SEE ALSO: These up-and-coming lingerie brands should terrify Victoria's Secret

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• Walmart, Target, and Costco employees— as well as workers at all retail stores — sometimes come up against pretty difficult customers.
• Business Insider spoke with a number of retail workers about some memorable and negative experiences they've had on the job.
• Their stories just go to show that it's always a good idea to be courteous while shopping.

Walmart, Target, and Costco employees have seen some pretty gnarly things on the job. Many retail workers, in fact, can probably think up at least one or two less-than-positive incidents they've experienced while working a shift.

Oftentimes, customers are at the center of these troubling situations. A study from the University of British Columbia found that we tend to treat retail workers worse when we're hunting for bargains.

Business Insider has heard from a number of current and former retail employees who had stories to share about particularly gross, bewildering, or nightmarish scenarios that unfolded during their shifts.

The employees we corresponded with have experience working at Walmart, Target, Costco, McDonald's, Macy's, Home Depot, and other retailers. Their stories just go to show that it's always a good idea to be nice, even if you're not having the greatest shopping experience.

Here's what retail employees had to say about the horror stories they've experienced on the job:

SEE ALSO: Costco employees share 21 things they'd love to tell shoppers but can't

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A luggage store employee was cursed at over a suspicious return

"It never ceases to amaze me that the stupidest people I've encountered are the ones with university educations," a former retail employee from Ontario told Business Insider. "And the smartest ones have at least five years of retail under their belts."

One day, while working at a small luggage store, a customer came in to return a bag.

"Like any place nowadays, there is a form to fill out, and the purchase must be returned to the credit card used," the former employee said. "Store policy."

The shopper, however, gave the employee a phone number instead of a credit card number. She said the card was at home with her husband.

"I informed the woman that we cannot do a return onto a credit card over the phone, we need the card there to swipe through the machine," the former employee said. " She proceeded to call me a stupid b****."

An A&P employee witnessed a woman getting thrown out of the grocery store

A former employee of A&P, a now-defunct chain of grocery stores, described watching a parent leaving her two children in line at the register for an extended period of time. The cashier ultimately had to skip over her purchases and ring up the people in line behind her.

"She returned and not only demanded to be served immediately — despite the fact that this would mean voiding a large transaction — but also began loudly chastising her kids for not keeping their place in line."

The situation escalated to the point where the store manager intervened and told the woman to leave and not come back, according to the former employee.

A former Victoria's Secret manager had to reject a shopper's ancient return

A former Victoria's Secret manager told Business Insider about a time when a shopper came in to return a bra.

At the time, the former manager said that any Victoria's Secret bra could be returned, as long as the item wasn't excessively worn or defective.

"This customer comes in with a bra in a grocery bag and turns it out on the counter, saying that she wanted to return it," the former manager told Business Insider. "The bra was totally worn. It used to be red and now looked gray. Plus, it had deodorant stains all over it."

The customer explained that the bra was her mother's. The former manager asked the shopper to provide a receipt.

"She looked at me like I was crazy and said she didn’t have her receipt because it had been years since she bought the bra," the former manager said. "I explained to her that we did not even carry that style any more and that I could not take it back."

The customer proceeded to snatch back the bra and storm out of the store.

"I had to run to the bathroom and scrub my hands with hot, soapy water after touching that nasty bra," the ex-manager said.

• Victoria's Secret sent out an email to customers on Tuesday informing them of 40%-off sales at its Pink brand. The subject line of the email read: "OOPS, WE MADE TOO MANY!"
• While this was likely a friendly way to reach out to customers, it is ironic given that excess inventory is one of the biggest issues plaguing retail stores currently. 
• Pink was once considered to be one of Victoria's Secret's only areas of growth, but in its parent company's most recent quarterly results, the brand showed signs of slowing and has ramped up its promotions.

Victoria's Secret accidentally hinted that it was having inventory problems at its Pink brand in its latest marketing email to customers.

The email, which was sent to customers who subscribe for news alerts on new products and sales at teen brand Pink, was headed with the subject line: "OOPS, WE MADE TOO MANY!"  

This was then followed by a series of photos advertising 40%-off sales on apparel and underwear at the store. 

While the email subject line was likely written without serious intention, the underlying message is concerning and ultimately still true: Pink is using promotions to clear inventory and entice customers. 

Pink — traditionally a bright spot while Victoria's Secret continues to struggle— has become more concerning in recent months as its constant discounting has gained the attention of analysts.

"We believe Pink is on the precipice of collapse," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note to investors in March, noting that the brand had ramped up its promotions. 

In parent company L Brands' most recent quarterly results, Pink CEO Denise Landman hinted that the brand might be headed towards stormier waters, describing its performance as "mixed" during the quarter. This was due to "disappointing" sales in parts of its apparel collection, she said.

Our visit to a Pink store in Downtown Manhattan in April supported Konik's argument. We instantly spotted its loud, 40%-off sale signs in the store. These promotions were mostly on core products like underwear.

This was somewhat confusing as during the company's fourth-quarter earnings results for 2017, Landman said that intimates, specifically bras and panties, drove the strongest sales growth for the brand.

Overall, this level of discounting is especially concerning as Pink now accounts for nearly 40% of total sales at Victoria's Secret, according to Konik.

SEE ALSO: We visited Victoria's Secret and saw why analysts say its most popular brand could be on 'the precipice of collapse'

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• Victoria's Secret's newest "signature" collection has a strong air of Calvin Klein's style.
• The new collection features a Calvin Klein-esque stretchy logo band under the bust of the bras and along the top line of the panties. 
• PVH Corp-owned Calvin Klein has had a comeback recently and is benefiting from a resurgence in '90s styles.

There is a strong feeling of déjà vu in Victoria's Secret's latest underwear collection. 

