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Today was Epic Rewards day at Sephora, a promotion in which Sephora Beauty Insider Points of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 could be redeemed for really, really good gifts. As in 10,000 points could get you a trip to Paris to visit with Lancome, or $500 of Make Up For Ever products along with a training session at the brand's academy, or a Marc Jacobs Incognito satchel complete with matching Marc Jacobs wallet and beauty products.
5,000 point gifts included an Elizabeth & James bag with full-sized fragrance bottles or a jam-packed Drybar blowout kit, while 2,000 points got you huge makeup kits from the likes of Stila, Bobbi Brown, and Benefit. But for shoppers itching to get these freebies in their carts, all of it proved elusive, even the 1,000-point gifts like Bumble & Bumble hair makeover set.
Sephora fielded so many questions about Epic Rewards via Twitter, telling shoppers for hours today that the gifts hadn't launched yet. Sephora had tweeted 17 hours ago: "The Epic Rewards will be launching on 8/10/15 during business hours (PST)."
But Sephora had little information to share about the actual launch time customers could expect. Sephora tweeted things like: "we are unable to give an exact time, but they will be launching soon!" and "yes, definitely today! Unfortunately we don't have more info than that!"
Then suddenly, all the good stuff was gone. A Sephora disclaimer on the site reads: "Rewards that are out of stock will no longer appear on the page. Available online only, while supplies last." But shoppers were still frustrated:
@mayperezduarte We apologize that our current Epic Rewards are now sold out. We appreciate your understanding!
— Sephora (@Sephora) August 10, 2015
@Sephora lol they were gone in like 1 min so frustrating. Lost sleep over this. Prob only had one of each item in stock or something.
— Marta Aldana (@Hungry_Nurse) August 10, 2015
Seriously disappointed by @Sephora & the #EpicRewards. Planning some #EpicReturns...
— Chelsea Eames (@chelseabrightly) August 10, 2015
Um, what epic Sephora rewards? There's absolutely nothing left on my page. That was a let down.
— makeupandbeautyblog (@karenmbb) August 10, 2015
my heart isn't broken about the #EpicRewards I am disappointed at the treatment after spending enough to earn Rouge year after year @Sephora
— Danielle (@BloominBeauty5) August 10, 2015
#EpicRewards What a total joke. And, FYI, #Sephora I didn't buy a single thing that I was going to that I had in my cart. FU.
— Sally Root (@SJRLEAWOOD) August 10, 2015
Unbelievable @sephora that I have WASTED my entire day waiting for my #EpicRewards only to be disappointed and get nothing. Poor practice.
— Lisa Calusinski (@LisaCalusinski) August 10, 2015
#EpicRewards were not so epic...sold out in less than the 30 seconds it took me to hit "Checkout" @Sephora
— Robin Carey (@robincarey413) August 10, 2015
i think ive refreshed the sephora page 1395739204 times today. please. ugh. #EpicRewards #epicfail
— circassian (@circassianbunny) August 10, 2015
My sincerest condolences to whoever is manning the @Sephora twitter account today for the #EpicRewards Apocalypse.
— FKA Slagathor (@Jewles) August 10, 2015
@Sephora so frustrated with the #EpicRewards seems like nobody got anything. What an #EpicFail
— Hazel Salaver (@BellaHazy) August 10, 2015
@Sephora "we apologize we used bonus points to get you to help us make our second quarter and gave you false hopes." #EpicRewards
— XO_Alicia (@XO_Alicia) August 10, 2015
@Sephora did you guys stock like 2 of each reward?
— Yessica Vargas (@Yaasssica) August 10, 2015