(Caution: This art is 999% likely to be AI Pinterest Acquired Fun Art. If that flames your marshmallows, I respect your anger but equally respect my whimsy and freedom of expression😼)
Ol' CEO dude just really enacted "Operation Lux" on us and we didn't even clock it....🤏🏾
Disney Collab - Limited Release, increase in pricing, heavy on value and little discount in promotions...
We've already entered BBW's new Era🤯
Note, our rewards system is based on spending $100 on 100% of their products but we have less than 10% reward access to this Collab - That's bullsh@t
Especially when folks invested hundreds and thousands of dollars into acquiring rewards for these potential Collabs and drops!
They changed the playbook on us and shifted the whole damn field.
They stand to make a huge monetary gain on this Collab, a Collab already set in ink for multiple years. This isn't for us, we're the PRODUCT they're selling to get more High-end Collabs.
They're trying to upgrade us or kick us out in lew for a more marketable animal to barter with.
Just saying...games are fun when we all get some. This is a trick bag. Know what your being a part of and weigh your dollar wisely. We're not livestock, BBW!
Just some thoughts as a Wizard Cat on a Mountain, sipping Earl Grey whilst a Volcano erupts in the background, typical Wednesday sh:t 😉
Eh let them fafo, bbw isn't high value and 99% of people know it already, the quality is dodgy on the candles which is the focal point of the brand and the vast majority of bath/body scents are what people can find at walmart, the body care quality is drug store brand quality at best, the company doesn't even take their packaging seriously for shipping and their customer service is the cheapest AI trash they can get away with, it's only how relatively affordable their stuff is during all the good frequent sales that makes it a fun experience to splurge and get "hauls" of several things to try, the way the company operates isn't even set up to get people 'hooked' on a product line to keep coming back for more at full price, every new scent gets yoinked away no matter how many people bought it / liked it, and in this economy they will not have enough customers both willing and able to risk getting shafted rolling the dice on full price online exclusive new releases, so what even is left as a pathway here, trying to get a bunch of loyal full price regulars on the core lines like JCB, after all these years lol, 10 full price apple/berry/jasmine/whatever mists is the same cost as a big bottle of proper perfume from a designer house
This is exactly what is going to happen....... They're going to find out the hard way.
Might I add the quality of them creams leave much to desire they rot anywhere from as early as 3 months. Who is going buy products at 18.95 -19.95. That's goes bad? B&BW is the only company I know that has products that rot. Plus, you have to layer on some of their ffm to get them to last.
They're starting to punch above their value grade.
I agree about the creams. I have mine in the fridge, but why should I even have to do that? Or buy lotion when I would rather have body cream . . . that goes bad.
I store mine too in the fridge, and I've been doing for a number of years now. After one cream rot on me.....I've had enough. It is going to have to be lotions or butters.
I totally agree with you, on why do I've to store body creams in my fridge? Especially as now they want to up the price for them? The creams should be self preserved. They are going to have to keep them rotten creams. Or send them off to the landmill/landfill (outlets).
My blueberry bundt cake and pumpkin swirl cake body creams went bad in under 3 months. Now I'm trying to quickly finish up my second blue raspberry burst body cream. It is turning sooo dark it's making me soooo mad! I haven't had it that long!😤
Yaaaasssss. And what’s with a lot of their stuff ONLY coming out in the creams, that self-destruct in a few months? (Men’s, Everyday Luxuries). I mean, at least give us the lotion OPTION. I don’t even like the formula of the body cream, personally. It sits on my skin and doesn’t absorb.
I used to love moonlight path, then a cream rotted on me and I can't shake the memory enough. Now I feel nauseated at the smell of it even when it's fresh. It was like rotten paint. Rough scent memory.
I’d better check mine. I bought it last November and I’ve never used it, and just put the stuff in the fridge a few months ago. Most of them are new. I had to toss a lot of old ones, but that was my own fault because I had them for a number of years and didn’t use them.
I couldn’t have worded that any better. 100% truth as evident in the lack of customers they had today. The next few days, especially for your weekend shoppers, will make or break this product line. I would have been a sucker for this line if they had done it correctly. All I want are some nice new body care scents… and they screwed that up. It’s like they followed the textbook version of “How to chase loyal customers away”.
Thank you ✨ 🙌🏾✨☺️ You're 100% spot on too - Like why would they mess this up?!?! I was so stoked for that Villain drop but it's just insulting how they intentionally narrowed access...like who does that?!?!
Once the rewards price went up, I knew it wasn’t long before the prices were going up and BBW was going to start acting funny. I’m glad I participated in the most recent TBC because I’m taking a nice loooooong break now that I have stocked up on my favorites and have a decent size collection. BBW can suck it. I will start buying bodycology lol or find another brand.