America's best-known push-up bra retailer has taken on a more casual spin with its new signature styles, which are timed for summer and seem to take a page right out of one of its biggest competitors' playbooks. 

Its new "logo" collection, which consists of comfy, wireless t-shirt bras and cotton panties, features a stretchy logo band under the bust of the bras and along the top line of the panties. It's very reminiscent of Calvin Klein's own signature underwear collection. 

Victoria's Secret may well be looking to cash in on Calvin Klein's success with its '90s-inspired underwear styles.

Calvin Klein relaunched some of its archive collections across underwear and clothing, and it has benefited greatly from a recent resurgence in '90s styles. Calvin Klein has increasingly become a trendy brand for millennials, helped by its partnerships with stores such as Urban Outfitters. 

The effects of this are now being felt in its earnings. In the fourth quarter of 2017, same-store sales were up 4% internationally and in the US for Calvin Klein, according to parent company PVH Corp.

In recent years, it has doubled down on its efforts to appeal to the North American market with celebrity-filled ad campaigns, featuring well-known names such as the Kardashian and Jenner sisters.

The new collection marks a significant change in direction for Victoria's Secret, which has been criticized for alienating customers with its racy, over-sexualized campaigns. The new images appear significantly more casual. 

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret just lost its status as the coolest lingerie brand

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• Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, Victoria's Secret, and other companies are tracking shoppers' returns dating back several years and, in some cases, punishing people who are suspected of abusing their return policies.
• Many shoppers are unaware their returns are being tracked.
• Home Depot engages in the practice to combat return fraud, which "is believed to be feeding the opioid epidemic," a Home Depot spokesman told Business Insider.
• Sephora says only customers with "excessive returns" are targeted.

At least a dozen major retailers are discreetly tracking shoppers' returns and punishing people who are suspected of abusing their return policies. 

Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Victoria's Secret are among the many retailers engaging in this practice.

Many of these companies have hired a third-party firm, called The Retail Equation, to mine their sales data and keep a database of customers' returns to flag potentially problematic shoppers. Customers who are flagged are often barred from making future returns. 

Retailers say they use the service to combat return fraud. Some critics say its raises privacy concerns, however, and dozens of shoppers have complained online about being unfairly punished by the system.

Business Insider compiled a list of the companies that track returns, based on information from the companies as well as customer complaints on social media. 

Here's the full list: 

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Amazon

Amazon is banning customers who make too many returns, The Wall Street Journal reports. In some cases, Amazon failed to alert customers that they had returned too many items before closing their accounts.

"We want everyone to be able to use Amazon, but there are rare occasions where someone abuses our service over an extended period of time," an Amazon spokesman told The Journal. "We never take these decisions lightly, but with over 300 million customers around the world, we take action when appropriate to protect the experience for all our customers."

Home Depot

Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes said the company uses The Retail Equation to combat return fraud, which he said is "believed to be feeding the opioid epidemic."

"And returns fraud is also often the work of organized retail crime rings, thus funding serious crimes," he added. "These efforts not only protect the retailer’s bottom line, but they also help protect the communities where we do business. "

Unlike many other retailers, Home Depot only tracks returns that are not accompanied by a receipt, he said.

"The good news is that it’s pretty easy to avoid a non-receipted return these days because we can look up any card transaction or customers can opt to receive an email receipt rather than try to keep up with paper," he said.

CVS Pharmacy

CVS said it partnered with The Retail Equation (or TRE) last year.

"TRE's return management services are utilized by several major retailers representing more than 34,000 retail locations in the US," CVS said. "Since implementing TRE’s solution last year, approximately .003% (or one-third of 1%) of returns have been declined at our stores."

A customer whose return has been declined can dispute the decision through TRE, which will then initiate a review process with CVS, the company added.

• Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, Victoria's Secret, and other companies are tracking shoppers' returns dating back several years.
• Many shoppers are unaware their returns are being tracked, and only find out after they are banned from making additional returns.
• Amazon conducts this process internally, whereas companies like Best Buy and Home Depot outsource the process to Appriss Retail, formerly known as The Retail Equation.
• Behaviors that raise flags include too many returns and returns without receipts.

Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and many other retailers are discreetly tracking shoppers' returns and in some cases punishing people who are suspected of abusing their return policies.

Most of these companies are using an algorithm to mine their sales data, build a database of customers' returns, and flag potentially problematic shoppers.

Amazon conducts this process internally, whereas companies like Best Buy and Home Depot outsource the work to Appriss Retail, formerly known as The Retail Equation.

Behaviors that raise flags include too many returns, returns without receipts, and a high frequency of returns within a certain time period, according to Appriss Retail. If a pattern of behavior is deemed fraudulent by the company's algorithm, then shoppers could get banned from making additional returns. 

Here's how The Retail Equation tracks returns:

"When a consumer wants to make a return, a retailer will scan the original sales transaction receipt and/or swipe the individual's driver's license or government-issued ID card (including passports) to make an identification of the person and his/her unique return behavior," The Retail Equation says on its website. "As customers return merchandise, both from in-store and online purchases, the system compares variables such as return frequency, dollar amounts, and/or time against a set of prescribed rules that form that particular retailer's return policy."

The company says that 99% of returns are accepted by its system, which relies on "objective, verifiable data to determine whether a return is valid rather than relying on subjective observations and guesswork by sales clerks."

Many customers don't know that their returns are being tracked. 

Shoppers can contact The Retail Equation to obtain their so-called return activity reports. Some reports date back many years. One report obtained last year revealed returns dating back to 2011, a customer said on Yelp. Another, pulled by a customer in 2013, turned up returns dating back to 2004, according to the Associated Press.

