Life Inside the Page: March 2017

Welcome Spring

March 29th, 2017.

The snow is gone, hopefully until Christmas, and spring is pushing her way through the cold, frozen ground. I welcome her.

Bath & Body Works | Top Signature Body Care Fragrances | New Packaging Testing

Beginning today in only a few markets, Bath and Body Works is testing out the sales of their top signature body care fragrances in the new bottle packaging we saw come out this past holiday season.

They are testing Magic in the Air, Warm Vanilla Sugar, A Thousand Wishes, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Hello Beautiful and Moonlight Path. Here is a peek at the Magic in the Air.

I think the reactions will be mixed on this test for a few reasons.

The bottles do look pretty...I think so anyway and I would purchase them.

The hard thing for most die-hard signature scent fans will be the ounces in the bottles and the pricing of each. If this means less product for more money, people will not be happy.

Add to that NO ONE loves a bottle change especially when you offer round bottle sleeves in so many patterns for what is out currently and are telling customers not to worry, they are still going to be usable, when they ask about the new squared sleeves showing up in stores.

And I am sure a few will complain the new bottle design will not store well with the current, more rounded style.

I am trying to remember when the last bottle(s) change happened and I think, { by looking at my records } it was after Holiday 2011 for the Fine Fragrance Mist.

I believe Holiday 2011 had the final Fragrance Mist Bottle and Pink Chiffon 2012 was the release of the new Fine Fragrance Mist round bottle.

The Body Lotion and Shower Gel bottle design remained unchanged until October 2013 when we saw the New bottles release as shown on the Oct. 7, 2013 bounce back coupon.

Bath & Body Works | New Candle Collection | Hobnail Glass

While there isn't too much to go on, it looks like we may have three wick candles in hobnail glass sometime soon.

A photo shared with me from @toby_rex sort of points to that. More information to come.

Bath & Body Works | New Candle Collection Testing | Animal Inspired

More new candles ( possible testing in some markets ) showed up on social media yesterday and thanks to @dennisobsessedcandles we got a sneak peek at what I can only guess is a Animal Inspired Candle Collection.

When I find out more about this collection, I will update this posting.

Animal Inspired Candle Collection:

Black Pepper and Amber - warm black pepper, golden amber, rare tobacco flower

Coconut Palm and Lime - island coconut, tropical greens, and fresh lime zest.

Mango Dragon Fruit - island mango, pink dragon fruit, bright mandarin

Rainforest Gardenia - island gardenia, fresh bamboo, sweet apple water

Waterfall Oasis - rushing water, bright pomelo zest, white woods

Wild Cedarwood - dark cedarwood, lush palm leaves, wild neroli petals

Bath & Body Works | New Candle Collection | Scroll Gate Label

I don't yet know too much about this upcoming candle collection, only that it will be coming out in a few weeks with Aprils new Paris floor set.

A friend shared with me that there was a new candle seen on Ebay today, unsure if it was a new test collection and after seeing it myself, I made some calls and found it is in the backroom of a few stores ready to set soon. As I find out more names in this collection, as well as the collections name itself, I will update this post. For now I will call it:

Scroll Gate Candle Collection:

St. Tropez Shore - sea salted bergamot, sun lilies, cote D'Azur coconut
Champagne Toast - chateau champagne, wild berries, sweet orange
Endless Weekend
Cream Caramel - buttery caramel, powdered sugar, vanilla
White Jasmine - white jasmine bud, orange blossom, mimosa

{photo credit: @toby_rex}

photo credit: ebay skkm96

Bath & Body Works | Survey Says: Candy Colored Christmas

The calendar reads March and with temperatures warming up to the 50 degree mark today I am super ready for Spring and all that it brings. But when a friend shared with me some Winter Survey news I cannot wait to share some of what Bath and Body Works is thinking about for Holiday 2017!

This is what I know so far:

Bath and Body Works introduces Candy Colored Christmas, a collection of your favorite holiday scents in irresistible new Body Care fragrances like HOT COCOA & MARSHMALLOW and COCONUT PEPPERMINT.

Indulgent products like Cotton Candy Scrub, Whipped Body Cream, and our Playful Bath Ice Pops will make you feel like a kid in a candy store.

