Dani K.
Yelp
As a fan of Aesop's products, I actually feel conflicted about writing this outlier review, but last week (on Sunday) I went into the store after taking my dogs on a hike (so, of course, I'm in my shorts and a tshirt). mMy friend who I was with was nice enough to stay with my dogs outside the store. I grab two small products - my favorite facial cleanser and a new one I wanted to try. The sales associate in there was helping out this other woman, ignoring me when I first came in. I noticed being ignored but didn't care since I knew what I wanted. Anyway, I'm facing the counter looking for other products when this associate takes the two items from my hands from behind me. I was taken aback and turned around. As I turn she says curtly, "so you don't drop them." Holy crap! I almost walked out of there when another sweet sales associate named, Michaela came out from the back and asked if I needed help. We started chatting and I relaxed and ended up grabbing two or three more products.
Michaela brought me up to the counter to ring me up and it turns out she's actually from Australia! (Aesop is a Melbourne-based company.) I had lived in Sydney for several months just last year and was really delighted to be speaking to a warm and kind person since the beginning of this experience was so cold and hard. As she begins to ring me up, that other sales associate - the one who very offensively treated me like I was unworthy to be shopping there, took the sale away from Michaela right in front of me! It was so aggressive that I've been bothered by this everyday since it happened. Anyway, I hope they don't work on commission because then I will be very angry as what is distasteful and petty and ungenerous would then be downright unjust. I am going to call the store and find out for myself.
TL;dr - Aesop products are great. The (I think) asian associate (and I'm asian for eff's sake) from last Sunday was awful and shouldn't be so aggressively petty with her co-workers at all, but especially not in plain view of a customer with whom you were so dismissve. Michaela from Australia was super sweet, genuine and kind and saved me from leaving that day empty-handed. WIth all the great products out there in the market I do think I'll find another place to spend my money. This whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth.