frequently asked questions.

general

What is Glou Beauty?

Glou is a dedicated marketplace where beauty lovers can rehome their underloved products.
We are on a mission to reimagine e-commerce for beauty lovers in an age of conscious consumerism.
We believe that the most impactful way to combat hyperconsumerism is to reduce demand for new products by rehoming what's already out there. (Because we're a little too addicted to shopping for beauty to quit cold-turkey.)
PS Glou is pronounced "glow" not "glue". Look, we're a startup and there's a reason so many startups are a series of unpronounceable consonants or a bunch of vowels. Sometimes we have to make up words to get the domain 😉 About Us



What will I find on Glou Marketplace?

Buyers: You'll find products of all sizes (sample-sized, minis, and full-size products) and of various condition (new, swatched, used) from our sellers from the brands you know and love. We make it easy to browse marketplace options and always provide a link to the product from the official brand website incase you want to check it out, read the reviews, or purchase new from the manufacturer or retailer.
Sellers: Whether you're drowning in subscription box items, bought one too many "back-ups", or you got a foundation that just isn't right, you can sell it on Glou. You can list any product that is sold by a beauty speciality retailer or in the beauty section of a store.



Glou Guarantee - Buyer protection:

We have our own buyer protection guarantee. If what you purchased arrives and doesn't match what was described, for example, it was used, when it was listed as new, or is travel-sized when it was stated as a full-size, contact us within 3 days of receipt of your package and we will help set things right. We will refund you 100% of your money, minus shipping costs, plus give you a bonus 10% for credit towards your next purchase.
For example: If you bought a $100 palette, paid $5 for shipping, Glou would refund you $100, plus give you $10 credit in your account.
PS We have a zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit products. They are not allowed to be sold under any circumstances on our platform and will result in a permanent ban from our platform.
Contact customer care if an issue arises.



New/Used/Swatched | Product conditions defined:

New: New, never opened.
Swatched: New-ish, but opened for the purpose of testing (swatching).
Used: If it's not new, and it's not swatched, it's used. Sellers must disclose additional information about the condition of the product in their listing description.



Is it safe to buy pre-owned/used products?

Buyers assume the risks associated with purchasing pre-owned products. If you do choose to purchase swatched/used products, please make sure that that item is one that a makeup artist would be able to sanitize and safely use between clients, and that you research the methods to reduce health risks associated with sharing beauty products.
By agreeing to use our platform, you understand that transacting on Glou is at your own risk. We are continually exploring ways to mitigate risks for users. Terms and conditions.



What are you doing about fakes/counterfeits?

We have a zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit products.
Sellers may not knowingly or unknowingly sell counterfeits of any kind on Glou Marketplace and doing so will result in a permanent from our platform. It is also illegal and we reserve the right to pass your information onto the appropriate authorities.



Period After Opening / Expiry Dates:

If a product has an expiry date, the seller must disclose this date in the description of their listing. Most beauty products if left unopened have a shelf-life of 2-3 years. Once opened, the manufacturer has a period after opening date (a little symbol of a jar with its lid open with a number) that tells you how long the product is expected to remain stable (measured in months). Since beauty products do not last forever, we ask that sellers not sell items that have been in their possession for more than 1-2 years. It's better to rehome products sooner rather than later!



Can I join if I'm not in the United States?

Unfortunately for the time being, our platform is only available to buyers and sellers located in the United States. The only exception is for sellers located in Canada. People in Canada may set up a seller profile, as long as they are willing to ship to the US. There are no shipping options outside of the US upon checkout. Our payouts system is only configured for bank accounts located in the US and Canada.



selling

How does shipping work?

Sellers are responsible for shipping costs. When you set-up your account, you can set your own flat-rate shipping rate. This rate will be applied to each order. So whether a buyer is purchasing one item or ten from you, they will be paying the same shipping rate. We chose to do this because it makes overall costs more transparent for the buyers, and it encourages buyers to buy more than one item from you to maximize value. You can either purchase shipping labels on your own, or via your seller dashboard on Glou. Under each order there is a "buy label" button. Tracking is not required, but is highly encouraged. It is expected that orders reach the buyer within 14 days of placing their order. Payment will not be released to you until the buyer receives their items. Incase anything goes wrong with delivery, please hang onto your postage label receipt as proof of shipment and take a picture of your package. See: Seller Guide



What am I allowed to sell?