They were doing a survey, testing about ten names/scents. Not all were tested by one person to try so this was some of what was mentioned.

Some Names Shared:

Vanilla Bean Noel

Twisted Peppermint

Peppermint Marshmallow

Hot Cocoa and Marshmallow ( very chocolate-ish like the candle) pushing that a lot.

(A Jasmine Scent) nice floral

Coconut Peppermint

Also mentioned they were thinking of other names like:

Santa Baby

Marshmallow Mocha

Coconut Peppermint

Winter Glow

There were no mock-ups available but hearing about a Cocoa Body Care scent made me smile....as did a Candy Colored Theme name.

Only seven more months until Holiday....now the vision of sugarplums will dance in my head!

Bath & Body Works | Paris is a Good Idea and Bath Fizzy Frenzy

I wander around the Bath and Body Works stores often and own pretty much all of the new that interested me in these past three months, so I didn't think there was anything more I needed.

That was until I saw the sign mentioning the New Stress Relief Eucalyptus Tea Pillow Mist in the Aromatherapy section. Wanting to take advantage of the last days of the ten off of thirty dollar coupon, I grabbed a bottle of it to try. I love it! I am a huge fan of pillow mist and having this scent finally added to the pillow mist family was an A-ha moment for me. It is online currently and available today, March 24th as part of the buy one get one free Aromatherapy Collection.

I noticed the Olive Oil Hand Soap was still on sale for $6.00 so I grabbed a scent I hoped would be lovely, and it is...the Linen and Lavender and to go with it, the new Pearls Hand Soap Sleeve. I hesitated in getting any new hand soaps since I have so many and did try this at the sink and enjoyed the feel of my hands afterwards so in the blue mesh bag it went.

What is nice about this hand soap sleeve is that it is squared shaped and if your not interested in a soap sleeve, this will be awesome in your bathroom or bedroom to hold your makeup brushes and even on your desk to hold pens, pencils and scissors!

I used my free signature item travel coupon and got a shower gel in the French Lavender Scent and another Pineapple scented pocketbac to round out my purchase.

In a few weeks the new April Floor-set will appear and I cannot wait to see what else I can fall in love with. The newness showing up Online daily is making me smile already!

Bath and Body Works Stores are calling this new set "Bath Fizzy Frenzy" and White Barn Stores are calling it "Paris is a Good Idea." I will call it a success when I leave there with Blue Gingham BAGS of Fragrance!

Bath & Body Works | April Floorset Info

Here is when the new Bath and Body Works La Francaise Signature Body Care Collection will be coming out.

Sunday, April 9th - White Barn/B&BW stores will set the White Barn floor-set effective Monday April 10th.

Monday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 18th - all Bath & Body Works stores set the Bath and Body Works floor-set effective for Wednesday, April 19th.

Bath & Body Works | Resolution of the Online Order Problem | My in-store solution

The roads here in town are still snow covered and horrendous but somewhat passable so with the sun shining bright against a beautiful, blue sky we ventured out. We are in for another 3" - 5" of snow overnight so today was the day to hit the mall and take care of my exchange.

I thought last night about what I was going to do. I wasn't sure I even wanted the Ceramic Rabbit anymore...miffed about how customer service handled this situation in what I had come to read was much differently for some.

According to Customer Service, I was told I had to exchange my incorrect metal sleeve for the ceramic rabbit in a store and to use the ten dollar e-gift card provided for the balance. Generous, sure but still a pain in the neck nonetheless. Then I read, others were able to have what they were suppose to have, the rabbit, sent to them and instructed they can keep the metal sleeve. I didn't want the sleeve- even if it was to be free. I bought one on Monday. So I debated with myself...get the rabbit...or just get a refund for metal sleeve and be done with it.

Part of what helped me decide what to do was the fact that the email of the day had a save $10 off of $30 coupon. So I thought about what I would get for the $10.50 difference ($19.50 rabbit). After I returned the sleeve.

I have come to find in some stores, when you make an exchange or a return and get something else, the dollar values of things get really screwed up. I am not sure why, I just know that many times I had to get the situation fixed if I noticed it before things get closed out. I didn't want to have to deal with that, so return one thing...then buy the next was what I was going to do.