SEE ALSO: Amazon isn't alone in punishing shoppers for too many returns — these are all the companies that track your returns

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NOW WATCH: Why this cactus is listed for $250,000

• Victoria's Secret is leaning on discounts to drive traffic to its stores.
• Analysts are concerned that discounts are eating into profit margins.
• Victoria's Secret's parent company, L Brands, reported first-quarter earnings for the lingerie brand on Wednesday. Same-store stores sales were up 1% across its stores and e-commerce platform, but they fell 5% from a store-only perspective. 

Victoria's Secret is using promotions to drive traffic to its stores, and analysts are concerned.

On Wednesday, Victoria's Secret's parent company, L Brands, reported first-quarter earnings for the lingerie brand, which also owns teen retailer Pink. Same-store stores sales were up 1% across its stores and e-commerce platform, but they fell 5% from a store-only perspective.

Merchandising margin was down significantly during the quarter, thanks to heavy discounting eating into margins. 

Victoria's Secret has increasingly leaned on promotions to drive traffic to stores. Pink, which was once Victoria's Secret's saving grace, has also ramped up its discounts in recent months, suggesting that this business could be under pressure. 

"We believe Pink is on the precipice of collapse," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note to investors in March, commenting on the level of promotions in store. 

In a call with investors on Thursday, analysts pressed management for details on their strategy for discounting in the future, and whether they were concerned about promotions eating into margins.

"We use strategic moments to promote and bring customers into the box," Jan Singer, CEO of Victoria's Secret Lingerie said on the call, adding that the brand was acquiring new customers and making them loyal.

It looks like the discounts are here to stay.

We visited Pink in April to see how much of the store was on sale. Here's what we found:

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret has a bold new look that's straight out of its rival's playbook

We visited a Victoria's Secret store in Downtown Manhattan, which has a separate Pink section.

As we approached the Pink section, we instantly spotted its loud, 40%-off sale signs, which were tactically positioned to lure customers in to the store.

These promotions are an indicator that the brand is looking to drive traffic to stores.

The promotions were mostly on core products, such as underwear. This is surprising as this has been one of the strongest categories for the brand.

In the first-quarter earnings call, Pink CEO Denise Landman said that panty sales were strong.

In its fourth-quarter earnings, Landman said the "Wear Everywhere" collection and sports bras were key sellers during the quarter. Despite this, these bras were all on sale for $20 when we visited the store.

• The Victoria's Secret Angels are spending their week at Villa Victoria, a private Beverly Hills mansion.
• The week has involved parties, yoga, spa treatments, and lots of rosé.
• Celebrities and bloggers have dropped in throughout the week, while events have been hosted by the likes of VS models Sara Sampaio, Sadie Newman, Jasmine Tookes, and Martha Hunt.
• Take a look inside the stunning villa.

The Victoria's Secret Angels, the supermodels associated with the lingerie brand, visit some pretty incredible locations for photoshoots and events — and this past week has been no exception.

The Angels have been hanging out at what the brand has called its "private Beverly Hills hotspot" dubbed "Villa Victoria"— and it's pretty stunning.

For starters, the villa's grounds seem to be decked out with loads of flowers.

The video below shows the finishing touches being put on one of the flower displays.

While details from the brand have been minimal, so far, the week at the mansion appears to have been made up of brunches, parties, yoga, and plenty of rosé, with bloggers, influencers, and friends of the models all making appearances.

VS models Sara Sampaio and Sadie Newman (pictured above) hosted an event called "Logo-A-Gogo" at the villa on Tuesday, which appears to have been a big party.

Here's Sampaio mingling with guests.

The villa's pool was decked out with pink lights...

...and the "Bombshell" cocktails were also pink.

"13 Reasons Why" star Ajiona Alexus was one of the celebrities who made an appearance.

There was even a makeup room on site.

Villa guests were treated to a "Spa Day" on Wednesday — click the arrows below to see the luxurious setup.

They were dressed in white "Bombshell" robes and enjoyed poolside massages, facials, and manicures.

On Thursday, Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, founders of multi-million dollar fitness brand Tone It Up, hosted a "Slay Then Rosé" workout alongside VS model Jasmin Tookes.

It looked primarily yoga-based.

The morning also involved an impressive-looking brunch spread by the pool...

...Featuring plenty of rosé, of course.

The table was adorned with pink roses in keeping with the theme.

The evening brought a "Summer Soiree" hosted by VS Angel Martha Hunt.

The dinner table looked incredible...

...and was certainly a hit on Instagram.

Personalised jean jackets were being made on site...

...And the party looked pretty lively.

Bachelorette star JoJo Fletcher made an appearance at the villa on Thursday...

...Alongside a number of other celebrities, Instagram stars, and bloggers who appeared throughout the week.

There was certainly no shortage of photo backdrops...

...Even inside the villa.

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• Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to female shoppers in recent years, with some customers complaining on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• Meanwhile, rival brand Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to promote female empowerment and is gaining market share. 
• We've compiled a list of up-and-coming lingerie brands that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret.

Lingerie giant Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to its female shoppers with racy ad campaigns, relatively steep pricing, and rail-thin models. 

In its parent company's most recent earnings report, released Wednesday, same-store sales were down by 5% at Victoria's Secret stores.

Increasingly, brands such as American Eagle's body-positive underwear store, Aerie, have swooped in and taken market share away from Victoria's Secret. Aerie has seen 12 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth; its same-store sales were up 27% in the fiscal year 2017 (first-quarter earnings of 2018 have not yet been reported) and this is becoming a major concern for its main rival. 

"Over the past few years, we believe the competitive landscape in lingerie (in constructed, un-constructed, and Sport) has evolved. In addition to players such as Aerie (AEO) who are offering a very clear brand proposition, new digitally-native entrants are entering the arena," Cowen analyst Oliver Chen wrote in a note to investors in March.

