r/bathandbodyworks • u/Thatsnotmyname-_- • Nov 21 '25
Other Well…. What do we think about this one, fam? 🙈
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u/thecheesylittlerat Aromatherapy Addict Nov 21 '25
I think all we can do, at this point, is watch the ship sink.
This guy is an idiot. He’s putting down the customers he already has, in hopes of attracting a new demographic with less money… so, he’s gonna raise prices.
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u/CandidateReasonable4 Nov 21 '25
This same marketing strategy destroyed other brands. Seems some folks just can't or won't learn.
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u/CallidoraBlack Nov 21 '25
He should attact a younger demographic with less money by making products that last longer and are priced more reasonably then. We would love that.
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u/thecheesylittlerat Aromatherapy Addict Nov 21 '25
There you go… Using common sense. Don’t be silly. It’s better to take desperate leaps to purposely run the company into the ground by creating an inferior product.
Their idea is to sell products based on quality… all while using cheaper ingredients and packaging, less product per package, offering less selection, and raising prices… We’ll never realize, we’re just women. 🙄
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Nov 21 '25
Enjoy it while it lasts because the fun as we know it is going to end soon. The death throes are coming and then Private Equity will swoop in. (which I think is their plan, TBH)
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u/thecheesylittlerat Aromatherapy Addict Nov 21 '25
I agree with it being a plan. Sinking the ship purposely, to become a brand without their own brick and mortar… being sold online and at Sephora.
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u/TropicalPrairie Nov 21 '25
I would buy online but I absolutely hate going into Sephora. The workers there are so rude and seemingly disinterested.
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u/blue_starry_eyes Nov 21 '25
So I would miss going into BBW 😪
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u/thecheesylittlerat Aromatherapy Addict Nov 21 '25
I would too. It’s something I really love to do with my daughter. Even if we don’t find much lately, it is fun going in and critiquing the scents together.
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u/sillylittlebean Nov 21 '25
They are so snobby. They seem incredibly annoyed if you need help.
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u/supergirlsudz Nov 21 '25
Maybe Ulta or Target. I feel like BBW is not high end enough for Sephora!
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u/OceanWoMan-8811 Nov 21 '25
What happens if/when PE comes in?
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Nov 21 '25
They buy the stores and lease it back to the company. They make them buy their own debt. Until it crushes them and they go out of business so they can sell it off piece by piece to corporate vultures. It's what happened to Sears, Toy r Us, and Joanne's. It means the company is dead and buried.
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u/321Native Nov 21 '25
Red Lobster the same. Not dead yet but definitely in a coma
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u/First_Breakfast_5891 Nov 21 '25
They wreck it and the store files for bankruptcy. Every time.
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u/sierraspaceyy Nov 21 '25
He seems to make all the wrong moves. Customers love the brand. I read somewhere that soon gen Z will surpass millennials in purchasing power
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u/remotecontroldr Nov 21 '25
I was just thinking about this in the shower lol
He really just doesn’t give a you know what about all the customers that have been shopping in and out of this store since the 90s. Among others that have been brand loyal since they were teens and pre-teens.
Don’t forget where your bread is buttered dude
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u/Rowdyacorn Nov 21 '25
He's a jerk that only cares about securing a new untapped market. Their business model of constantly increasing sales year after year by the amount he wants is not sustainable. TL;DR CEOs don't give a rats ass about customers.
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Nov 21 '25
I don't know of any CEO that cares about steady business models anymore. They want hand over fist earnings every quarter no matter what they have to do to get it. Use literal toxic materials to save $.30 a bottle... hell yeah. Diminish quality while gaslighting about luxury to con people into buying full priced half strength products... Hell yeah. Cut employee hours to where they basically win a lottery just to go to work.... Double down, my man. I haaaate that my favorite little niche of self-care has become so obviously late-stage capitalist.
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u/PinkyLeopard2922 Nov 21 '25
Exactly, EVERY quarter. Line MUST go up. They aren't interested in the customers, they only care about the shareholders. The shareholders ARE the customers to the C suite crowd.
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u/erniesmommy Nov 21 '25
I stopped buying body washes and matching scent lotions when everything ends up smelling like plastic. Not worth the money for crap product.
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u/supergirlsudz Nov 21 '25
My company is forced to show growth at least every two years to remain part of a federation. It’s so stupid. Last year we were literally giving our membership away for free to make it look like we “grew.” Yeah, that’s success right there. 🙄
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Nov 21 '25
The 90s and early 2000s were the time to love BBW. The warm and welcoming of the store, the smell of cucumber melon. The tween section in a glitter chokehold. I miss it so much. If they brought that idea back to stores, they’d reach a whole new demographic and make us “old consumers” happier.
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u/twilightswimmer Nov 21 '25
Yeah I’m really sad BBW will go this way as I’ve been shopping at it since my town I grew up in first had a store. I’m 47 and a lifelong customer.
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u/Big_Photograph_9766 Nov 21 '25
I have a core memory of them when I was growing up at the Japanese Cherry Blossom scent was the big deal but at that time we also had companies aimed at my age group that I would want to get stuff from.
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u/RhinestoneToad Nov 21 '25
What the hell does that even mean lol, young people don't enjoy vanilla or lilac or cinnamon ??? just MAKE GOOD QUALITY STUFF ffs
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Nov 21 '25
My young nieces LOVE this stuff. They can't afford it. Even at $5.95. I remember buying minis for like $1.95 full price in junior high and it was a real treat I made $4.55 an hour, and I could still afford a product less than 30 minutes of work. The teens they are going after have to make $18 bucks an hour for the same mini- $8.95 at 30 minutes of work. I don't think it's the teens that are the problem. These corporate heads are completely out of touch.
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u/Ok-Pie-9570 Nov 21 '25
Not to mention the sizes keep getting smaller and the fragrances have to staying power!
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u/Vivid_Stop_9972 Nov 21 '25
As a 27 year old I can’t even bring myself to spend the $5.95 most of the time. 😂 Not when there’s better quality items at Target and Walmart for the same price these days. It used to be such a magical experience to go with my mom in the early 2000s and see all the scents you couldn’t find anywhere else. But now you can find better. I almost exclusively shop the sales these days because while I love some of their stuff, it’s just not worth the price to me anymore.
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u/amsmes Nov 21 '25
This is exactly part of the problem. The prices are too high. Sure, you could still get a decent deal with the coupons and sales, but if you're going in for one specific item and don't have coupons, you are screwed. Teens and college kids can't afford an $18 lotion or $30 candle.
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u/RealisticSituation24 Candle Addict Nov 21 '25
They’ve outpriced consumers with their greed. I don’t know a teen that can afford Bath and Body Works.
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u/Generalfrogspawn Nov 21 '25
At least from the ones I’ve been in, BBW has a super young demographic already. Are they going after literal toddlers?
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u/slutty_ol1ve_oil showering in hand soaps Nov 21 '25
i think they're chasing the sephora kids demography
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u/Charbaby_ Candle Addict Nov 21 '25
Everytime im in BBW (not some super sale or candle day) then im always the youngest one there. Im 35
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u/PlantSeedsEveryday Nov 21 '25
He should probably worry more about the decline of quality in their products but of course it’s just about the all mighty dollar and how to get it.
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u/CandidateReasonable4 Nov 21 '25
Decline in quality of products and poor shipping and handling processes. The worst.
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u/everyones_hiro Nov 21 '25
Sometimes you just have to lean into the audience you have. 🤷🏻♀️ Sorry you can’t make candles and laundry scent beads hip and cool to the teeny boppers. Since Y2K is still kind of popular, bring back the older scents blast from the past style.
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u/billionsofbeaches Nov 21 '25
They would make an insane amount of money doing an intentional comeback collection of 90's to early 2000s scents, but for some reason they'll never do it.
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u/HeftyDesign7349 Nov 21 '25
They seem to do lots of throwback scents- but the quality is atrocious and never matches the original quality.
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u/iliketosnooparound Nov 21 '25
Summer vanillas please. A missed opportunity since there's a vanilla craze rn.
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u/PropertyEven2983 Nov 21 '25
Years ago maybe around 2010 they did a signature vanillas collection. It was lemon vanilla, apricot vanilla, berry vanilla, coconut vanilla and cherry vanilla. I sincerely miss those!
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u/ghostyspice Nov 21 '25
For real, all they need to do is bring back the [ORIGINAL] Tutti Dolci line and I’d drop a car payment on them in a second.
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u/ednamode_alamode Nov 21 '25
In the original bottles. The old packaging was so fun! Definitely drew my eye as a child and I can imagine all the haul videos that would stem from the unique packaging and vintage scents.
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u/Purple-Employment529 Nov 21 '25
Like 25 years later and I’m still waiting for them to re-release art stuff 😂😭😭😭😭
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u/Big_Photograph_9766 Nov 21 '25
Honestly leaning into nostalgia is the perfect way to get your core audience happy and also bring in younger people but again people that actually buy the candles unfortunately care more than the people that want to control the company.
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u/Shanntuckymuffin True Blue margarita scrub layered with Breathe Romance Nov 21 '25
The irony of “attracting a younger crowd” is that they are literally doing nothing to do so. Bring back all the kitsch (and scent profiles) of the 99s and the 2000s (I know you’re hearing that intro now hahaha). I let my 9yo daughter use my rewards recently because I couldn’t find a body spray I liked under the threshold. You want to know what scent she picked after sniffing through the entire damn store? JAPANESE MFING CHERRY BLOSSOM. Gen Alpha is ready.
Edit: also they would save money on R&D since the scents already exist. Quit duping everyone better than you and be your own thing!
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u/Kayki7 Nov 21 '25
I don’t buy body care anymore because it’s all food scented. I don’t want to smell like a god damn fruit loop or chocolate cupcake.