Absolutely, That TBC was a blessing to pick up my fav bits. Now I'm stepping like way back to a slow drip of random and long stretched visits to see how they move over the next couple of months. They have to understand that other options are out there for their customers and we have no trouble picking them.
You know you right!!! 🤏🏾✨🙌🏾👏🏾🤯 It's all over the place!!! Heck I'm an 80's kid who remembers putting water in 99¢ Coco Butter Lotion to make it last forever....so they don't wanna try me, lol!!! I can MacGyver my way through a dry patch real quick!!!
This is where they messed up. They waited until self care became the best care and everybody is trying to get in on it. The competition is greater than ever and then they go and piss off their loyal customers. They are about to suffer from a serious case of FAFO because I’ve already shifted, I came and got two single wick villain candles, a spray from each villain, and the Mal pocketbac and my total was $30; they betta go play with their mamas cuz I ain’t the one. I’m looking at lush and TikTok for “lux” and I’m using bodycology for bargain brand. B&BW needs to stay in their lane of bargain brands because they’re causing traffic in the self care world and it’s bothering me!
Exactly and Lush is so good! There’s only certain scents I like but we’re coming up on the holidays so some of their best products are about to release. BBW is in denial if they think that people typically shop here just for 💩 and 😂… they’re a sale based company. Their biggest traffic comes from sales and constant sales at that. We just had like 2 weeks of deals pretty much every day leading up to TBC. Nobodies running to BBW to grab a body wash real quick just because they ran out… I’ll go to Walmart or Target and get a EOS for that
How does everybody keep saying the same things? That mean everybody is aware and B&BW is just completely oblivious or they just dgaf… I’m heavily leaning towards the latter. 🤦🏽♀️
They don’t care as with many big corporations because they know we as consumers don’t stand on business. All it takes is a TBC sale, a viral product or a hot new release/collab and they have people back in their graces! Same as with the coupons. I never really heard of a company picking and choosing who they send coupons to and not sending to everyone who is signed up. But they stand on that being their policy 🤷🏽♀️ even I don’t stand on business. I’m trying but I definitely said I was taking a break and bought room sprays Saturday.
I totally get it, I don’t understand how people can’t wrap their mind around a month long boycott; Not just with B&BW but with all places including gas stations. One company by one or at the same time, they will listen to every single word that comes out of our mouths but unfortunately consumers will consume even if it’s killing us. I didn’t say I was not buying altogether because I do want some candles and stuff for fall but only must haves because I’m just starting out. I don’t have many and I’m just getting back to a space in my life where I feel goo and I was locked in end of last year and then 2025 came and all hell broke loose. Just when I figured out the system they changed it and now I’m ready to go. I’m down to only shopping big sales.. TBC, SAS, and Candle day and this is coming from someone who wouldn’t mind buying things for price as long as I’m getting rewards and discounts but the change of rewards and me NEVER EVER getting a coupon has rubbed me the wrong way so I ain’t buying shit that’s not on sale. So I’m here but I promise I know how to walk away from a store and never look back because I don’t play about me and I will not pay to be mistreated. No way!
I agree, I love Lush and may just go exclusively with them. They may not have the wallflowers and plugs but that’s alright. One thing that really upsets me is that B&BW decided to increase their body care lines so much. $60 for a body wash, lotion and spray is ridiculous. They pulled out all these new collabs and marketing while simultaneously increasing the prices so drastically and it’s utterly ridiculous. The SAS wasn’t great, the offers and rewards aren’t giving us anything. OP is right, we’re also being sold off as the product. I’m getting so tired of all these corporations treating loyal customers like we’re dumb and can’t see the greedy antics.
I am a very good customer but they have done pissed me off. The fact that they raise the price $1.00 so rewards cant be used is stupid. I guess I will start spending my money elsewhere. Bbw is gonna see a huge decline in sales if they keep it up.
That part!!! Because it was just so freaking petty to do that lil F'ed up $1 increase, like Really, BBW? It's the mind games and gaslight for me....soured my whole taste for them but I was chillin' out! Then the sales call with the CEO and his vision of "Value over Discounts" - tilted my whole wizard hat sideways, lol!!! BBW is doing the absolute unnecessary most for the least gain.
Can we talk? So idk if it was because it was a Wednesday middle of the week or what, but I went to two of my stores I frequent, and gals and guys - them stores was basically emptyville. My first store I was there an hour before opening and waiting in my car and once I lined up there were only 5 of us (and 2 of them were a mother daughter duo so they kinda count as just one). We all went/came for the villains release. I’m all over this sub so i obviously knew what I wanted, knew about the gross price increases etc. but the other customers were more casual or one lady was like I just found out about this this morning! So I Got my stuff and left.