Here are some of the hottest new companies and collections that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret:

SEE ALSO: These photos reveal why women are abandoning Victoria's Secret for American Eagle's Aerie underwear brand

American Eagle's Aerie

American Eagle's underwear brand, Aerie, has become one of the company's biggest sweet spots. The underwear collection, which includes a limited selection of apparel and swimwear, is targeted at 15- to 25-year-olds and covers a breadth of sizes from XXS to XXL.

Aerie famously doesn't Photoshop any of the images in its ads. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal. This seems to be resonating well with customers as it has seen 12 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth.

Love by GapBody

Gap's latest underwear collection, Love, is focused on "comfortable basics."

It's too early to judge how successful it is, as it just launched in February, but its ad campaign has been well-received online. One photo that showed a woman breastfeeding her baby went viral last week after being praised on Instagram.

"I have never shopped at Gap, but I will be purchasing something tonight! This is amazing!" one Instagram commenter wrote at the time.

True&Co

Online-only store True&Co, which launched in 2012, aims to make shopping for bras more straightforward with a quiz that asks shoppers a series of questions about their shape, how their bra currently fits, and what preferences they have. 

From there, the store emails customers a selection of recommended bras, which they can try on at home and then return any that they don't like. 

The company was acquired in 2017 by PVH Corp., the parent company of brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, for an undisclosed amount. 

• On Thursday, Gigi Hadid attended a Victoria's Secret party for photographer Russell James.
• That night, Hadid also shared a sweet message on her Instagram story in which she described her "childhood dream" of walking in a Victoria's Secret show and being photographed by James.
• Hadid walked in her first and only (at least so far) Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016.
• The model made headlines in November 2017 when she revealed on Twitter that she would not be walking in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China.
• The surprising announcement came weeks before the show and only a few months after Hadid had confirmed she would be walking in Shanghai.

Gigi Hadid dropped jaws last November when she revealed on Twitter that she would not be walking in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai. The announcement was especially surprising considering that the show was only a few weeks away and that Hadid confirmed that she was walking in it three months earlier. The surprise also led to many theories — the main being that Hadid was banned from China for a racially insensitive video of her slanting her eyes to mimic a Buddha doll — though none of them were confirmed. Now months later, the dust seems to have settled and Hadid is back in Victoria's Secret's good graces.

On Thursday night, seven months after the 23-year-old mysterious disappearance from last year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Hadid attended a Victoria's Secret party for photographer Russell James who recently released a book, "Backstage Secrets by Russell James," with never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes pictures from his time as a V.S. photographer.

Hadid, who wore a high-neck white silk dress by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, was joined by several other Victoria's Secret models, including Sara Sampaio, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Ming Xi, and Josephine Skriver.

On her Instagram story, Hadid also gave a shoutout to Victoria's Secret, which she had a dream of walking for since her childhood, and James, whom she had a dream of shooting with. The model also name-dropped Victoria's Secret angel Candice Swanepoel as someone who inspired her to want to walk with Victoria's Secret. Hadid also revealed the adorable fact that she used to practice her runway walk during commercial breaks for the show growing up.

"My childhood dream was always to be in a VS show and have RJ shoot me backstage," Hadid wrote. "Cuz we all know I've BEEN obsessed with @angelcandices. I grew up w some of the pics in this book!!!! They made me dream! And I used to do practice runway walks during VSFS commercial breaks."

As fans might remember, Hadid walked in her first and only (so far) Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016, where she wore two looks. The model was joined by her younger sister, Bella Hadid, who, unlike her older sister, was able to walk in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Since Hadid's sudden dropout, there have been many rumors as to why she wasn't at the 2017 show. Some thought that she landed a campaign with another lingerie brand forcing her to cut professional ties with V.S. (that's what happened to Kendall Jenner), while others were confident that Hadid's racially insensitive video landed her in hot water with the Chinese government.

There were also some noise that Hadid had beef with Victoria's Secret itself. However, that rumor seems to be dispelled judging from her recent praise for the brand and her appearance at James's book party. Could this mean that Hadid's drama with Victoria's Secret is under the bridge? All signs look good so far, so we expect to see her at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — unless another controversy happens.

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• Victoria's Secret is showing signs it's desperate to retain its customer base, Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note out to clients. 
• The company is ramping up promos as inventories pile up.  
• It's also losing market share to other clothing lines like American Eagle Outfitters' Aerie. 
• Watch Victoria's Secret owner L Brands trade in real time here. 

Victoria's Secret owner L Brands is doing things that suggest it's trying to retain customers at all costs. 

"The promotional posture keeps ramping up across the entire business,"Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note on Victoria's Secret parent L Brands sent out to clients Wednesday. "The need to increase promos to drive traffic indicates the consumer is going elsewhere for said products." 

Konik says Victoria's Secret is losing market share and is a "broken" brand. He pointed out that back in March  American Eagle Outfitters' Aerie was gaining market share from Victoria's Secret and its Pink brand.

It's worth noting that Victoria's Secret sales represented roughly 60% of L Brand's total sales in the first-quarter of 2018.  

Konik added that Victoria's Secret's pricing power is diminishing in part because of self-inflicted wounds. "What do you think happens when the consumer gorges on bras, panties and hand soap during May/June as things are literally being given away for free?" Konik asked. "What happens is demand is pulled forward near term while pricing power and brand equity are destroyed long term." 

Victoria's Secret's Pink brand saw back-to-back months of declining sales in March and April, and even though parent company L Brands saw comparable sales jump 5% year-over-year in May, Konik isn't convinced things are turning around. He says to beware of the "dead-cat bounce" and the he believes "shares will continue to suffer." 

L Brands is down 38.47% this year. 