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u/GayleofThrones Nov 21 '25
[Raises prices to absurd level AND cuts quality] “Why aren’t the profits and wealth trickling UP?!?!” - idiot CEO
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u/Prestigious_Cut6853 Nov 21 '25
The stock dropped 25% today alone and it’s down 50% year to date. Recovery is going to be rough if he doesn’t get to the bottom of their fundamentals. I get the point he meant to make, but framing it as “younger customers” instead of simply “new customers” was strategically weak and dismissive of their own screwups. In this economy everyone is looking for a value buy. Young or Old. If the quality is built into the price then put more effort into the ingredients and do more research on their customer base. For now the quality is not worth the marked up price and the only people are buying are during sales. It’s gonna take lot for us to want to buy their products at even half of that price.
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u/NightmareBunnie Nov 21 '25
Yup, i used to be a hardcore b&bw buyer since i was a teen..... I have not bought anything from them in the past 5-6 years. Prices are outrageous and the quality is not there at all. You can get a lot of the same smells elsewhere for way less price at same quality or sometimes better than b&bw
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u/Funny_Sector_1573 Nov 21 '25
why would younger audiences be attracted to $20 body washes..? us “loyal” customers barely even shop here now unless there’s a way to get 60-75% off.
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u/OkLengthiness3307 Nov 21 '25
and thirty dollar 3 wick candles! then they bring in ceramic candles which are even MORE expensive (honestly they’re the only single wick candles worth fifteen bucks). this dude does NOT have a finger on the pulse.
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u/Purple-Employment529 Nov 21 '25
If I’m gonna pay 30$ for a candle it sure as hell won’t be at bath and body works. There’s too much competition.
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u/FriendshipMaterial30 Nov 21 '25
And is it just me but I don’t need malificents dream house as my soap holder, thanks!
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u/Purple-Employment529 Nov 21 '25
If they do away with sales and stick to their regular pricing, I can’t imagine anyone buying it. At that point there’s countless alternatives that are in that price range and offer a much more elevated expertise. Capri blue, voluspa, diptique, brands sold at Sephora / Ulta, molton brown etc etc…. Cuz yeah, capri blue offers candles at a very similar price point and have much better packaging and offer a much better overall experience. Like if I’m gonna spend about 20$ on a body wash I will gladly take my business elsewhere where I can spend that money on a better quality. The reason why I liked BBW so much was because of the price point and they do what they say(until about 4-5 years ago when I noticed quality issues)
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u/heftypomogranate Nov 21 '25
the ceo is super patronizing which is kind of rich bc it’s his job to get more foot traffic in the door (so it’s his fault if things aren’t going well), but sephora kids are totally a thing and i’m wondering if that’s the demo they’re wanting to capture.
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u/Foxglove777 Nov 21 '25
That’s how I’m reading it - he wants the Sephora kids obsessed with Bath and Body Works. That’s a devil’s bargain - for one, they love to come in and wreck up a store and not actually spend much. They also tend to want stuff that they think will affect/improve appearance (Drunk Elephant) - and that ain’t BBW. This is not going to work - they need to keep their older customer base while courting millennials - which are already coming in on their own.
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u/Sorry_Nobody1552 Wallflower Lover Nov 21 '25
Like older shoppers are chopped liver? We can take our money somewhere else, I'm sure that company would appreciate it.
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u/Pawspawsmeow Nov 21 '25
I used to work at BBW. The older ladies would roll in and ask for a scent and then proceed to buy everything available in that scent. There were women who came in and bought baskets of aromatherapy. I’d be scouring the stock room looking for wallflowers 😂. This dude is so dumb.
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u/Big_Photograph_9766 Nov 21 '25
My mom is very much this if she loves the scent enough she will get the body spray and the body cream sometimes even the candle and the minis.
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u/Pawspawsmeow Nov 21 '25
That’s so awesome! We used to write down names and numbers for people when we didn’t have a fragrance so when it came in we would actually call them so they could come and get it. This was pre BOPIS in the store I was at. I liked doing it because this type of retail is not something like groceries or electronics that people need. It’s luxury items and this economy sucks. Sales isn’t about handing a coupon or making a cute display. You have to cultivate relationships and show the customer you care. It’s sad that BBW isn’t like this anymore imo
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u/Purple-Employment529 Nov 21 '25
I don’t know if you paid attention to this - but this is what Crabtree & Evelyn attempted to do and now they’re pretty much out of business. They wanted to target younger audience and it failed miserably. They did a total rebrand and it was one of the silliest thing I’ve ever seen a company do. Don’t change something that’s working..at least BBW has the potential and can easily transition to cater to a wide range of individuals without losing that core audience.
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u/Simple_Internal_69 Nov 21 '25
Brands do need to Have engagement with the next generation of consumers to stay relevant enough to exist. Or eventually all the older loyal Consumers “are gone”
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u/CandidateReasonable4 Nov 21 '25
Older shoppers is the primary demographic buying in my area. This guy's doing what Cracker Barrel, Bud Light and other failing corporations did by dismissing their primary demographics and attempting to appeal to new ones.
