Thousands of customers left empty-handed after ‘disgraceful’ MAC lipstick giveaway fails
DON’T mess with a makeup fanatic and a free lipstick. MAC has been slammed for their “disgraceful” event.
TAKE note. Don’t mess with a makeup fanatic and a free lipstick giveaway.
Promoting the giveaway on Instagram only, thousands of fans shared, tagged and geared up for a free lip shade because - unlike most giveaways - this promotion had no catch.
Fans were told to show up, follow MAC’s Instagram page and enjoy a new lippie. #TheDream.
But instead, thousands of customers were left empty-handed after the “disgraceful” giveaway ran out of stock within minutes of some doors opening.
“Sold out of the free lippies in Myer Liverpool in minutes,” one customer wrote on Instagram.
“So devo by 9:30 they had all the free lipsticks gone,” another said.
One angry customer said they will never be buying from the brand again.
“I wasted a 25 minute drive...I won’t be buying Mac again,” she wrote.
“What a joke! Great idea to get followers but not prepared to follow it up with enough stock for demand,” another said.
At Adelaide’s Rundle Mall, customers were lining up in a queue that extended more than 300 metres before 9am.
One customer said the lipsticks at their local Myer had run out within 15 minutes of opening their doors.
“North Lakes Myer were out early on sold out within 15mins of opening,” one person said.
“NOT COOL! In less than 15 mins of Mac in MYER Indooroopilly opening all the lipsticks gone.
“So many people disappointed. You ran outta stock so early!”
Another customer said their local store had just 40 lipsticks to give away.
“Lined up at Erina Fair Myer just after they opened, we were all sent away at 9:30 after being told they only had 40 lipsticks to give away,” the post read.
In a statement provided to news.com.au, a spokesperson for MAC apologised to consumers who missed out on a lipstick and were left disappointed.
“Thank you to everyone who visited M.A.C yesterday to celebrate National Lipstick Day and collect a free lipstick of select shades,” the statement read.
“We experienced the most overwhelming response and due to popular demand, many of our locations ran out of stock early on in the day.
“We gave away thousands of lipsticks across the day but know some consumers have missed out and we are really sorry to those left disappointed.”
Lipstick is the number one category at MAC, with full-sized units retailing from $36 in store.
According to The Globe and Mail, the cosmetics company produces one lipstick bullet per second.
MAC cosmetics were first developed in Toronto, Canada by makeup artist and photographer Frank Toskan and salon owner Frank Angelo.
The pair were frustrated by the lack of makeup that photographed well.
They started to make the cosmetics in their kitchen, and sold the products straight to artists, models and photographers.
In March 1984, the pair launched their first MAC counter in a Toronto department store.
In 1994, Mr. Angelo and Mr. Toskan sold 51 per cent of their business to Estee Lauder Inc., but held on to creative control of the brand.