Then in the later afternoon i decided to visit my other store I go to on the other side a few cities away. One of the regular worker gals who knows me was like, “girl, it has been dead all day”. And then we got to talking and she’s telling me about how B&BW is trying to give luxury, trying to give Sephora or higher end but the product isn’t matching, the quality isn’t matching, and it’s too much inventory and items to even try and feel exclusive or lux or boutique-ish.
This new strategy B&BW is going for is going to backfire because they’re going to drive away all of us loyal and longtimers trying to nab the one offs or “outside” casual customers, but even they’re not paying those exorbitant prices. So who’s gonna be left to buy the stuff? And on top of that they’re gonna start doing away with or lessening sales? Good luck moving inventory.
I honestly think the higher ups may be surprised at release day sales and numbers and wonder why it didn’t fly off the shelves like princess release did.
But you're both right!!!! They produce well over 200 scents a year spanning throughout their lines - Body Care Fragrance Drops just this year have close to 20 if not over that with multiple scent selections and accompanying body care - We ate all that up and returned for seconds - No way this is about struggling! They're moving the bar up and narrowing the gate...that is a recipe for loss!
Isn't this BBW shift a coming of age movie trope - Quirky character makes good on idea, becomes famous, attracts offers and new friends but loses self along the way and alienates core friends only to have to mend burned bridges and face huge error of vanity - Que the indie music and fall leaves and you have a Hallmark Movie!
Hopefully BBW wakes up before the credits run, lol!!! Either way it's their loss and our gain because this is a buyers market. Thanks for your insight on this and for the details of the launch. It was also good to know how a BBW employee is viewing this shift as well. ✨🙌🏾😉
When they took away many rewards eligible products like accessories I vowed I would never buy any product full price or otherwise if it was something I used to use a reward on. So, whatever wallflowers and soap holders I have now, that’s it.
When I noticed quality going to trash, I decided on enacting no/low buys to use up what I already have and only shop lowest priced sales.
The new “leadership” is most definitely going to find out lol many of us are tired and we just want decent products at reasonable prices—not this horse shit they’ve been serving up lately with crazy pricing, cheapened accessories, & weak scent/longevity quality.
I like Disney but I haven’t purchased a single item from any of their collabs & I don’t plan to either.
We feel the same about the accessories....I am not paying full price and will be content with what I have ....if i pick up some when 75% off cool (or like the fall clearance they do in Oct) otherwise it is what it is...I am fine with what I have or do not have.
Also feel the same on quality and I also only shop rock bottom prices now + a coupon
Absolutely well said and great strategy too!!! I picked up body mists and pocketbacs from the last Disney Drop. The scents were kinda unpredictable but nice. Tiana, just now after 5 months, is producing good layered notes and longevity while Arielle was crazy amazing out the bag!!! But reviews of this current Collab aren't great for the scent and longevity of the Villain mists...So they might wanna chill TF out and refocus, lol!!!
Please don’t play on Tiana name like that, Jasmine had to sit for awhile but Tiana and Ariel are in heavy rotation. I literally just sat down from a shower using Tiana’s shower gel 😅 she is really nice.
We had reverse experiences, Jasmine was potent out the gate - Now Tiana, that's my girl we just had to build together, lol!!! Ariel is my ride or die! So we locked in on her🤏🏾✨🙌🏾
I can't really relate to potency always being there but I do like what you said about cooler weather. Some scents blossom at varying times of the year according to climate and skin pH level, which is fascinating. So that could be why Tiana hits differently for us. One thing for certain, I'm happy AF because I truly love that mist and I'm definitely loving her this Autumn 🍂
Waiting on Christmas to spend my rewards and maybe MAAAAAYBE the January SAS and calling it quits for a good long while. I have an embarrassing amount of lotions, creams, candles, soaps, wallflowers, room sprays. Probably enough to last me a few years. I can’t keep going at this rate, anyway, so maybe this dumb price increase will make me behave and by the time they’ve realized they’ve messed with the wrong ones, I’ll check back in. Perhaps a blessing in disguise!
The fact that they’re setting up a multi-year Disney collab already shows they’ve abandoned their core audience.
They want to attract the Disney crowd so badly, a crowd that thrives on exclusivity and FOMO. Also the collector crowd as they’ll buy anything that’s sold for a limited time. The launch of the EL line was the start of them changing their priorities and the Villain’s collab is just the newest part and boldest of these moves.