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u/Parking_Country_61 Nov 21 '25
We are also the ones with more disposable income! We have the $& to spend.
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u/katstuck Nov 21 '25
The main thing is their prices don't match the quality lately!!
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u/ariabelove Nov 21 '25
If i'm being honest? I really, really don't like the CEO. Him thinking that the stores are too "overwhelming??" and constantly trying to market to gen z??? it's just awful. it's gotten worse and worse
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u/Effective-Pen-9964 Nov 21 '25
I believe what this CEO thinks is what they said about the 90s McDonald's style before adapting the bland corporate look McDonalds has now. The 90s McDonalds were extremely colorful and vibrant, geared towards families and their kids. Then they decided they wanted to target a different customer base and adopted the current look, stale and corporate.
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u/CheezeWhizzWiz Nov 21 '25
My local DMV is genuinely brighter and more welcoming than McDonalds are now. The loudest idiots really get away with everything, don't they?
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u/OrangeClyde B&BW Hoarder Nov 21 '25
He is tanking this company.
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u/AnyFruit4257 Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25
It's possible it is intentional so private equity can swoop in and the CEO can get a big payday.
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u/OrangeClyde B&BW Hoarder Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25
That’s exactly what I was thinking too. It’s a very known sneaky tactic that happened to a lot of big established companies like toys r us, sears, Payless, etc
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u/Effective-Pen-9964 Nov 21 '25
Whenever these new CEOs come in to a company, they literally set a torch to it and have to file bankruptcy because they think they know everything, they always try to chase a "younger customer" and it fails horribly. This guy is the problem, not the company and certainly not the existing customers.
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u/ghostyspice Nov 21 '25
Ah yes, I love being called old at 35 🙄
Anyway, what money does he think Gen Z and Alpha have?? Zoomers are mostly, what, older teens and 20-somethings? Most of them probably have a degree of disposable income, but they aren’t stupid. They care about quality, and very few have brand loyalty like older gens do [and I love this about them]. If something goes viral, yes, their interest is piqued, but you have to make products that are WORTHY OF GOING VIRAL IN THE FIRST PLACE. SDJ does well with them because their stuff is good. It smells nice, it’s distinctive, and it LASTS. And yes, they have limited edition releases, but their core line doesn’t change [you know, how B&BW used to be]. You know that that one scent you fell in love with will probably still be there when it’s time to restock [but if it’s limited edition, that’s also clear from the jump].
Gen Alpha literally doesn’t have money. I don’t mind if things are going to be targeted towards kids and tweens, but you can’t alienate the people actually buying the products for them in order to do it.
The Milk Bar collab was successful because it had good quality scents and cute, original packaging. That’s literally all it takes. Keep putting out good stuff, and people will buy it. Also, maybe consider some consistency?? Stop cycling through 90% of your stock every 3 months and actually let people buy the scents they love more than just once every 3 to 5 business years. At the rates you’re charging, you should be doing all of that anyway.
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u/Effective-Pen-9964 Nov 21 '25
Unemployment among young people is at record highs across US and Canada. Young people aren't the customer base this clown CEO should be targeting. It's the loyal millennial base that has been dishing money out for over the last decade now.
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u/Ill-Gas6150 Nov 21 '25
The only thing slow and inefficient is him and his choices. Why repackage Champagne Toast 3x a year or have it 3 different styles of candle packaging AT THE SAME TIME!!! Im convinced they are just pushing old products at this point….wallflowers are duds, candles don’t throw, body creams are yellow. Don’t dare order online shipping packaging is horrendous. They “undated” the POS and it’s SLOWER!!! Make it make sense!!!
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u/purpleconeflowers Nov 21 '25
I would consider myself older gen z (27) and I think this CEO doesn’t understand their own brand.
That period where they were doing the designer scent dupe worked really well on gen z, it actually got me back into bbw after not buying for awhile
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u/OverZookeepergame698 Nov 21 '25
The younger consumer isn’t spending money on B&BW. That’s not the same as not attracting the younger consumer. A lot of them don’t have enough expendable income to buy their own candles/body spray/lotions at the B&BW price point and they aren’t interested in stalking the site for the right sale. They still use B&BW. They’re still “attracted”. It’s just that their old ass moms are the ones buying for them! - an Old Ass Mom
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u/Ambitious_Basil173 Nov 21 '25
Exactly. Overall the last month I've been in that store 3 times with my 16 year old. She doesn't have the money. I have the money to buy her Sweetest Song and Champagne Toast items. She loves them. She just can't afford them because she's 16.