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• In an interview with Coveteur, Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro revealed that she no longer auditions for Milan Fashion Week.
• Ribeiro said she made the decision after she was told that Milan Fashion Week had "enough black girls" already.
• The model also said that she believes the fashion industry has several leaders who are actively advocating for more diversity.
• She named British Vogue editor Edward Enniful, who cast her and several other black models in an all-black issue of Italian Vogue, as one example.

With more and more curve models and models of color walking the runway at major fashion shows every year, there's no question that the fashion industry has improved in diversity and inclusivity. However, that doesn't mean that the work is done. In an interview with Coveteur, Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro explained that many black models are still being discriminated against and turned away from castings because of the color of their skin.

The 27-year-old model, who is from Brazil and is one of two black Victoria's Secret Angels (the other being Jasmine Tookes), revealed that she no longer models in Milan Fashion Week after two experiences with racism. After she was told twice that Milan had reached its "quota" for black models and that she wouldn't be allowed to walk, Ribeiro said that she stopped auditioning for the Italian fashion week.

"Of course [representation] has to be better every year, but it still has a ways to go," Ribeiro said. "For example, I don't go to Milan anymore. I used to love Milan, and they're just like, 'Oh, we have enough black girls here, you don't need to come.' There were two times that they said that, and I was like, 'Is this for real?' It has to be better, but it's a little bit more open for us."

On the flip side, Ribeiro also believes that there are many leaders who are trying to improve diversity in the fashion industry. One pioneer she named was British Vogue editor Edward Enniful who cast her and several other black models in an all-black issue of Italian Vogue.

"Edward [Enninful] was always a supporter since I started my career, so it's exciting to see him being so successful. I did Italian Vogue with all the black girls," Ribeiro said. I loved that editorial. It was really beautiful, and he was just so nice. I didn't speak English yet at that time, and there were a couple girls I already knew at the job speaking Spanish with me. I think Arlenis [Sosa] was there and Ajak [Deng], Iman. He's always trying to represent and to help push through because it's a little hard to be out there."

There's no doubt that diversity is improving, but as Ribeiro proves, it's not a time to be complacent. There is blatant discrimination in the fashion industry to this day. Thank you Ribeiro for reminding us of that.

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model has an insane workout routine

• Victoria's Secret Angel Josephine Skriver shared her nightly skin-care routine with Harper's BAZAAR.
• She starts by removing her makeup with some Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water ($8.99) before cleansing with Karee Hays Hydra Cleanse ($42), which she says is suitable for sensitive skin.
• Skriver then uses her customized Karee Hays Koji Pads ($176) to help balance her skin tone.
• Before applying moisturizers, she sprays a generous amount of Avène Thermal Spring Water ($14) "to help [them] absorb better into the skin."
• She then applies a layer of Theraderm OPC Reparative Serum ($72) and some Theraderm Eternox Peptide Crème ($95) to help "prevent wrinkles." 
• Skriver also said that she will gently shave her whole face with a disposable razor once or twice a week to help clear her skin.
• When she has time, she also likes to use a sheet mask such as the SNP Animal Otter Aqua Mask Sheet ($5) to treat her skin.
• Lastly, she applies some Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm ($4.49) and a spritz or two of perfume as a finishing touch. 
• Watch her full tutorial below.

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• Brazilian model Sabrina Jales St. Pierre claims she was bitten by bed bugs during a 2016 stay at the Hilton-owned Embassy Suites in Palm Desert, California.
• According to The Desert Sun, she has now filed a lawsuit against Hilton Worldwide, Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., and Embassy Suites Management, LLC.
• Jales St. Pierre claims that she had a "severe reaction" to the alleged bed bug bites, which resulted in pain, discomfort, and emotional distress that impeded her ability to model.
• The general manager of the Palm Desert Embassy Suites, Carlos Mendoza, told INSIDER that two separate inspections of the room in which the model stayed turned up no evidence of a bed bug infestation.
• The hotel's management denies all allegations put forth by Jales St. Pierre.

A model who claims she was "massacred" by bed bugs during a 2016 stay at the Embassy Suites in Palm Desert, California, is now suing the Hilton-owned hotel.

In a lawsuit filed in Riverside County Superior Court, Sabrina Jales St. Pierre claims that she had a "severe reaction" to the alleged bed bug bites, which resulted in pain, discomfort, and emotional distress that impeded her ability to model, The Desert Sun reported.

The model's lawyer, Brian Virag, told INSIDER that his client noticed the alleged bites "shortly after checking into" her room at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites in late June 2016. According to Virag, Jales St. Pierre gradually woke up to more and more bites over the course of her stay, which spanned "less than a week," until they covered "pretty much her entire body," including her arms, legs, back, and shoulders. 

Virag, the founder of My Bed Bug Laywer, Inc., told The Desert Sun that the alleged bites "made [Jales St. Pierre] feel embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated," leaving her with ongoing nightmares, "psychological trauma," and a "fear of bed bugs." 

Jales St. Pierre, a Brazilian model signed with New York City-based agency Next Management, has worked for brands like Victoria's Secret, Versace, and Ralph Lauren. According to The Desert Sun's report, she is seeking monetary and punitive damages against Hilton Worldwide, Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., and Embassy Suites Management, LLC. 

Jales St. Pierre and representatives for Hilton did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.

In an emailed statement to INSIDER, the general manager of the Palm Desert Embassy Suites, Carlos Mendoza, said the hotel denies all allegations put forth by Jales St. Pierre. According to Mendoza, when the model reported that she felt like "she had been bitten by bed bugs on her lower legs," hotel management "immediately" relocated the model to a different room and dry-cleaned "all her laundry" as a "gesture of hospitality."

"The comfort, health, safety, and security of our guests is of the utmost importance," Mendoza said. "Whenever there is a claim of bites from any number of pests, we have a protocol we follow to investigate."

