Shopping can be overwhelming for many of us. The crowds. The noise. The hustle. Avoiding all of those is one of the things I love most about online shopping. That said, I do still love a trip to the mall for an old school style shop when I’m feeling up for it.
Realizing most people’s mental headspace is already full of noise, and that there are many of us that crave a more peaceful shopping environment that still delivers all the fun of an IRL experience, Sephora has introduced Quiet Hours. Focused on bringing a more peaceful, less aggressive atmosphere to shoppers, the program has just rolled out in 119 stores across Canada.
Quiet Hours is in effect at participating locations every Wednesday and Saturday during the first hour after opening. This program was developed exclusively for Sephora in collaboration with neurodiversity experts and community members and reflects the company’s commitment to making shopping in store enjoyable and comfortable for everyone. Sephora is the first beauty retailer to roll out Quiet Hours on such a global scale.
What can you expect during a Sephora Quiet Hours shop? Music playing at lower levels, in-store screens adjusted to a softer light, and less chat from Sephora beauty advisors—they are available if you need them but are there to support shoppers and ensure a more serene shopping environment.
Deborah Yeh, global chief marketing officer at Sephora says this small change is a big step towards a more inclusive shopping experience.
“With Quiet Hours at Sephora, we provide a beautifully calm atmosphere where clients feel welcome, allowing them to shop at their own pace, find and purchase the products they love. Quiet Hours at Sephora is one meaningful step in our ongoing commitment to building more welcoming environments for our employees, consumers, and communities—and we know there is still much more to learn and do.”
The Quiet Hours program was piloted across 32 stores in eight markets before it was launched around the world this month. As a person who has become increasingly noise sensitive, I love knowing this is an option that’s now available to me and expect more retailers will soon be dialing into this. I know when I’ll be hitting Sephora for my next beauty haul and I will absolutely be enjoying the silence.