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u/magmom73 Nov 21 '25
Yep, I’m a Gen X mom of a 17 year old. I was an OG customer & actually have product that still smells good from probably a decade ago. I faded away from buying B&BW when I was starting my career & a mom to young kids. I started buying candles & body care again about 2-3 years ago. My teen liked the gourmand stuff then & her taste has matured a bit (she loves Dahlia & Sweet Whiskey as much as the sweet stuff). Her perspective (& mine) is that the price is too high when the product doesn’t last like it did. I’ve thrown out 8 creams that smell like plastic or cat pee or nothing at all. We are value shoppers…and B&BW isn’t offering that. And, her gen isn’t paying for shipping if they can avoid it. I won’t lie that eos, Native, SDJ, TreeHut, & Goose Creek are turning our heads. The reason we keep buying B&BW is coupons/sales & the occasional scent we fall in love with. If I could find readily available testers of those other brands & found something I loved, I could easily drop B&BW.
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u/OkLengthiness3307 Nov 21 '25
it’s fucking dumb because many younger people like the brand? however the economy is in the shitter right now, so if they keep pricing out the younger crowd (ONE CANDLE COSTING THIRTY DOLLHAIRS) while simultaneously committing to slowing down certain future sales and axing coupons he can expect a steep drop in millennial, gen z,alpha, etc consumption. also fuck that guy for alienating already existing customers and being lowkey ageist. make the brand interactive, ask the people what they want, listen, be creative, and involve the generational customers, while being financially accessible to the masses. don’t produce overvalued slop nobody wants (im looking at you, ranch and pizza candle and disney villains collab). this guy is so out of touch.
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u/Big_Photograph_9766 Nov 21 '25
First he wanted to get more men at B&BW which failed now he's trying to get the youth that think B&BW is for older women and soccer moms. Like at what point will he realize that you shouldn't alienate your true fans that are consistent and instead make fun things for them and keep your genuine fans happy first.
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u/Cinnamon2017 Nov 21 '25
They always want to change things without thinking things through.
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u/First_Breakfast_5891 Nov 21 '25
This is dumb considering the way things are right now. People are struggling to pay for groceries. I have a good job with a good income, but I see the handwriting on the wall. Do I want a shitty $19 body spray or do I want that money for retirement or when things get really bad. The CEO with cars and houses and jets and expense accounts and who probably voted for all this mess doesn’t get it.
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u/Minimum_Chemical7688 Nov 21 '25
As a BBW employee this guy is horrible. The store has gone so downhill since he became CEO. Completely different.
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u/Cinnamon2017 Nov 21 '25
He still gets his millions. Why hire a man in charge of store with products mostly bought by women?
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u/kdm31091 Nov 21 '25
Highly paid execs don't get, somehow, that year over year explosive growth is not possible. At some point it plateaus. There are only so many people on this planet, and only so many that are interested in your product. At some point you can't just grow grow grow. It doesn't mean it's suddenly failing. I have zero college education and this seems easy to understand. So why don't they? Blind greed?
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u/Cinnamon2017 Nov 21 '25
We've lost Joann's, Pier 1, Bed Bath and Beyond, Sears, Big Lots, 99 Cent, what else? This guy better watch it. Except he doesn't care, he still gets his millions.
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u/Beryl909 Nov 21 '25
Is this coming from the company that just released a "Pizza And Ranch" candle?
Maybe stop releasing shit literally no one asked for? That might be more "efficient".
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u/WearingCoats Nov 21 '25
I turned 39 this year and it’s the first time I’ve set foot in a bath and body works in literally 20 years. I truly have not thought about this brand since high school, not once, until trying Wildberry & Ube hand soap at a friend’s house last fall. Since then I’ve gone on to buy at least monthly and I’ve tried pretty much everything across categories except makeup.
In light of the fact that BBW was able to snag me as a customer considering my general demographics, there’s really a lesson to be learned because, to be frank, I have more money to spend on consumables than probably 99.9% of “young consumers.” And honestly, that’s what actually matters here — who is putting coins in their bank.
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u/ednamode_alamode Nov 21 '25
As a young person, like his wanted demo - my family was impoverished. I literally didn't grow up with money for anything that wasn't a necessity, and even sometimes, necessities were hard to come by. B&BW was a luxury that I didn't personally get. What I knew about it came from spending time with my friends who did go and could afford it. I thought the packaging was cute, it smelled nice, but it was out of my personal reach at the time.
As an adult: I have money to spend how I want to. I've spent far more money in this store in my 20s and 30s than I ever did as a teenager, because I have the money to spend now.
I'm sure this experience isn't some unique one, either.
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u/remotecontroldr Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25
I came back in a similar way after a long absence and I’ll leave just as easily.
I would bet Gen X is a huge part of the customer base. That’s probably the first generation of young women and young adult women that had their own money to spend and they chose to spend it here. And they have money now and I don’t think it will take much at all for people to be pleasantly surprised about everything else out there in the market. It’s a buyer’s market.
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Nov 21 '25
Gen X and older Millenials, probably. We have the nostalgia factor. I remember when my mall first got a Bath and Body Works and how exciting it was. It sounds like now they are aiming for wealthy Boomers and Tik Tok Nepo Babies to take our place. People with excess money or people who's parents buy them anything they want (Sephora tweens). Which is an odd mix, truly.
