Sephora Is Putting Customer Favorite Merchandise Behind Lock and Key The change goes against Sephora's original try-before-you-buy business model.
By Sam Silverman •
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Sephora is removing all perfumes from the sales floor to stop in-store theft.
The multinational makeup retailer is known for its try-before-you-buy strategy, but the company says it was forced to put fragrances behind lock and key to stop customers from stealing, per CNN.
Previously, customers were able to peruse the fragrance section and try testers before selecting an unopened package to take to the register. Now customers will only be met with testers on display and will have to request the scent they want to purchase from employees who will pull the product from the back.
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In addition to the fragrance section shakeup, Sephora has also added more staff to help stop theft this holiday season.
"The safety and security of our employees and customers is our top priority," Sephora said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, Sephora only displays fragrance testers in-stores."
Sephora started testing the new perfume strategy in U.S. stores in July and August but saw that tester bottles were also targeted by thieves.
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Other retailers have also been putting more products under lock to manage theft, including Dollar Tree and Target.