Wandering around the store that was closed for the past few days because of the weather didn't net me anything new so I decided on just getting a single wick candle and the rabbit.

I also purchased a wax warmer, two wax warmer sleeves; one in the gold dogwood pattern and one silver leaves, the mini candle bunny holder, and a pocketbac holder in the neon orange color. Having so many different wax melts and a few different warmers in both electric and candle types sort of deterred me from trying the warmer previously. But for weeks I walked around the display wondering if it was any good and the only way to know is to try it for myself. This warmer seems to use a 25 watt candelabra bulb to melt the wax....and I hope it is something easy to find when it needs replacing. Replacement bulbs are not available in the store. My sister gave me a Scentsy warmer as a gift and I used it once and found it bothersome to have that light bulb in there. I guess I am better not seeing what makes the wax melt. :)

I will post my wax warmer thoughts after a few days of using it.

So that was my resolution of the Bath and Body Works Online Ceramic Bunny Candle Holder Error. For those of you who were also affected with the "mistake" Metal Candle Sleeve, How did you make out?

Bath & Body Works | My Recent Disappointment Order | Food for Thought

This is just a narrative on just how much things are changing. And while I am exhausted from three days of heavy snow shoveling and snowblowing that seems unending...I didn't think it was too much to ask to have that one thing I was looking forward to getting to be correct. And if it wasn't, to have it corrected without my involvement.

Here's what happened.

On Friday late, I placed an online order for a few of the new items that showed up online prior to the Monday release in stores and it finally arrived today. I ordered the Ceramic Bunny Three Wick Candle Holder, a set of five paradise pocketbacs, a lavender bundle wallflower, and two of the three wick Easter Candles.

Scheduled for Tuesday delivery, add in a two day delay because of Winter Storm Stella. I was not happy with what I found in the box.

When I order I usually take screen shots of what I bought because at the holidays last year I had an issue with receiving a wrong item...Twice...the candle pedestal (holographic style) when I ordered the pearl. Pretty silly that you need to do that because you can't trust what you are seeing is what is going to be what your going to get. But when it happens more than once, it becomes habit I guess.

And then customer service added to it trying to tell me what I saw and ordered was what I received. Until I proved it with the screen shot! I mean...pearls...glitter. I can tell the difference.

Apparently shopping at B&BW Online is still with problems...having issues showing the correct photo and description...and price.

I don't know why things like this happen...and I get it....when your dealing with uploading massive amounts of product and information...But...

Pennsylvania has laws against Bait and Switch...and what was done regarding this order is utter BS as far as I am concerned.

I order this. A ceramic Easter Bunny three wick candle holder. He was priced at $10.50.

Here is what I saw when I ordered it.

I received this:

A metal candle holder with rabbits and eggs.

Not the Same. Clearly. And apparently Bath and Body Works knew of the mix up on it because they sent out an email telling those who bought the rabbit... You are not getting it....and you will get a ten dollar e gift card instead. Today.

Now wait. I ordered and paid for an Easter Bunny Three Wick Candle holder made of ceramic...pictured as such...described as such...and shown as such in the shopping cart. You hit my credit card, charged me and sent my package.

Sending me a metal holder and not what I ordered...and received....does not make it all okey dokey.

Customer Service told me, " Oh, we contacted you yesterday regarding this matter."

Me: "No one contacted me, I have been here, home all day since Monday."

"We are snowed in from the storm."

CS: Oh, yes I see...we sent you an email today telling you that you will receive a $10 EGC for this error."

Me: "I don't get what a $10 EGC has to do with not getting a ceramic bunny, I would like to have the bunny please."

CS: "Well, you can take your metal bunny to the store and the $10 EGC and get your bunny."

Me: "Um, wait a minute. I ordered a ceramic bunny Friday...and received the wrong in so many ways item and your telling me I now need to hope my store has a bunny that I wanted, thought I was getting, still has one and go there and get it?"

CS: "Yes. What store do you shop at, I will call them."

Me: I tell her and I am placed on hold for ten minutes.

CS: "Great News! They have one left and are holding it for you, you must really shop a lot there, they know you by your first name."

