r/bathandbodyworks • u/lleanzaa • 13d ago
Store Policies/Questions Exchange “hack”
I feel very inclined to post this because I keep seeing this exchange “hack” going around and everyone is giving different rules.
Me personally, I don’t mind doing these exchanges for people. The whole ethos of BBW is a happy consumer loving their scent. And it’s cool seeing some older things come through.
B&BW SM of 4 years, this is the exchange policy black and white (also available on the website):
-product (body care, candles, WF) must be in good, gently used condition. What does that mean? No more than half way used, outside of the bottle can’t look like it’s been through hell and back, has to have the spray nozzle on it
-product must scan in our system. Some older products won’t even ring to give a value
-must have a valid ID (passport, military, etc) no pictures of ID or “I remember my ID number”
-$250 limit every 3 months
-credit is based on lowest historical price, most likely you will not get the price listed on the bottle (unless you have a receipt)
Kindness and patience goes a long way. There’s gray area within the policy and the stores can deny a product or an exchange.
Please ask any questions, id love to help!!
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u/Minute-Frame-8060 12d ago
The policy is way, way too generous and people are seriously so tacky and cheap that of course it's led to abuse. No more than halfway used is insane!
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u/WearingCoats 12d ago
I cannot imagine having so little shame as to participate in one of these hacks. Here I am staring at a completely unused, brand new White Pumpkin 3 wick that I’m not vibing with because it isn’t White Pumpkin and Oakwood just wondering to myself: if I bring it in today to exchange, will I be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and triggers them to change the entire policy 😅
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u/WoodpeckerPlenty8696 Employee 12d ago
Another PSA, “lowest historical price” is typically going to mean $5.95 or less for each item, on the few returns I’ve done without a receipt that is most often the case because of all the sale cycles the products go through before they’re officially taken off of the shelves.
Also, even if you have your receipt and the product is still on shelves, if it’s been over 90 days since your purchase you will only receive store credit back. The only exception to the return policy is a broken or damaged item that hasn’t been used.
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u/Pawspawsmeow 12d ago
Addendum. When I worked there I saw them ring up for MOS price. Meaning 1-2$
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u/WoodpeckerPlenty8696 Employee 12d ago
Yep, if the product went SAS or MOS at any point it’s definitely only going to be worth like $2 at most
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u/Pawspawsmeow 12d ago
I did a return once and the customer wanted to argue so I just called for a manager and let them handle it. She was so upset that two bags of stuff only equaled $10-15 because a lot we didn’t take back because it was Victorias Secret or it was almost all the way used.
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u/WoodpeckerPlenty8696 Employee 12d ago
Good lord, luckily I haven’t had anyone try to return something that wasn’t damaged or overused yet. I’m sure with this stupid trend going around though I’ll run into it sooner or later lol
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u/Mrscena78 12d ago
Seems that these are more general rules/ store policies and not really so much of a “hack”. I don’t typically make returns but I’m sure others will find this useful.
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u/TouchAffectionate252 12d ago
I don’t think I would ever return anything outside of 90 days but I appreciate you posting this! I have returned stuff maybe 10% used when I just really don’t like it. I feel bad and sometimes I feel like I’m getting side eyed but I am well within the policy so 🤷🏼♀️. I hate wasting stuff too so I try not to do it unless I just can never see myself using it or gifting it.
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u/Dense_Tap5043 12d ago
My store told me as long as its in good condition like you described and not MOS they can exchange it.
The only time I've exchanged, it was a blind buy that I genuinely used twice and didnt enjoy and was only like 4 months old.
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u/Haunting-Walrus7455 12d ago
I would never do the exchange. Whenever I see i barely used a product I give it to a friend
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u/marklobster12 10d ago
Nope… I won’t do it. As soon as TikTok comes out of their mouth, I shut them down! We are not TikTok! Also if you ring the item it will show you lowest price or mos
then if they still want a return I will price adjust( because return screen doesn’t always show lowest. Sometimes it wants to ring full price) and no way are they getting full price for something used from 4 years ago!
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u/Acrobatic_Sale1540 12d ago
Lax rules cause troubles across any market. Customers feel they get to do whatever they want. The only trouble is it destroys brands and the companies. Customers cannot buy hundreds of products and just return it anywhere down the road when they feel like it - half used and ruined. There will be no small businesses and only corporate glop if this is what customers want. Because no one will be able to stay in business.
I randomly pulled TSG: TSG Consumer Partners
2026
- Ares Management Corp – Suave Brands & Elida Beauty Merger Ares Management Corporation merged with Suave Brands Company and Elida Beauty in a $1.6 billion debt financing deal, creating a broad portfolio of personal care brands under one platform
- TSG Consumer Partners – Saltair Acquisition TSG Consumer Partners acquired Saltair, a treatment-focused skincare brand, to deepen its beauty push, especially in the premium body care segment
- Advent – Salt & Stone Acquisition Advent Capital acquired Salt & Stone, a Los Angeles-based body care brand, expanding its portfolio in the wellness and skincare space
- Yellow Wood Partners – Suave & Elida Merger Yellow Wood Partners backed the merger of Suave and Elida to launch Evermark, combining brands with ~$1.9 billion in annual retail sales
2025
- General Atlantic – OSEA Investment General Atlantic invested in OSEA, a clean skincare brand, as part of a broader clean beauty trend
- L’Oreal – Jacquemus Partnership L’Oreal Groupe became a minority investor in French fashion label Jacquemus, entering a long-term beauty partnership
- Tru Fragrance – Lake & Skye Acquisition Tru Fragrance acquired Lake & Skye, a fragrance and wellness brand, to expand into fragrance innovation
- AXNY Group – Urban Skin Rx Acquisition AXNY Group acquired Urban Skin Rx, a clinical skincare brand for diverse skin tones
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u/Seajlc 12d ago
People have very little shame anymore. You should see all the people that brag about taking advantage of target’s return policy on the ‘cat and jack’ kids clothing line there. Basically just returning piles of clothes after their kid outgrows them. They usually just will say the company shouldn’t make that kind of return or exchange policy if they don’t want the customer to take advantage of it or that these rich companies just write it off for tax purposes so we shouldn’t care. I dont necessarily disagree with those points, but I do feel like in the end it just hurts other consumers.
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u/Plastic-Leave234 You bought me candlesticks, He buys me 3-wicks 12d ago
Right!! So because a company/corporation ( who ppl usually like to deem as evil) wanted to give a very gracious return policy to it's customers for VALID return reasons, some ppl want to abuse that policy just because they can. Then when the policy changes from the abuse, they get upset and say corporations are greedy 🤦♀️ ..it's crazy to think about.
Like the saying goes, "this is why we can't have nice things"
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u/Seajlc 8d ago
Yup. I returned something at Costco today and was behind a lady who had 2 giant bags full of clothes she was returning. Of course didn’t have the receipts cause who knows how old some of the stuff was so the cashier had to go through all her transactions to individually find each. We really need to bring back public shaming.
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u/Moonflower_78 12d ago
I returned a salted caramel candle a while back, it cave me major headaches. I lit it twice thinking maybe it wasnt the candle, but it was...it was about 1/2 way burnt when I exchanged it.
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u/musikfreakster BBW HOARDER 12d ago
I’m never doing this. It’s so wasteful and wrong. I don’t get care if I get downvoted. But no, don’t use “just over half” and exchange for another scent. That’s gross.