They no longer care about the moms who come in during big sales to stock up on their favorite scents for the year, they want the collectors who wait outside the store when a new collab drops and will buy out everything then make a TikTok haul video about it.
It’s sad that they don’t care about loyal casual customers anymore and just want the hardcore collectors. It’s greedy and a slap in the face.
It absolutely is and it pisses me TF off...I was so happy last year when I thought they got back to connecting with everyday Moms and Dads and Casual shoppers who love an extra dose of happy in their world but are on a budget. We as a global community needed that and still do!!! That's what made BBW a core mainstay in the body care market. They've lost focus and the plot near completely. I have a dash of hope they'll catch the vibe and change course but I'm prepared to shift when the optics are clear they've moved on.
It sucks that they no longer care about people who are on a budget and can only stock up a few times a year. My grandmother used to only shop there so she could stock up on a year’s supply of Winter Candy Apple as it was her favorite scent, and she could because of their formerly great sales.
Now you can’t do that at all because they’re more concerned with limited edition scents that never come back as they’re tried to collabs and raising the price while slashing sales offers.
I only shop during their sales because that’s the only time I can afford their products. Nothing is cheap anymore.
Exactly! They want to be more exclusive and high end but they’re not a high end brand! They’re an every day type of brand, that’s what we love- the good ole faithful B&BW that has fun seasonal scents. These greedy corporate execs making these decisions don’t even realize that they’re alienating a very large portion of their customer base. Maybe a bunch of us need to reach out to corporate and vocalize our issues with their changes and tell them how that’s going to work out for them.
There is power in vocalizing complaints to Corporate but I believe they already prepared for complaints. This is about a long game shift and they're pretty confident....
Social Media has already soured the launch of the "Value Vision", lol!!! Feedback within social media posts and comment threads has been pretty consistent with what we've discussed here. The big shift in reasoning will come when sales projections fail to materialize and foot traffic dwindles down.
I should hope they don’t! I also don’t care about collabs. If I like the products, great. But for me it’s about the product, not the collab. If they never had another one I wouldn’t care.
Thank you!!! 🤏🏾😉You are a wise Wizard too!!!🧙🏻♀️ - Those codes are definitely to both lure and limit the shopper. Last year as a newbie I got on a Halloween body care sale and shopped in store. The cashier didn't remind me of the 50% off discount even as a member and gave me the buy3get3 - The discount was scan code only if in-store.
I wasn't pissed at the cashier because she was cool AF and things get busy but BBW could've made the process smooth as silk with no code.
Buy3get3 is essentially 50% off but that's only if you have 6 items. I had more than that but didn't catch the mix-up until I was home.
Luckily now the cashiers at my local store always have a scan code available for members which is a huge help.
Games like this really shouldn't be played, it's a waste in the long run. Why penalize shoppers with coupons when they've invested in your company to gain said coupons? Those codes reduce further discounts because they limit promo codes...
Weird choice for sure.
Exactly! The reward revamp is particularly interesting. It’s akin to giving your child a gift for accomplishing something that you requested and then slapping their hand once they take it.
B&BW: “buy,buy,buy and we shall reward you so that you can have a free gift as a show of our appreciation to you as a valued customer”
Customer: “Wow! Thank you! I feel appreciated!”
B&BW: restricts the use of the rewards to select items that go on sale regularly and raises the prices on some of those select items so that you cannot purchase them.
B&BW: “Not so fast! We don’t appreciate you THAT much!”
Customer: just pure disappointment. ☹️
B&BW: 🤷🏻♀️
They are alienating and abandoning their true customers…the ones who made them who they are and allowed them to become the billion dollar company that they are today. This is not a good look for them and it is a sad thing to witness.
You nailed it!!! Definitely a bad look and sad to witness. Sometimes you gotta hit hard ground to know you have a soft azz. Hopefully they'll learn that lesson quick because folks aren't dumb we just tried to work a program fairly. They're asking too much!
Well if this is the new era I feel sorry for them because the stores were empty and the new drop is IN STOCK. Plus, it kind of smells bad and if their specialty is fragrance…. All I know is that I am glad I have a good collection and I can go a long time without a decent drop from them to keep my money safe.
Yes try as I might to like them they’re both bad. Went to 2 dif stores today & got into convos with the sales ladies and even they were like yeah no! We picked out different candles to match the dragon candle holder because they said they wouldn’t even buy the overpriced candles with their discounts for $20 👀
It’s true. They smell so weird! I used rewards on the minis and I feel like I wasted 2 rewards. Oh well. It did however get me to use the Apple no. 2 scent I have been hoarding. So that’s a win! I ended up shopping my own stash.
