that I prefer to shop online... even before the pandemic.

[pseudoluxurynight]

I was followed and told by someone who worked at Sephora that they thought "I wasnt going to buy anything, " but I had a gift card, the dude was just being rude. I dont know why. Cuz I took to long to decide what I wanted?

[curvyQT]

You are just now addressing this issue? This has been going on for a long time at Sephora...smh. As a black woman, I have experienced profiling at one of the stores...that is all it took for me! After that experience, I never shopped at Sephora again!!

[oliveeisner]

There's the distinct possibility that the crappy service was an across the board experience for many customers and was interpreted as a racial bias by some. With literally everything in our culture hyper focused on identity issues to sow division it is a logical possibility. The employees are probably just uncaring because this is also a culture norm.

[ellepatrice]

Oh I clicked on this so fast bc you guys are the worst. Rouge member and still get hawked/followed every time I shop. I continue to shop bc I choose to have pity for those *miserable creatures* that have been hired to harass me.
Helpful hint: If they hawk/follow you just put them to work. Save yourself some time and make them earn their minimum wage.

[VintageLori]

if you guys want to make a difference hire more black Minorities in leadership positions that have a lived experience of these struggles. I be looking on linkedin and it's sad to see no one that looks like me especially in Canada. You payed for a report when you need to fix your own issues cause I was that 1 in 3 and trust me it's higher than that ratio.

[meifung]

Getting followed and laughed at in a Sephora by staff because me (a bipoc woman) and my trans friend (also a bipoc woman) were looking for makeup basics for her :o)) it’s a no from me girl

[athomewithlovewilliams]

More training is needed. A few days ago I was harassed by an employee for redeeming a perfume coupon; first, I was followed around the store, then I was watched as I looked for my perfume. Than she gave me a hard time with the size of the bottle of the perfume. Even though the size is on the redemption coupon. At the checkout she asked is that it with a loud voice and refused to let me buy a bag it was very horrible experience I now fear going to the store

[bobbertbobby]

while i know this study was basicly to point out racial bias.
But i have a grump i have had forever.
Ya see i am an overweight man. And rather short. And I always wondered why it is ok for walmart and other stores to charge a signifigant ..what seems to be a tax, on 2xl and up clothes.
Now in reality i can understand why. They say anyways..that its because of the equipment to make the sizes..and the smaller share of the market but thats bullshit.
I can tell you this much for real...a market that targets Men..like full grown men. Id love to know the percent market of that group who buy and wear small size shirts.
and before folks do the "well, larger size more material to use." bullshit...my isnt there a discount for size small?
You tellin me there is so much more fabric involved from an XL to a XXL versus a small and a XL?
Walmart charged me an extra 4dollars and something for a 2xl shirt. and ive bought hundreds of not thousands of shirts from there and store with the same policy.
But..frankly..no one really cares about men being fat shamed or fat punished. At least my beautiful plus size sisters are getting more respect these days.

[kristinfrazee]

I've experienced discriminatory behavior from others, for being overweight, not being the cool kids when I was younger for being a smoker, you name it!!! Everyone has at some point!!! Please stop using it as a excuse and feeding the frenzy of self pity! We are all responsible for ourselves and our own actions, blaming others does nothing!!! But breed negativity. We are all different God made us there are no mistakes. Uniqueness is what makes us individuals!

[countrygirl]

Thank you for addressing these issues. In order to change, you have to start somewhere.

[jennifer]

LOVE this. I saw a Latina working there the other day and it was Good. . . Good Change!

[alexw]

2 years and it still happens, now what?

[KAlovesherkitties]

The sucky part is that the first time I ever noticed I was being followed in a store was at a Sephora. Happened again last time I was physically in a Sephora store :(