But, according to the statement, two separate inspections of  Jales St. Pierre's original room — the first by the hotel's chief engineer and housekeeping manager and the second by a third-party pest control company — turned up no evidence of a bed bug infestation.

"Our experience with bed bugs though is that people travel with them and bring them to hotels," Mendoza told The Desert Sun. "Once they are in our rooms, we take corrective actions." He continued: "We did all the proper protocols and found no evidence. Now we have to go through the lawsuit to defend the reputation of the hotel."

Virag, who won a case in April that awarded $1.6 million to a family in California whose son was "permanently scarred by bedbug bites," told INSIDER that his firm exclusively specializes in bed bug litigation in order to "bring awareness to the public of a real epidemic-type problem, especially in hotels."

"Hopefully, hotel operators will respond proactively in dealing with bed bug exposure and infestations," the lawyer said.

Read the full statement from hotel management at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites below:

"The comfort, health, safety, and security of our guests is of the utmost importance. With regard to this incident, our guest reported she felt she had been bitten by bed bugs on her lower legs. We have a very comprehensive protocol in the event [a guest] reports any situation affecting their personal wellbeing. Whenever there is a claim of bites from any number of pests we have a protocol we follow to investigate. Our management immediately upon learning of Ms. Jales' allegation that she had bug bites she was relocated to a different room, in addition as a gesture of hospitality the hotel dry cleaned all her laundry. Hotel Management then proceeded to inspect the guest room for pests. The inspection of the room did not reveal any evidence of bed bugs. The Hotel took additional precautionary steps by contacting an outside pest control company. The pest control company reported and documented there was no evidence of any pest in the room including bed bugs. We deny the allegations put forth in the press and social media."

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• Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to promote female empowerment, and this seems to be resonating well with customers.
• Meanwhile, Victoria's Secret's customers are complaining on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• We visited the two stores to see how their ad campaigns differ. 

In May, American Eagle Outfitters-owned underwear brand Aerie reported a record-high 38% increase in same-store sales for the first quarter of 2018. 

"Aerie is simply on fire," Jennifer Foyle, Aerie's global brand president, said in a call with investors.

"We have only just begun," she added, stating that the goal is now to grow the brand into a $1 billion business and open between 35 and 40 this year across the United States.

Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to appeal to female shoppers, ditching photoshopped images and partnering with women activists to promote female empowerment. It seems to be resonating well with consumers. 

Meanwhile, rival lingerie brand Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to customers with its racy ad campaigns, which also threaten to negatively impact its teen-centric brand, Pink. It reported a more modest 1% increase in same-store sales growth for the first quarter of 2018, following negative growth in the previous quarter.

In January, Business Insider reported that mothers of teenagers who shopped at Pink were revolting online because of the oversexualized ads in Victoria's Secret's stores. 

"It is basically pornography that everyone (children and teens) are subjected to viewing because there is only one area to check out between Pink and Victoria's Secret, which happens to have the most obscene photos behind the registers," shopper Jessie Shealy wrote on Victoria's Secret's Facebook page.

Pink has become one of the most successful parts of Victoria's Secret, reporting stronger sales than other parts of the store in recent years.

But it's not only Pink customers who are being put off by these racy photos. Some Victoria's Secret customers are also complaining that its ads are targeted more at men than women.

We visited Aerie and Victoria's Secret in March to see just how extreme the differences are:

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret could be heading for a crisis as angry customers flood its Facebook page with complaints about 'shoddily made' lingerie

We visited two stores in Manhattan's Soho area. The stores were on the same block and therefore in direction competition with each other.

American Eagle's Aerie lingerie brand is known for its body-positive ad campaigns using "real" women.

The brand famously doesn't Photoshop any of the images in its ads. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal.

• Victoria's Secret is struggling. Sales have slipped recently, and it has been accused of alienating customers with its racy ads. 
• Several shoppers have taken to social media to complain that the quality of its products and customer service has also slipped. 
• Some customers who say they have stayed loyal to the brand for over a decade are now saying they will no longer shop there.

Victoria's Secret is on a bad run — sales have slipped, and its provocative ads are increasingly being seen as tone-deaf in the era of #MeToo.

As a result, more body-positive brands such as American Eagle's Aerie have knocked America's legacy lingerie brand off its pedestal and stolen away market share. 

Beyond these marketing issues, however, lies an even bigger problem with the company. Customers are speaking out on social media to complain that the quality of the retailer's products and the service that they receive in stores are slipping.

"I used to love this place... until the underwear I bought fell apart after two gentle washes," one shopper complained on Victoria's Secret's Facebook page. 

"You changed the manufacturing of one of the best bras I’ve ever worn. Your full coverage bra with underwire was an amazingly comfortable bra until you ruined it with cheap construction and thin fabrics. But, of course, the price remained the same," another shopper wrote. 

Unfortunately, these quality complaints don't seem to be limited to Victoria's Secret's lingerie, as several shoppers are complaining that its teen brand, Pink, also has some quality problems.  

"Bought 3 different pairs of pants in less than a year, and all 3 had defective seams and were torn after a couple of washes on the 'Delicate' cycle of my washer," one customer complained on Facebook.

Another shopper explained how a pair of Pink leggings ripped at the seams after she had worn them twice. She said she bought them again, twice, after which both pairs ripped in just a few months. 

Victoria's Secret did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on how it would be responding to these complaints or whether it had changed its manufacturer. 

It's not just quality — customer-service complaints are also frequent on Victoria's Secret's review page on Facebook. As a result, some shoppers who say they have stayed loyal to the brand for over a decade are now saying they won't be anymore. 

"I have been a customer for over 14 years, but can't do it anymore. Your product quality has severely worsened. The last straw was ordering items from the semi-annual sale, you put me on back order for items, then canceled it over two weeks later," one customer wrote on Facebook. "I typically don't rate businesses so poorly, but I had to."

