Sephora Is Closing Its Stores Due to the Coronavirus
Sephora has announced it will be closing all North American retail locations as of 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, April 3. The decision comes less than a week after suspending in-store services like makeovers and removing all product testers to help combat the spread of COVID-19.
"When Sephora first opened its doors, we did so with the mission to create a unique community for all beauty enthusiasts," the retailer said in a statement on its website. "Since then, we have always taken our responsibility to protect the well-being of our people and community seriously. It was with that responsibility in mind that we made this decision."
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For anyone looking to replace their empty beauty products, you can still make purchases on Sephora.com and the Sephora app. The beauty retailer will be waiving shipping fees until April 3, with the code FREESHIP. To sample a new beauty product, diving into Sephora's Digital Artist App is the best bet for customers.
Sephora is also tweaking its return policy for the time being. Products purchased in-store in the last 30 days as of Mar. 16, can be returned with a receipt within 30 days of stores reopening. For online purchases, products can be returned within 60 days, and will be refunded to the original form of payment.
In the statement, Sephora confirmed that all store employees will receive their base pay for their scheduled shifts for the duration for the closure. Their health and wellness benefits will also continue. In addition, the beauty retailer confirms all distribution center employees will receive the same pay if any of the center's operations are disrupted.
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This mass closure comes in the wake of President Donald Trump declaring a national state of emergency, and many states including New York and Los Angeles, imposing restrictions on restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.
