Phased reopening will begin with over 70 stores across 13 states on May 22, 2020, with new Sephora Health & Hygiene safety standards and a focus on a welcoming in-store experience that protects employee and customer health
Tuesday May 19th, 2020 / San Francisco – As several cities and states have re-opened business and provided new social restrictions parameters, Sephora today shared its plans to welcome back customers in select retail locations beginning May 22nd in communities where it can safely reopen. The retailer has spent the last nine weeks developing its rigorous new safety and customer service protocols, called “SEPHORA HEALTH & HYGIENE GUIDELINES,” designed to protect employees and customers while safely and confidently providing support, expert advice and a welcoming experience for all.
“While the retail environment will feel different and many factors will remain out of our hands, we’ve learned to embrace what we can control. We are taking an intentionally measured and phased approach to reopening, putting the priority on the health and safety of our communities,” said Jean-André Rougeot, President and CEO of Sephora Americas. “As we gradually reopen our stores over the next few months, we have taken great care in how we welcome back our employees and our customers. We are grateful for our customers’ support the past two months, and we want to safeguard the experience for those who want to return to stores. We will follow guidance from the CDC, government and health authorities in tandem with extensive supplemental safety measures, to formalize our new Sephora Health & Hygiene Guidelines, that safeguard the instore shopping experience.”
In developing the Sephora Health & Hygiene Guidelines, which include 48 safety procedures and extensive employee training, the goal was to create the safest Sephora experience possible, while still providing the supportive shopping experience our customers appreciate. Sephora’s Health & Hygiene reopening plan includes the following actions for all U.S. stores:
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Social Distancing & Capacity: All stores will adhere to social distancing guidelines and will have restricted store capacities to allow for this. Customers will be greeted by a line coordinator who will ensure adequate space and service levels, while guiding customers on how to make the most of their visit. Six-foot markers will be placed at lines in front of registers and store entrances. Capacity constraint guidance will be followed and store aisles will be designated for traffic in one direction as locally mandated.
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Deep Cleaning & Enhanced Hygiene Measures: Prior to reopening, all stores will receive a deep cleaning and will be equipped with hygiene supplies and hand sanitizer throughout the space and store teams will be constantly cleaning throughout the day.
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Testers & Services: Testers are now for display only and in-store services are suspended until further notice. Some of our stores have removed displays altogether to comply with a local ordinance. In addition to Beauty Advisor assistance, a suite of virtual tools, including Virtual Artist, are available to aid in any product selection process.
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Face Masks: All employees will wear face masks and Sephora will provide disposable masks for customers to wear in-store. In some locations, face coverings will be mandated for entry in store according to regional guidelines.
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Temperature Checks: Sephora will take all store employees’ temperatures at the beginning and in the middle of each shift.
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Returns: Sephora has extended its return policy and will be accepting returns with receipts for all purchases made just prior to and during the shutdown for 30 days after store opening. All products returned will be destroyed until further notice to protect customers and employees.
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Point of Sale: We will be closing every other register in-store in an effort to promote social distancing and encourage customers to use contactless payment options. All payment screens will be sanitized before and after every transaction, baskets and bags will be sanitized, and plexiglass screens will be implemented in all stores.
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Staff Hygiene Training: Each store has designated a Hygiene Leader who will oversee Sephora’s new Health & Hygiene Guidelines at all points of the shopping experience. All store staff have been trained and will work with the Hygiene Leader to maintain safety in stores.
The care and comfort of the communities we support has and always will be an important company value. To that end, Sephora has undertaken the following:
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Initiated and implemented Project Care Package, through which more than 350,000 beauty products were donated to 65,000-plus frontline health care workers and those impacted by domestic violence in our communities across the U.S.
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To further support frontline heroes, Sephora will be offering a 10% discount in-store on all purchases for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Responders with a current ID throughout 2020*.
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In June, Sephora stores will sell washable cloth face masks for $10, with 50% of proceeds benefiting the Stronger Together Fund through Tides.
Select Sephora stores in Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Georgia, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona and Alabama will be part of this initial group to open on May 22. Prior to moving ahead with any future store openings, Sephora will evaluate each store based on local government and health guidance before making a decision. As always, Sephora will continue to assess business operations through all reopening phases and as states and cities share their requirements to adapt accordingly. Additional Sephora stores are expected to open gradually over the next several months. A full list with updated information on store reopenings will live on Sephora Community, and customers can call their local store for opening details and hours of operation.
For stores that are not yet open, Sephora will continue to pay store employees and provide their benefits until they are able to welcome back customers to their stores. Meanwhile, our online channels are open for business, supporting our customers who choose to shop from home or simply browse our social content for inspiration.
Rougeot continued, “I am proud of our store teams as they have readied themselves through extensive training and new protocols under the Sephora Health & Hygiene Guidelines to help customers feel both safe and supported. Our people have championed our business, showed immense support for each other and our customers, and most importantly displayed true strength during these last nine weeks. Although many things in retail have changed, some things remain the same–our passion for the joy of beauty, our desire to welcome all, and our focus on the customer.”
*discount is for in-store purchases only and a current employee ID, badge, or paystub is required. See your local store for terms and details