Another customer wrote: "Just wanted to let you know Victoria, that your REAL secret is out: Your stores are understaffed, your lingerie is being ever more shoddily made, and your sales associates vacillate between disinterested, openly hostile, and completely inept."

Discontent towards the brand has been brewing. In April, new data from brand-insights firm YouGov showed that women's perception of Victoria's Secret has seen a slight decline since 2013. Its so-called "Buzz score," which tracks how customers feel about brands based on what they see and hear, has declined as Victoria's Secret has lost favor with women between the ages of 18 and 49.

If you're a Victoria's Secret employee with a story to share, contact this reporter at mhanbury@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: These photos of Victoria's Secret commercials over the years reveal why the store is struggling in the #MeToo era

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• Lively is a lingerie, swimwear, and fragrance startup launched by Victoria's Secret alum Michelle Cordeiro Grant in 2016.
• The retailer sells more than 50 different types of bras, including bralettes, t-shirt bras, push-up bras, and plunge bras. Each one costs $35.
• On Wednesday, it opened its first store in New York.

Lively is making its first foray into brick-and-mortar retail. On Wednesday, the online bra company, which also sells swimwear and fragrances, opened a permanent location in New York City.

"This is a first," founder and CEO Michelle Cordeiro Grant told Business Insider during an interview at the new location in Nolita. 

Cordeiro Grant has been testing the waters with brick-and-mortar retail over the past few months. What started as a happy hour in the company's offices where customers could come and try on products evolved into pop-ups in Dallas and Nashville and, now, a permanent location.

"People were so hungry when we did something in real life. Every time it came to close the store, people were in tears. Whether it was our team or the local community, we had all fallen in love and this thing was shutting down," she said. 

The company is taking advantage of the so-called retail apocalypse's store closings and lower rents to open locations in prime areas. Cordeiro Grant said that Lively saved 30% on its rent in the new space because of this. She added that the expansion into stores was a natural progression for the business.

"I always knew it was going to be an omnichannel ecosystem. I knew we had to start with digital first and work out how we needed to tell our story," she said. 

Its new brick-and-mortar presence makes it more of a threat to Victoria's Secret, which has struggled in recent years. Cordeiro Grant, a former exec of the legacy lingerie chain, confirmed that fans can expect to see more stores opening soon — Dallas and Los Angeles are likely to come next, she said.

We visited the New York store in the run-up to its opening on Wednesday, July 25. Take a look:

SEE ALSO: A former Victoria's Secret exec has a new $35 bra company — and it wants to avoid one of retail's deadliest mistakes

The new store is located close to New York's busy Soho shopping area.

From the outside, it looks trendy and uncluttered.

The Lively brand was built on social media. New products are created based on feedback from its Instagram and Facebook followers, which Cordeiro Grant refers to as her "community."

Part of the company's negotiation with the landlords was based on this community and the events it will offer.

"It wasn't about typical metrics at all," she said. "It was about that fact that we are going to make this block what you want it to be."

Although it is 2,700 square feet in size, only a small part of the space is kept for the actual products.

Its minimalist and roomy store layout leaves space for events.

"We purposefully call it our Lively experience store," Cordeiro Grant explained. 

• Victoria's Secret has recently seen a decrease in sales while American Eagle's sub-brand, Aerie, continues to grow.
• I visited Victoria's Secret's flagship location and Aerie's stand-alone shop in New York City to see how the lingerie stores match up.
• I found that Aerie and Victoria's Secret had similar pricing and apparel options, but differed greatly in terms of sizing, atmosphere, and overall shopping experiences.
• Aerie's increasing success is due in part to its #AerieREAL campaign, which promotes body positivity, size diversity, and inclusivity.
• Victoria's Secret focuses more on making sultry lingerie and advertises its brand through a special cast of models and "Angels."
• Aerie was my favorite of the two stores due to their diverse size range and empowering atmosphere.

Since Victoria's Secret was founded in 1977, the company has nearly monopolized the lingerie industry. Now an iconic household name, the retailer is known for its special cast of models and Angels; its annual televised fashion show; and its sultry lingerie, designed for everyday wear.

But the introduction of American Eagle's sub-brand, Aerie, in 2006 shook up the lingerie scene more than anyone expected. The offshoot had a relatively slow start until the launch of its body-positive #AerieREAL campaign in 2014, when the brand ditched Photoshopped ads for good.

The game-changing decision brought booming business, and Aerie has since been lauded for its inclusive campaigns featuring diverse models with all different body types, as well as people living with disabilities and illnesses.

Due in part to Aerie's growing success, Victoria's Secret has recently seen sales slip. To see how the two competitors stack up against each other, I shopped at both to see which store is better.

My first stop was Victoria's Secret's flagship store. Immediately upon walking inside, I was overwhelmed.

I had barely made it through the front doors when I realized that this was the biggest Victoria's Secret I had ever seen. Music was blasting overhead, employees were bustling around, and the sight of escalators leading to two other floors left me questioning where I should begin my shopping trip.

I took a deep breath to compose my thoughts but instead inhaled a strong stench of perfume. To my left was a section dedicated solely to the company's fragrance lines. While the individual perfumes smelled fine, the abundance of samples gave off an intense odor for which I was not prepared.

The atmosphere of the first floor was dark and seductive.

The minimal lighting definitely set the mood and matched Victoria's Secret's aesthetic, but I found it a big deterrent to spending a lot of time on the first floor. I also had some trouble figuring out where certain products were stocked.

Before heading upstairs, I stopped to look at the most brightly lit spots in the store: the giant portraits of Victoria's Secret Angels that lined the walls. While I wasn't exactly bothered by the photos, I couldn't help but wonder if shoppers felt represented by the models who are the faces of the brand.

Fancy lingerie was everywhere.