You can sell anything you would find in a beauty speciality retailer or in the beauty department of a store. Packettes, sachets, trial-sizes, travel sizes, minis, and full-sized products are all allowed. Items that cannot be sanitized or used safely by another person may not be sold in swatched or used conditions. In general this includes any liquid products that you would directly apply to your eyes or lips. Also, watch out for expiry dates - no expired products please. What's not allowed: • Fakes and counterfeit products are absolutely not allowed on our platform, and knowlingly or unknowlingly selling non-authentic goods will result in a ban from our platform. If you were not the original purchaser of an item, or do not know its origins, it's best to not sell it on Glou Marketplace. If we receive a complaint from a buyer suspecting they have received an inauthentic product, we will ask you to provide proof of purchase. • At this time home-made samples or decants are NOT allowed. • Dumpster-dived products are NOT allowed. • MLM products, we are not sure about yet. Whether or not MLM products will be allowed will be based on user feedback.



How can I make sure my listings get approved?

We've created a best practices guide to listings that you can find as part of our Glou Guide: Listing Best Practices



How can I join as a seller on Glou Marketplace?

Head on over to https://shop.glou.co and click "Sell" to get started!



I am a brand and would like to sell my products on Glou Marketplace

We welcome indie brands who share our values to reach out and contact us.



How do payouts work?

Earnings from your sales will be released when the buyer indicates that they have received their package. Once the funds are in your account, you are welcome to use the credit towards a future purchase, or request a direct deposit to your bank account. Direct deposits typically take 3-5 days. We have currently set a minimum balance of $20 before you can request a direct deposit and that is because this transaction currently costs $1, which Glou covers. We cover this cost because we want to avoid hidden fees on our platform. However at the same time we don't want to be losing so much money on transfer fees that we have to raise our selling fees.



Are there any fees involved with selling on Glou Marketplace?

Glou takes a 10% commission of your sales. We try to be as transparent as possible with our fees, and you'll always see how much you will make on the sale of each listing during the listing creation process. This 10% charge is as low as we can go while still having a viable business model. It's really important to us that you never feel ripped off (because that's how we feel when we transact on other marketplaces). If this ever changes you'll be the first to know.



Seller Protection

We take customer care very seriously and if anything goes wrong we will evaluate the situation on a case-by-case basis. We will ask for information from both the buyer and the seller to understand both sides of what went wrong. Please keep track of your proof of purchase of any product you may be selling. For items that you may have received via a subscription box, you will need to send proof of purchase for your subscription for the month the product was available. Because we do not currently require tracking for shipments, incase of any lost packages, please keep your proof of purchase of postage until the buyer has accepted their order. If you are unable to prove that you shipped the package, we will have to assume that you did not ship the package, and your account will be locked. We take counterfeits very seriously, and have a zero tolerance policy for selling fakes. If you are unable to prove that you acquired your product from an authorized retailer with some kind of proof of purchase, we will lock your account. We will do our best to resolve all conflicts in a fair and just manner.



shopping

How does shipping work?

Shipping is calculated on a per seller per order basis. Each seller sets their own flat-rate to help cover shipping costs. Sellers are responsible for covering actual shipping costs. Whether you are purchasing one item or ten, you will be charged the same amount for shipping. Sellers are not required to provide tracking, but you should expect your package to be delivered within 14 days of ordering. If you have not seen your package within 14 days business days please contact customer care.



Glou Guarantee - Buyer protection:

We have our own buyer protection guarantee. If what you purchased arrives and doesn't match what was described, for example, it was used, when it was listed as new, or is travel-sized when it was stated as a full-size, contact us within 3 days of receipt of your package and we will help set things right. We will refund you 100% of your money, minus shipping costs, plus give you a bonus 10% for credit towards your next purchase.
For example: If you bought a $100 palette, paid $5 for shipping, Glou would refund you $100, plus give you $10 credit in your account.
PS We have a zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit products. They are not allowed to be sold under any circumstances on our platform and will result in a permanent ban from our platform.
Contact customer care if an issue arises.



New/Used/Swatched | Product conditions defined:

New: New, never opened.
Swatched: New-ish, but opened for the purpose of testing (swatching).
Used: If it's not new, and it's not swatched, it's used. Sellers must disclose additional information about the condition of the product in their listing description.



Is it safe to buy pre-owned/used products?

Buyers assume the risks associated with purchasing pre-owned products. If you do choose to purchase swatched/used products, please make sure that that item is one that a makeup artist would be able to sanitize and safely use between clients, and that you research the methods to reduce health risks associated with sharing beauty products.
By agreeing to use our platform, you understand that transacting on Glou is at your own risk. We are continually exploring ways to mitigate risks for users.



Are items in my cart reserved?

No. So if you know you *really* want something, make sure you check out sooner rather than later!