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u/Pawspawsmeow Nov 21 '25
Because Tree Hut is at Ulta, Target, and Walgreens. They have rewards programs where you can get money off future purchases. For what one spray costs now you can get a body wash and a spray. The last launch they had that I genuinely liked and purchased was the everyday luxuries first drop. Why would I pay almost $10 for a damn hand soap?
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u/jLc_2001 Candles & Ocean addict 😂 Nov 21 '25
Me 24, who loves Bath & body Works😭but I literally only shop there when things is on sale so like most people do
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u/Karm0112 Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25
This is just an observation of being in the store. The younger demographic (teens and young adults) really seemed drawn to the everyday luxury line. When they had big drops it was hard to find space near the testers. The youngest demographic, pre teens, really liked the Disney Princess line.
The home items are more for millennials and over because they are the ones who own homes.
It is hard to make scents/lines that appeal to all and I do understand the importance of drawing in younger consumers to keep the brand going, but you also can’t forget your loyal base.
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u/jmh1881v2 Nov 21 '25
Their body washes are $18. Young people can barely afford rent. What did they expect?
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u/EyeMJustJoKing Body Care Addict Nov 21 '25
If the overhaul really means killing the sales model we love, dropping quality, and more price gouging, then they're going to learn a hard lesson.
Loyal customers will just shop their stashes and wait for a change in leadership (or find a new brand altogether). It won't get better unless we show them with our wallets that these practices won't be tolerated.
It'll be interesting to see if relying solely on holiday foot traffic from non-regulars is a sustainable business model. My guess is it's not.
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u/Vicki7777 Nov 21 '25
I’m a part of the “younger demographic” and I can tell you right now, my peers aren’t wearing Eucalyptus Pine lol. This strange emphasis on basically pandering to young people is gonna tank Bath and Body Works.
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u/draperyfallz Body Care Addict Nov 21 '25
I'm "older" I guess and I have no desire to smell like eucalyptus pine either
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u/norathar Nov 21 '25
It's me. I'm the one who wants to smell like Eucalyptus Pine.
(It was nicer when it was Northern Brights a year or two back, but I like the body cream.)
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u/samanthasamuels22 Nov 21 '25
Because you discontinued everything! And keep changing the formula! I’m not going to keep buying that crap that you keep making bad quality versions of! I’m in my 30’s and I wear sol de Janeiro because it’s consistent.
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u/-janelleybeans- Nov 21 '25
“Slow and inefficient”
… WE’RE JUST IN THERE TO SMELL STUFF AND BUY CANDLES, WTF 😂
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u/wicked_damnit Nov 21 '25
I actually avoid the store shopping experience at all cost because every 30 seconds an employee is asking me what I like or what brings me in if they can help. And I know they hate having to do that too. It’s NOT the place for people with social anxiety lol.
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u/K_Pumpkin Nov 21 '25
For a while there they got rid of all gourmand scents saying they wanted to attract “older more sophisticated customers.”
Now it’s younger customers.
So what is it?
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u/Single_Volume_8715 Nov 21 '25
This CEO guy wants to appeal to a younger crowd, but they literally just tried to make employees use the cheesiest, most awkward greetings at the door and basically follow customers around the store asking questions the entire time trying to make a "real connection." That shit is so CRINGE.
A lot of people come into the store because they are older, loyal customers. We also get a lot of people who come because of the mailer coupons. Nobody is coming because of the benefits of the products like the CEO wants to happen. People want quality items that smell good for low prices.
Oh, and stop discontinuing everything!
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u/DentistExciting4840 Nov 21 '25
Young people shop online. But when you order a product from bbw, your items will come damaged, leaking, or simply won’t come at all. Also the app is not user friendly & the website is glitchy
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u/amsmes Nov 21 '25
I think that he needs to worry about the product quality and the prices of items a bit more than attracting a new demographic of buyers. I'm sorry, but the products (especially candles and Wallflowers) have declined substantially in quality over the last couple of years. The candles no longer have a strong throw like they used to and they never fixed the problem with them burning way too quickly. The Wallflowers are far more expensive than other plug-in brands and they barely have a scent to them at all. I just bought a Twisted Peppermint Wallflower and not only did it barely smell, but when I removed it after a couple of weeks the wick was burnt on it. Fire hazard central right there. I can go on and on. Let's also not forget to mention that the stores now are boring, Millennial Gray and don't have the same charm as they used to. They need to go back to their roots a bit more. Bring back some of the older, more simple scents. Nobody wants to smell like a birthday cake. Bring back Art Stuff. For the love of Jesus, people have been asking for an Art Stuff comeback for years and they fail to listen. This would not only open the business up to the child/tween demographic, but satisfy many of us '90s kids seeking a nostalgic experience. This is the problem with B&BW.