Going into this assignment, I knew that a Victoria's Secret store in New York City would have much more room to display a wider variety of garments than the smaller stores I usually shop at in New Jersey. Still, I was shocked to see how much of the flagship location was taken up by sultry lingerie sets.

Don't get me wrong — the presentation was beautiful. The lace corsets, silk robes, and rhinestone bodysuits all looked gorgeous, not unlike items designed by a luxury brand. Each piece, however, started to look a little less appealing when I checked the price tag. The cheapest items were bustiers priced around $50, and the most expensive bodysuits went up to almost $90.

Another problem was evident in sizing: Lingerie was only available in sizes XS to XL; and bodysuits and bustiers — even in the largest sizes — seemed small.

• Aerie is pushing for more body positivity with the introduction of its Bras Make You Feel Real Good campaign.
• Aerie plans to train store associates in creating a healthy, judgment-free, and positive environment for customers who choose to try on clothes.
• Associates will fit customers for bras without tape measurings; instead, they'll guide customers to find bras that they feel comfortable in rather than sticking to a specific size.
• Aerie will also designate a wall in each dressing room for customers to leave inspirational messages on sticky notes.
• Aerie's continued focus on body positivity has pushed it to the top of the lingerie industry — which is bad news for its competition, Victoria's Secret.

Once known only as the sister brand to American Eagle Outfitters, Aerie has spent the past few years making a name for itself — all while quickly moving to the top of the lingerie industry. 

After announcing that models would no longer be Photoshopped to represent the brand in 2016, Aerie made a mark in the lingerie industry by championing body positivity — something that had rarely been seen before in the world of fast-fashion retail. And more recently, in July, Aerie showed it's taking steps to become more diverse by casting models that have illnesses and disabilities.

For its latest lingerie launch, Aerie has introduced the Bras Make You Feel Real Good campaign, which includes three new programs to promote body positivity. As people online share their excitement for the launch from Aerie — a top competitor — lingerie legacy store Victoria's Secret could have reason to worry about business.

One of Aerie's three new programs is the Don't Change You. Change Your Bra! program

Part of a long-term partnership with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Aerie plans to train store associates on creating a healthy, judgment-free, and positive environment for customers who choose to try on clothes. 

The second new program from Aerie is the Best Fit Finder

The program will be a new way for store associates to fit customers for bras. Rather than using traditional tape measurings, Aerie plans to train associates on guiding customers to choose bras that they feel comfortable in rather than sticking to a specific size.

This is unlike Victoria's Secret, where fitters use measuring tape — a method that, as INSIDER's Chloe Pantazi found when she had bra fittings at four Victoria's Secret locations, does not always result in a bra that fits properly.

Finally, Aerie will be implementing the Support In The Fitting Room program in all stores

Already available in select locations, Aerie will designate a wall in each dressing room for customers to leave inspirational messages on sticky notes.

The introduction of these new programs could be bad news for the already struggling Victoria's Secret

In July, reports revealed that Victoria's Secret sales have been steadily declining. Around the same time, customers began to flood the company's Facebook page with complaints about the quality of the brand's lingerie. 

To see how they really match up, we recently visited the two stores and saw firsthand why Aerie is viewed by many shoppers as the better store. Whereas Victoria's Secret's sultry aesthetic is undoubtedly iconic, the store's range of underwear — the brand carries bra sizes 30 A to 40 DDD — looked smaller than their size, while not every style of bra is available at every size.

On the other hand, shopping at Aerie felt judgment-free, and seemed to have options for a much wider range of customers. According to Aerie's website, bras are available "in up to 30 sizes from 30A to 40DD, with DD & DDD cups in every fit."

On Twitter, some customers of the two stores have shared their thoughts on Aerie's new campaigns — and why they no longer feel the need to shop at Victoria's Secret.

Other customers on Twitter, however, took issue with the brand being praised for its new campaigns.

Twitter user Molly Hunter pointed out that Aerie was being "praised for being body positive but doesn't carry anything over a [bra size] d in stores." Although as mentioned above, Aerie carries bras in sizes 30 A through 40 DD, as well as DD and DDD cups in each fit, when I visited a store in New York City, I noticed that not all bras came in D, DD, and DDD cups and were instead only available online.

Shopping for lingerie is a very personal experience, so it makes sense that people have mixed feelings

Although Aerie's body-positive focus is receiving mixed feedback, it looks like the brand is still more popular than Victoria's Secret, which seems to remain stagnant in its business model.

Representatives for Aerie and Victoria's Secret did not immediately reply to INSIDER's requests for comment.

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• L Brands' Victoria's Secret is breaking its brand image and losing pricing power, according to Jefferies.
• Pink is now more promotional than core Victoria's Secret.
• Watch L Brands trade in real-time here.

Victoria's Secret owner L Brands is breaking its brand image by selling cheap underwear.

Body By Victoria bras, the company's top bra franchise, is now offering a "buy 2 get 1 free" promotion. Its Pink branch, which targets younger women, is running even deeper promotions and just announced $3 panties for members this past weekend. In the eyes of Jefferies analyst Randal Konik, this is a "scary" development.

"Our panty price tracker for over a decade shows this is the lowest ever price point for panties across VS or PINK,"Konik wrote in a note out to clients on Monday. "We believe it shows how desperate the company is to drive consumer traffic and also shows how soft demand for PINK has become." 

Pricing power continues to erode as the brand extends more and more promos and yet the consumer still isn't responding. It's a major red flag considering Pink is a $3 billion business and accounted for all of Victoria's Secret's segment growth over the past 5 years, Konik added.

"Victoria's Secret brand is broken and PINK is now breaking," Konik reiterated in Monday's note.

Konik has $23 price target — about 30% below where shares are trading — and remains "underperform" on the retailer. 

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