Merz Apothecary — Attraction in Lake View Township

I visited this shop yesterday after being curious for a couple of months. Great product and selection but could use a brush up on customer service. I called ahead to inquire about hours/products, the associate was kind and informative. Upon arriving shortly after, getting help was a bit slow, but another associate and a third sweet associate were EXTREMELY helpful and knowledgeable. There was a book suggested to me in which I was given a discount quote because it was damaged, after leaving these knowledgeable loves, I went to the other side of the store to check out, as it took a second to be acknowledged, figured they were busy, no issue. Fine. We get to the counter, as I’m being rang out, we come to the book (that is visibly damaged) And no discount is offered, still fine, I mention it, I was then given 20% off, although I was was informed by the initial associate it would be about 30% off. No problem, two different associates. I then inquire about the 30 being that was what I was told. The cashier then responds “ok, uhhh yeah I can do that, it’s just she’s not the manager though she’s an associate I am.” I’m not a fan of passive aggression if there was an issue of giving me the discount I wouldn’t have hassled, I was just reiterating what I was informed of earlier. I found this to be an interesting response? As well as unnecessary lol Though the encounter was standard pleasant, The overall tone was very matter-of-fact. I am a service worker and very much understand and empathize with the stresses of retail, especially during COVID. However, in this I also have a standard for customer service. As management should be probably be more diligent in assuring the staff/store is on one accord.

Anyhow, loved my items and my earlier experience with the first two associates. Store is nearby, so I’ll...

I have stopped by at Merz before, and had a wonderful experience with the Dana, and this time around, I had a less than stellar experience due to being ignored by the folks working the fragrance counter.

Camilla and another employee (whose name I don’t know) were at the fragrance counter, and did not address me for around 15 minutes while they helped people who came after I did. When I say did not address, I mean they did not say hello, ask if I was looking for anything, or say they would be with me in a moment. The two associates looked at me, but did not register that I was a potential customer. I will say that I was the only visible POC at the fragrance area at this time, so it made the slight feel more pointed. I tried to get their attention but it wasn’t until a different employee came to the fragrance counter that things turned around for me.

Sophie made my experience worth it though, and she saw that no one had assisted me, and stepped in to help me find a fragrance. Thanks to Sophie’s help, I left with a wonderful new perfume. I want to say that the way I was treated by Camilla and the other fragrance person was a one off, since I’ve had other positive experiences at this location, but it seems that other customers of color have had similar experiences to the one I had on this day.

Chicago is a world class city, with folks from all over, and it would behoove the folks Merz to remember that and to be welcoming and serviceable to...

Old school service used to be what set Merz apart from other shops. For years I have gone out of my way to support them because they were a local business and had knowledgeable employees. Now there only ever seems to be one guy there who has any idea what he's talking about and that's really only the homeopathic stuff. More often than not the answer from others is, "I don't know, but it won't hurt to try." Not a good answer for someone who has allergies. I used to be impressed by the selection--Merz had items you couldn't get elsewhere. Now, I can find every strange and particular health and beauty item they carry online and with return policies that protect my wallet when I have an allergic reaction or discover inferior quality.

The last few visits to Merz revealed dusty products and out of stock items. Most recently, when I double-checked I could return an item if I had a reaction, I was told if it was in a cardboard box I couldn't return it due to the cardboard packaging being torn and if it was in a tube, like the shampoo I was testing out, and I only used it once, I could return it. So as long as it looks new and is resellable I can return a product that gives me hives so it can then be resold? The next person pays full price for used product and gets one shower's worth less?!! What the heck is going on here?

There doesn't seem to be anything of value here to support locally anymore so I'll look elsewhere locally or...