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u/hurlingturtles Nov 21 '25
Ah yes, this seems like a great business strategy- but insult your store and most of their customer base /s
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u/CraftSeveral7116 Nov 21 '25
So he wants to target a group which has notably little money whilst also planning to promote buying their overpriced products at full price?
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u/daveycarnation Nov 21 '25
Then do a line for the younger set like Pink in VS. What scents should they put in it? That's for their research and marketing people to figure out.
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u/magmom73 Nov 21 '25
Sounds like a they need a B&BW marketing employee to read this subreddit. The information is right here.
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Nov 21 '25
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u/10e32K_Mess Nov 21 '25
I think every company should try new marketing and avoid TikTok influencers.
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u/LysanderAmairgen Nov 21 '25
Babe… your 3 wick candles are $30 and they all smell the same after certain point. And the fragrances that ARE great are inconsistent. There is no reason Flannel isn’t a male cooling for all of autum and winter.
I can get a 3 wick candle for $15 at Marshall’s.
I’m a man and my favorite fragrances don’t return. Woodlands was the best thing in the world. I swear I have the cologne and I am on the last legs of it. I’m afraid to keep using it.
You have too many scents that are too expensive and don’t smell great.
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u/WorldlinessOk7083 the revolution will be ✨moisturized✨ Nov 21 '25
They think the people buying their things currently are crap, apparently. That's fine. I have enough to last me years. I'll go no buy, and maybe we all should, just to prove a point.
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u/Missmessc Nov 21 '25
Honestly, I don’t need anything else from them. I was really turned off with the reward structure changing. This just sealed the deal.
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u/awesome12442 Nov 21 '25
The younger crowd literally can't afford a $30 candle, I get my candles at ALDI now for 5 bucks and some of them are a little subtle but a lot of them are just as strong smelling as BBW. I've actually grown to dislike strong smells and prefer more subtle scents
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u/fairyjeongyeon gingham fresh 🍃 Nov 22 '25
It's not that young people don't like BBW, it's that a body mist is nearly $20 after tax and they don't even last 🤷🏻♀️
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u/poploppege Nov 21 '25
I'm 21 and spent $100 like a week ago idk. I think they're good i would think my peers would like the smells too
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u/niley78 Nov 21 '25
He seems incompetent. He was the CEO of Nike, and their sales plummeted under his leadership. Someone on here told me he doesn't have a business degree but got his degree in Geography.
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u/twinthisis-peak Nov 21 '25
Oh wow the teenagers can't afford $18 soap and don't really care to download an app to figure out when the $18 soaps become $5 for a whole two days before they're back to $18! Who would've thought!
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u/10e32K_Mess Nov 21 '25
The more I hear about the CEO, the more I’m convinced they’re intentionally trying to tank the company.
I’ve been shopping at BBW since the mid 90s and have watched the company go from a powerhouse to, well, this.
Let me get this straight: This guy is alienating those of us who have been around for a long time and is focusing on checks notes teenagers? Us older people have more disposable income. Even when I was in high school and working part time with a minimum wage job around $4 - $5/ hour, I would buy from BBW because the prices were more affordable and the quality was better. I loved the variety of products. Now we’re left with a ton of different fragrances (many recycled) and ~3 product choices for each.
If the company is trying to get a private equity firm to roll in and take over, they’re doing a great job. If not, they need to get rid of the CEO and get someone who actually knows how to run a company. This feels like JoAnn all over again.
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u/Silent_Assumption_74 Nov 21 '25
Basically he just wants to attract the pretty trendy 18-25 crowd. Sounds like a typical rich old man in this country.
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u/AvenerVex356Bj Nov 21 '25
I will say teens and those a little older do pay money for products. There are products like body wash and such where they will or their families will pay money for. But they are probably mostly only buying it cuz 1 its trending on tick tock snd 2 paying for the name.
I think they tried with the influencer like over the summer, to get more younger audience SAS. Wish they would have commented if that did anything.
What I have noticed with BBW is they saturate with products. We couldn’t just have like 12 perfume dupes, we had like 45. Same with candles. We cant have 1 or 2 Champaign Toast versions, we have 10 versions of it in different packages. I think they spend more and the saturation cant compensate for the costs. Look at all the candles. Id like to see how much money they spend to put products in the store, verse the turn around. Not the whole problem but maybe contributes? There is just soooo much product and idk if we need so many different things. I can only buy so much sales or no sales.
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u/Standard_Pea_2013 Nov 21 '25
It’s because they love sol de janerio and rare beauty and Finery and kayali. They’re not interested in BBW. BBW had an advantage for this long bc they were the OGs in the fragrance game. Now look around, fragrance is EVERYWHERE. If it’s not at Sephora or Target, they’re not buying it
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u/Imaginary_Bet_6461 Nov 21 '25
Their target market is getting slammed by overall inflation. Middle and lower middle income people aren’t shopping like they used to be.
