How do you decide where you shop?

I don't know about you, but I love the hunt for a good deal. The majority of my beauty purchases are through retailers. But sometimes it's better to buy directly from the brand. Sometimes they run better sales, have rewards programs or offer a more luxe experience. What are some brands you guys prefer to buy from directly instead of going through a big retailer? Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, sometimes brands have poor customer service, take forever to ship or other issues. Are there any brands you've made purchases from but had bad experiences? I think most people with access to Ulta agree their rewards program is awesome. But I've had my fair share of issues with customer service at times. Sephora's rewards kinda suck in comparison. YesStyle has decent rewards, but prices and availability fluctuate. Beautylish rewards kinda suck. So - Brands I like to buy from directly - Allies of Skin - If you're in the market for an expensive experience, their products are pretty nice, but insanely expensive. Their rewards program is decent, but they often run steep discounts on their site and you can't use your rewards in conjunction with the promos. And the promos are often better deals. Alpyn Beauty - they often run gifts with purchase, including collabs with other brands. Biossance - I used to love the Biossance rewards program, but since the brand has new ownership, I've noticed their deals are way less frequent and lower discounts. Dior - I recently discovered their rewards program. At first it was exciting, because they have daily quizzes and videos to watch to earn points, but it hasn't been working for me for like 2 months. You can get deluxe samples and deluxe packaging, but retailers often have sales, whereas the Dior site does not. Let's help each other out to find the best deals and/or experiences 😉