I just published a blog about the six Coastal Scents brushes I ordered and thought I would write another talking about shipping, pricing, etc. when it comes to the company. As someone fairly new to Coastal Scents, I know there were a lot of things I'd heard about their products/shipping that put me off from ordering for quite a while.
1) Shipping Time
One of the big complaints I'd heard was that their shipping would take forever - people said their orders took as long as 6 weeks to arrive. I was worried about this but finally bit the bullet and ordered my first product, the original 88 palette, through Fedex Ground. I had no such problem with shipping. I received notice that the order had been processed and shipped the very day after I placed the order. It made its way across the country (from Florida to California) in a week and a half. I've also made two brush orders via USPS First Class Mail and both arrived within the 4 business bays after I placed the order.
2) Shipping Costs
Another complaint was that shipping would be expensive. I paid about $8 for the default shipping method, Fedex Ground, which I think is reasonable considering how affordable the products themselves are. Fedex will also send you a tracking number after it ships so that you can track the status of your package and be notified when it arrives at its destination.
For any orders that aren't palettes and are under 13 ounces, I will always use USPS First Class Mail, which cost me UNDER $2 for the two brush orders I placed. Prices for expedited or overnight shipping are MUCH, MUCH steeper, but if you are willing to wait a week or so for your order, then I think the shipping prices are more than decent.
3) Shipping Quality
The final big complaint I'd heard on more than one occasion was that the packaging/presentation was poor. People said some of the shadows in their palettes were shattered or looked like they had "exploded" in transit. Others complained that the brushes smelled bad and shed copiously upon first wash. I suppose this varies from order to order, but I was not in the least disappointed about the state of my order when I received it.
The palette was wrapped generously in bubble wrap followed by paper, then placed in a cardboard box, so the palette was safe and none of the shadows were broken. Within the palette itself there is a clear plastic sheet protector over the shadows to keep any free powder from mixing into other colors.
As for my two brush orders, both came in envelopes with bubble wrap interiors. The brushes were wrapped in tissue paper (my second order even came in adorable Valentine's Day tissue paper, with hearts!). They were arranged in a small mesh drawstring bag (first order's was gold and second was pink) and each individual brush had a plastic, resealable wrapper. None of the brushes smelled bad and only the Pink Deluxe Oval Shadow Brush shed when I washed them (and only a tiny bit).
All 3 orders also came with a little mineral eyeshadow sample, which was a pleasant surprise. I received two samples of "Indigo" and one of "Pandora's Box," both of which are gorgeous bright colors with a pearly, high-shine finish.
---
I have had nothing but good experiences with Coastal Scents and I'm blown away by the quality and prices of their products. For me, the three main complaints about the company that I've heard on the internet and from reviewers on the CS site itself have all proven false. This isn't to say that those people were lying, but I definitely think that CS has really stepped up its game and tried to improve its customer service. And I definitely think that if you have been interested in their products for awhile but just haven't been able to bring yourself to try them out, you should definitely do so!
So that's my mini review of Coastal Scents' shipping!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I had a pretty bad Coastal Scents Fed Ex shipping experience too. I placed an order with Coastal Scents for their winter 30% sale about a week or two ago. The delivery was quick except it was to the wrong house. It was no fault of Coastal Scents but Fed Ex dropped the ball. Their records even indicated that my package was refused. The thing is that I would know if I refused my own package and I was the only person home. It also snowed that day pretty steadily and there were no signs of footsteps that were not my own. Plus, it makes no sense that I would refuse a package I was expecting. I explained the situation to Coastal Scents the day it happened and they said when they get the package back they would work with me to fix the situation. Turns out that working with me meant issuing a refund and totally backing up Fed Ex's records that I refused the package. I am severely disappointed by both companies particularly given the time of year. I am especially disappointed that Coastal Scents didn't refute the delivery information and back up the customer.
ReplyDelete