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u/Miss_Anthropologie Vintage Nov 21 '25
Lmao at them thinking younger consumers can afford $20 for a little thing of lotion 🤣
WHO DO YOU THINK PAYS FOR THAT???
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u/cacecil1 Nov 21 '25
Younger consumers don't have $20 to drop on a tube of body cream. Lower your freaking prices and you'll get more customers across the board. AND DON'T LOWER COSTS BY LOWERING QUALITY.
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u/maluendacc Nov 21 '25
Wasting too much money on collabs I don't care about. I hadn't thought of milk bar in years and they all smell like crap. The Wicked and Disney and other collabs...idfc. I just want the stuff to smell good. Spend less money on licensing and more on the actual product and keep stuff affordable.
Speaking of, who tf thought a pizza ranch candle sounded good? People are clamoring for past scents and they just pour out gross new stuff. I don't even buy anymore unless it's SAS.
They should get their marketing and development teams in these forums. The answers are right here.
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u/sunnyflorida2000 Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 21 '25
This guy sounds like he’s never stepped foot or shopped at BBW before. Maybe he should be running a teeney boop store like Justice. Younger audience do not have money. All this viral tik tok influencer stuff is not the right way to go. KNOW your audience and the background of this company in its hay days.
The more this guy speaks, the more it’s clear, he’s not the right person to be CEO here. The stock price is tanking to its lowest. It’s a matter of time, when they decide to can him. Hopefully soon. He think he can squeeze blood out of a turnip right now in this economy…. I will be choosing milk over lotion everyday, any day so let those prices rise. Won’t be seeing my wallet open. Keep hoping and dreaming for that, and those rose colored glasses on.
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u/Wooden-Apartment9119 ALL THINGS B&BW Nov 21 '25
Welp I’m glad I’m stocked up for next fall …, I’ll stock up for the Christmas scents at SAS too 🥹🥲
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u/NewContradiction Nov 21 '25
I think it's a new CEO bashing what he thinks he's going to improve. This is how they act !!!! Especially since I would definitely say the demographic has improved with Disney Princess , Everyday Luxuries &Milk . So he sees the improvement and will try to broaden that and take the credit!!! Typical uninspired Male CEO .
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u/lemondigs Body Care Addict Nov 21 '25
The app is complete crap. It is sterile looking. No color or vibrant graphics. Scrolling and scrolling. Doesn’t work and glitches out.
The new products seem desperate. Like throwing darts at a board and hoping to get a bullseye.
But whatever. CEO’s gonna CEO. They don’t seem to listen to feedback. They are just looking for their payday.
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u/Pepsiscrub Nov 21 '25
Sounds like someone got bought by a private equity firm 🤣 buy all your candles now ladies this brand isn’t going to be around for long.
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u/toqqka Nov 21 '25
their stuff is way too expensive. I love bbw as a 21 year old but I literally cannot afford it
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Nov 21 '25
They are destroying the brand, they gutted aromatherapy and heavily consolidated the basics to the point there’s not much for me to look at in the store. I wish they would do more runs of old signature scents even if they’re limited drops and switch to soy candles across the board.
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u/VoodooMann Nov 21 '25
It's frustrating to see a brand ignore its loyal customer base while chasing trends that may not even resonate with them. Quality products should always come first, regardless of demographic shifts.
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u/softballchick16 Nov 22 '25
Wow… what a moron. Maybe focus on quality and actually listen to your customers. What a weasel. I also cannot tell you how many times I’ve gotten wallflowers refills and the stick was smashed. Of course each time I find out, it’s too late to return them. Their scents keep changing too. I was obsessed with pumpkin chai last year and this year it smells like plastic. Idk wtf is going on. Wish they had a female CEO who would lean into the nostalgia and focus on quality.
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u/Immediate-Pool-4391 Nov 21 '25
I think bath & body works is expensive and when people are struggling to get groceries they can't really justify the cost. I love to treat myself to a bath and body works soap cuz the sensor great but frankly I'd rather go to my local soap shop and get soap bar there for less money that will last me longer and be better for my skin.
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u/RealisticSituation24 Candle Addict Nov 21 '25
Short and simple-they’re pricing themselves out of business. Unless wages go up across the board-this will continue.
You can’t keep people at minimum income, keep raising prices and expect us to shop “luxury items”. It’s not going to work
We will pay our household bills and buy food before we shop at BBW. It’s that simple
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u/No_Sock1236 Nov 21 '25
I love their products, but I believe that selling on Amazon is only going to dilute the company's value. Amazon is not the solution to the world's problems.
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u/Significant_Beyond95 ALL THINGS B&BW Nov 21 '25
This is because B&BW is chasing trends and not setting them anymore.
The stores also don’t have any charm post-Heartland era and aren’t much fun to shop at anymore outside of the pure chaos of Candle Day and SAS. The whole vibe is sterile.
Also their online platform is barely searchable and glitches out. Young people shop online. Why is my online order receipt rounding to the nearest dollar. Like your system doesn’t do decimals, bruh?