With ulta I bet the data is a perk, but not why they limit the returns. They can’t (or hopefully don’t?) put items back out to sell once they are opened. A huge block of their demo are low liquidity influencer types, or teens chasing fomo, that would absolutely use a palette for a vid and then return it.

I would guess the sort to have a rewards card are generally less violatile customers, or they make enough money off them to eat the cost of returns.

I want a meet cute story about this person and the Tennessee guy