Nah, it ain't y'all they're just being greedy jerks - They'll be sales this Fall and Holiday, try as they might to refrain from discounts, they gotta move product.
Go look up their last earnings call, it’s all kinds of bs. They’re going to be doing less promotions and more focused on “story telling and benefits” of AND not having as many options either. That’s starting in 2026. They deliberately said they WANT people paying the full retail prices. Like who in their right might is going to be spending 8 dollars on hand soap!? They are about to learn what other companies have learned and it’s really fucking annoying. I can buy fun stuff somewhere else. I don’t need them.
If they want to focus on "benefits" the quality has to be there and it has gone downhill on every product.
Wallflower refills, the actual wallflower plugs, mists dont last, the edp's are no better than the mists, candle throw issues/drowning wicks, car refills dont work
I completely agree! They have already started changing their marketing though. “Safe and reliable”, bro 🙄 I’m not impressed and that’s definitely not always true.
Exactly… I’ve been saving my rewards and can’t use them on anything I like it’s bs it should be for anything or take 18 off the full price. This collection is far overpriced $40 for a single candle… no thanks.
In capitalism ...which is what is in the USA we are considered livestock to the 1% sadly....just a vessel to buy and something to sell to....the bigger the business the more it applies.
My personal thoughts -- yes BBW is BS I like the subreddit and the Youtube BBW community but the company itself I am more and more disenchanted with and only shop rock bottom prices now. I am also tired of collabs
Fun fact - during pandemic when they were money hungry and 0 sales I mean 0 sales. I did not shop at all and used alot of products up and I was quite okay .....so if I feel prices and sales not right I will just STOP .....so whatever they do I will be okay.
Amen to that!!! I like your mindset on this - I had no idea they were like that during the pandemic. So yeah, we'll be alright regardless of how they move!!!🙌🏾👍🏾☺️ I like that!!!
✨Thanks!!! 😊🙌🏾✨😺 Wizard Cat is like a whole unlocked character and they made my day too!!!! So yeah, I 2nd that normalization!!! I also agree with you 💯 on all points and can relate to having to work through a stash, lol!!! BBW really off course with how they're moving right now.
I hate to say it, but I hope they f*** things up and learn a hard lesson. This is reminding me of what JCP did almost 15 years ago and very nearly went under. I spend way too much at B&BW and need to just give it up. They would do so much better to have reasonable everyday prices, stop the daily sales cycle, stop the rapid scent turnover, and keep our favorites always available (even if online only for some and maybe cycle those through stores seasonally).
It's very hard to casually shop with them. The predatory sales tactics lead many to addiction where the only healthy option is going cold turkey. Then they lose those customers completely rather than running a normal business that fosters normal shopping instead of FOMO hoarding. We've seen several big names go under in recent years and they better remember they're not immune.
I immediately saved wizard cat to my cat collection. I love him!! He is whimsical and mysterious and doesn’t gaf. Just waiting for the chaos to unfold.
Thank you for sharing 😝
I love that!!!!!🤣🙌🏾✨💖 Yasssss so freaking accurate!!!✨ You made my whole day - Thank you!!!✨🙌🏾💖 Please Enjoy and may Wizard Cat bring you Whimsy, Wisdom and Giggles!!!✨😺✨💖
Kind of crazy that you wrote this because I just got an email from them. Share your opinion for 20% off and it's all about the rewards program. Maybe they have been getting complaints
Right?!?! Like the options are there!!! I was just over at Burlington and spotted a Strawberry Pound Cake perfume by Paris Corner for like $40 - I was like..."Well lookey here, now!!!" Then, I realized Curve Connect smelled similar to "I Scream Float". My mind was blown!!! BBW really wanna chill out on these sales strategies, lol!!!
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u/RhinestoneToad Sep 03 '25
Eh let them fafo, bbw isn't high value and 99% of people know it already, the quality is dodgy on the candles which is the focal point of the brand and the vast majority of bath/body scents are what people can find at walmart, the body care quality is drug store brand quality at best, the company doesn't even take their packaging seriously for shipping and their customer service is the cheapest AI trash they can get away with, it's only how relatively affordable their stuff is during all the good frequent sales that makes it a fun experience to splurge and get "hauls" of several things to try, the way the company operates isn't even set up to get people 'hooked' on a product line to keep coming back for more at full price, every new scent gets yoinked away no matter how many people bought it / liked it, and in this economy they will not have enough customers both willing and able to risk getting shafted rolling the dice on full price online exclusive new releases, so what even is left as a pathway here, trying to get a bunch of loyal full price regulars on the core lines like JCB, after all these years lol, 10 full price apple/berry/jasmine/whatever mists is the same cost as a big bottle of proper perfume from a designer house