I had an in-store experience yesterday at Camera Ready Cosmetics that left me feeling off, and the more I’ve sat with it, the more I realize it might be part of a bigger shift.
After I got home, I started noticing similar conversations from other makeup artists in different spaces. Not in a dramatic way, just a general feeling that the experience is not what it used to be.
For me, it was not just the environment or the interaction. It was also the fact that most of what I needed was not available in store and a lot of it was on pre order. The gal at the counter made me feel really uncomfortable, she was distant, not really helpful and definitely not customer service oriented. It felt like I was walking in to a place I shouldn’t be. Retail, especially beauty retail, should be an experience. Lighting matters. Energy matters. If it felt dark, small, and awkward. It just doesn’t feel like a place geared towards art anymore. You can buy the same products with a pro discount at Norcostco and be able to browse a huge show room.
But back to the pre-ordered items…for the last 2-3 months I’ve been paying full price for products they are supposed to carry but hardly ever have in stock. They just blame the brands, transit or tariffs.
That part really threw me, because this used to be my go to for everything. I could count on walking in and leaving with what I needed for my kit.
I understand that a lot of businesses are leaning more into e commerce, and that makes sense. But as a customer, especially as a working artist, there is an expectation that comes with that. You would think that shifting more toward online would mean inventory and fulfillment are even more dialed in, not less accessible in store.
When I am sourcing products for work, I need reliability. I need to know I can get what I need without jumping through hoops or waiting on pre orders for staple items. And they STILL are out of a product I needed a month ago.
The in person experience matters, but so does product availability. When both start to feel off at the same time, it changes how you trust a store. The entire store is now in a small, old, dark warehouse that you have to ring a bell to get into. Then you are greeted like you aren’t supposed to be there. It’s just not at all what it used to be a short few months ago and it’s really sad and depressing. A store that once had SO much life is now starting to die.
I am curious if other artists or customers have been running into this too, or if this was just an off experience? But I do miss Calvin and the chick with the blue hair, I loved them. They were so helpful and kind.