Janice R. Andrews
Unexpectedly, Sephora is facing criticism on social media for the way that young customers—mainly from Generation Alpha—are behaving when they visit the department store. Gen Alpha consumers, defined as those born between 2010 and 2023, are apparently sweeping popular cosmetic goods off the shelves, including Drunk Elephant, Byoma, Glow Recipe, and Sol De Janeiro.
TikTok and Instagram have been used by customers and Sephora employees to express their complaints. They have shared stories of kids smashing samples, scoffing at shelves, and acting rudely towards salespeople. Social media content producers are talking about their experiences, and some of them are accusing Gen Alpha of spilling products while sprinting in big groups through stores.
In her video titled “Are 12-year-olds actually taking over Sephora?” influencer Daniela Ueman (@dani.cazz) attracted attention by showing the damage caused by items falling off shelves, missing tester caps, and disorganised shelving. With over 66,000 views on Instagram, users have shared similar stories in the comments section of the video.
Influencer Avery Warneke (@avery22w) on TikTok also voiced her opinion, describing in a video her meeting with misbehaving kids at Sephora and her displeasure with their actions.
Warneke brought up examples of young girls showing off their American Express (Amex) cards—which they supposedly received from their parents—and bragging about how much money they could spend.
Some social media users have compared Sephora to teenage accessory retailer Claire’s as a result of the dispute. Content creator Gianna Caldera (@_giannalove) described her dismay in a video that received 3.3 million likes. The video described an incident in which a little girl obtained the last Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi bronzing drops.
Concerns concerning the reason behind tweens’ apparent departure from Claire’s and other similar establishments are growing as the response on social media grows. The current challenge for Sephora is to resolve these issues and uphold its standing as a high-end beauty destination in the face of younger consumers’ changing purchasing preferences.
