Sephora has announced it will be closing all of its stores [1] due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) [2]. The news came Monday, March 16, from Jean-André Rougeot, the president and CEO of Sephora Americas, and stated the closures are effective March 17 at 5 p.m. and will last until Friday, April 3.

As the world embraces social distancing, many businesses have closed their storefronts [3] in an effort to minimize the spread of the virus. In the interim, Sephora will be waiving all standard shipping fees through Friday, April 3, on Sephora.com [4], sephora.ca [5], and the Sephora app with the code FREESHIP.

As for Sephora's return policy during this turbulent time, the beauty retailer will be accepting returns on in-store items purchased up to 30 days before March 16 with a receipt for the first 30 days of reopening on April 3. Similarly, returns on online orders have been extended from the standard 30-day return polity to 60 days.

"We also recognise that we are in a position to support the collective fight against COVID-19," said Rougeot, in the press release [6]. "Following guidance from public health authorities, we understand that practicing social distancing and reducing dense public gatherings as much as possible is critically important at this time. This is truly a global effort that requires all of our participation."

The statement also confirmed that employees will be compensated: "All store employees will continue to receive their base pay for scheduled shifts for the duration of this closure."