Me: " I do, yes." "So I need to take the metal sleeve to the store...use the upcoming gift card and add the difference to get the ceramic bunny, right?"

CS: " We are sending you a $10 EGC to cover it."

Me: It's not quite enough but okay fine. I get to go out in the snow to get the Right item it would seem. Not what I planned on since I ordered it online."

CS: "Well you will get the right item at the store."

Me: " I ordered it online to have it delivered to me. Correctly. So I guess I need to go make it right."

Now let's talk about the Easter Bunny Candle."

"What is going on with the lid?"

CS: "The Easter Bunny candle does not come with a lid."

Me: " Yes it does, I am looking at the description. Candle extinguishing lid."

CS: " It doesn't read that."

Me: "Yes, it does, in my screen shot from my order as well as ONLINE now. My question is why when I saw the candle in store it has a glittered lid and when I received my order it has what looks like the lid pre-glitter."

CS: "Well if you got a lid then there shouldn't be a problem. We don't need to match the items in the store to online."

Me: "No, I guess you don't think you need to. But when customers see something in a store...and the EXACT same looking item is online....one tends to think they are the same."

CS: "We don't need to match the items in the store to online."

Me: " But you do need to be sure the items you ship are the CORRECT items. PA has laws against bait and switch and these errors that you call them are very off-putting."

" Correcting the Bunny Rabbit Ceramic item by PRICE ONLY online is not the same and saying it was always suppose to be the metal holder." The metal holder is not offered online." It wasn't there when I placed my order."

"Let's talk about the other problem."

"One of the candles I received will need to be exchanged though. The glass edge

is flawed from manufacturing and I am not comfortable in lighting it." The rim is rolled and thin."

CS: "Since you are going to the store, exchange that candle at the same time."

Me: "They are going to give me a hard time...the lids won't match and they will lose out on a sale."

CS: " They will take it back as part of our 100% Happiness Guarantee. If they don't, call Customer Service and we will direct you to Customer Relations to deal with the problem."

Me: "This isn't fun as a customer to wait for an online order to come, only to find it isn't what I ordered and now I have to go back to a store and deal with the unhappiness there over the exchange/return. Saying they must take it back doesn't me I won't have to deal with their unhappiness over it." Where is my happiness?"

CS: "The store will have your Ceramic Bunny waiting for you. I think I have resolved your issues with this order. We appreciate your business and guarantee your happiness. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Me: Thank you so much, Have a great day."

----------------

Before it is said...I get it. My $10.50 I paid already plus tax plus the $10 EGC makes it $20.50. That's suppose to make it cover the $20.67 to buy the Bunny. My complaint is the annoyance of not having the correct item sent...that I have to go out and mess with all of this. Getting a return on my name...to exchange something that I had no involvement in...then to rebuy it. (Keeping in mind, I don't drive). And there is still two feet of a snowy mess in my winter wonderland world.

That's why I am not happy. Not World Problems...I know...just annoying.

Before when the company screwed up an order, they resolved the issue. If a candle was broken, they sent a replacement. If the wrong item was picked...(clown dog pocketbac versus white puppy in a cup pocketbac was another screw up) then they sent the correct item.

There was none of this take it back to the store business. I didn't pick it wrong...or write the wrong price/description/photo to an item online.

I am not looking for anything free or a huge gift card for my trouble. I prefer no trouble. You sent me the incorrect item....send me the correct item and a label and off this can go back to you. Take the store out of the equation.

But I am guessing their new "policy" is going to be if we screw it up, you the customer gets to deal with it.

Food for Thought.

Department: Beauty | Limited Edition April Walmart Beauty Box Take A Me Moment | Opt In Choice

I received this email yesterday for a chance to opt into a different choice for the upcoming April Walmart Beauty Box.

A Limited Edition Walmart Beauty Box from Canada Dry and Southern Living Magazine. I can't wait to see what will be included!

Here is what I received via email:

#MeMoment

Bath & Body Works | A La Francaise Collection | April 2017

Bath and Body Works has released in select markets a test of the new La Francaise French Body Care Collection and it looks like this will be a Signature Body Care Collection for April.

Here is a look at the Fine Fragrance Mist and Body Creams that are being tested.