rinnah’s consumer views|what a consumer really wants and thinks about products and services

I can’t think of a better way to re-launch my reviews (and other consumer-related stuff) blog at this new domain than to blog about this year’s Estee Lauder Staff Sales. )

Firstly, I have to thank my fellow blogger Beetrice for the invite to the Estee Lauder Staff Sales. I didn’t know that I was holding on to a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket until I read about the good bargains, crazy queues, massive hordes of people and some near-obsessed females practically begging on different blogs/forums for an invite. Some of these coveted free but limited invites were also being sold for a nice sum (enough to feed my little Kelisa with one tank of petrol) before the event day.

I had originally planned to be there early, say around the ungodly hour of 6.30am, exactly one and a half hours before the doors were scheduled to open at 8.00am. Kiasu? Yes. I am female AND Malaysian after all. Haha. I was a bit late but all was good in the end because I arrived at exactly the same time as Beetrice, around 6.55am. The sight that greeted me was nothing short of amazing/shocking. I wonder at what time did these people start lining up?

Due to the overwhelming size of the crowd and possible crowd control issues, I’m glad that the organizers opened the doors early. Even though the sales was only supposed to begin at 8.00am, by around 7.30am they were already letting the people in. And, the lines moved quite rapidly and without incident, save for one or two people who tried to jump queue by hopping over the barricades. Ish. Malaysians never do learn, do they?

Didn’t manage to take any photos inside the Grand Ballroom because I was too busy trying to grab the stuff I wanted. *grin* Best-selling stuff went really quickly and there was limited stock too. Bobbi Brown sold out within half an hour and the better/popular skincare products for Clinique and Estee Lauder also finished quickly. I just managed to sneak one of the last few jars of Clinique’s Repairwear Contour firming cream for my mom. Needless to say, mom was quite happy with that and the two Clinique lippies that I gave her (the colors suited her better). As for me, I bagged myself a nice enough stash of 6 glosses (Clinique & M.A.C.), Estee Lauder’s Idealist skin refinisher and DKNY’s Be Delicious perfume. Let’s just say that the damage to my credit card was quite hefty. Hehe.

I think overall this year’s event was pretty well organized and I would go again next year if I managed to get an invite. When I left around 8.40am (approximately 1 hour after I got in), the queue to go in now stretched down the stairs and all the way out onto the street. Yikes!

Pictures and reviews of the products bought will be done as soon as I can draft ‘em!

Edit : Beetrice has also blogged about the sales (and her loot) here!