Bath & Body Works | Mother's Day Tote | The Grey Version

When the First Look Mother's Day Tote email came out last Tuesday I debated if I should wait to grab it in the store alone or should I order one online too.  I do shop and support not only my local stores but others in the surrounding area so ordering online occasionally is sometimes done more as a convenience for myself. 
While I thought about which color I would get, I called my local store to see if they heard anymore of when this bag will be released.  I got the same old...same old "I haven't worked for the past two days"....then silence.  I mentioned I got the email and was told, " I don't know anything...I didn't work the past two days."

Now your reading that thinking...well the girl probably didn't work so she didn't know.  And here is why that bothers me.  It's because it is ME asking.  Me the girl who spends Thousands in there...and me the girl who writes about all things B&BW.

Because if it was that you didn't work there the past few days your answer...customer SERVICE wise should be to say," let me check, I was off...can you hold?" 
But it is Me...and the we can't tell Tess anything nonsense.

And I will explain more about that in a minute.

So I decided on the grey color...which is out of my wheelhouse but I thought I do have so many pink purses, and I remembered I even sold the new Pink Mother's Day Scalloped Bag from last year. Grey is a great neutral for summertime.

I added in some wallflowers as my purchase for this purchase, because I grabbed all of the new items I wanted in the store already and I try to close out my order.  I say try because since the new and improved website launch I cannot order a thing online.  Null and Void is the red bold print message I get with every try.  All of these weeks later I still need to bother customer service with helping me place an online order.  

I had a great person on the other end of the call helping me get everything finalized and right before we closed the order out I asked her, "Does the Candle included in the bag come with the Eiffel Tower lid as I have seen the store bags will?"  She told me once she places the order she will contact the warehouse to get someone to check.
Remember, the First Look email ad showed the candle lidless so I wasn't sure.  And I thought about all of the other candles that had special lids or wax details...Turkey Lid...Layered wax candles, etc...they can vary from store to online purchases.

When she returned to the call a few minutes later, she said it will come with the puffy lid that is available to that line of candles in stores. No Eiffel Tower Lid.

Feeling very disappointed I asked if I could cancel the order and she said they wouldn't be able to since it was sent to the warehouse already for quick shipping.  I mentioned that I really wanted the limited edition lid and she told me if I was unhappy with the lid or anything I purchase I am welcome to exchange it IN STORE for the lid those bags will have.

I explained to her while that IS the Happiness policy of the company, occasionally you will find a few stores that are not HAPPY to switch things out that were purchased online.  She laughed and said, "if they aren't, be sure to call this number (she then recited the 1-800 CS number to me) and tell on them.

I let out a laugh and thanked her for her time in helping me get my bag ordered.

A few hours later I saw my tote was shipped and it was to be delivered on Friday; a mere three days after ordering. That was great and I was excited to see my new tote.

Sadly, Friday came and went and my UPS shipment got bumped up to a Monday, Today delivery.  
And after 6pm today, my tote came....and the candle inside DID have the Eiffel Tower Lid.  YAY!!!  
I am so glad I didn't need to exchange anything in a store.  And here is why.

Most days when I shop I go into the store earlier in the day.  Evening visits are usually rare, so my stopping by the mall later in the day last Thursday was a bit of a surprise to the workers as it was to me and the behavior of one of them.

There is one who I like and I am friendly with because I shop there so much, but at times I am met with snarky comments that are off-putting to me.  I don't know where they come from but I found it annoying on numerous occasions to have it said in a crowded store....as she was working and realized that something I told them was on clearance...ran to the shelf to get it for herself saying....."We are running around grabbing everything like hyenas before Theresa buys it all."  Or I better grab one before you buy them all.  

Stupid, silly remarks...yes.  Unnecessary though too.  I am a customer first...friendly, yes...you know my last name, have memorized my phone number and email address.... but I don't know your last name...and I am respectful as I should be. I enjoy the fun, life banter back and forth as I fill my bag...but I don't need snide.


I don't know why it happens once in a while...they all know I write a blog. I don't talk about it...they don't talk about it. That cat is well out of the bag. A sort of unspoken truth.  I never ask them for information for my blog.  I usually know what I need to know so I don't need to ask.  So when something is off....I notice.

Thursday I walked into the store to the left hand side....I can see the two workers at the registers with a customer or two checking out and the back room door is open.  I walked along the wallflower wall because I wanted to sniff the Spring Leaves tester and I could see zebra taped boxes in the doorway, the silver cart and a pile of the totes...sticking out of the opened box.  The worker (who makes those comments) was closest to the doorway... had the grey tote in her hands looking at it while there were customers checking out. She immediately looked up...saw me and my husband...ran---RAN to the doorway, threw...THREW the tote inside and closed the door. Um, there is a candle in that bag.....geesh.

I looked at him and he rolled his eyes.
Stupid.

That worker did not acknowledge me at all as she went back to the cash wrap pretending to look at the register... while the other worker finished out the sale and the customer left.  That worker came around to greet me and ask what I was in for.

I told her what I was looking for and she pointed it out on the table close to the cash wrap and I went to pay.  The other worker, the quarterback, went into the back and closed the door again.
I mentioned to my cashier that the tote has been online for a few days did she know if they still were going to do the coupon early release on May 10th or was it pushed up.  I didn't want to miss getting one in store too.

She walked over to the closed door and opened it a crack to ask that I wanted to know if it was still set for the 10th or moved up and that worker again with the same ole, same ole line screamed through the door, with customers in the store...I don't know I haven't worked in a few days.
The poor cashier didn't know what to tell me as evident by the look on her face.  She said they haven't heard anything about the totes so ....and I said that I had the coupon and I will be sure to check back on Wednesday.
And I left.

Saturday when I went for the Pineapple Tote sale I spoke with the Manager who was there as well as the other worker from that day at her side and I was told....

1. I asked her and she said she didn't do anything. (I am sorry but screaming through a closed door with other customers in the store is unprofessional...and certainly not good customer service.   if your in charge at the time, OPEN the door... come out and tell the customer...any customer... any line of nonsense that is the going line of nonsense at the time to have a measure of politeness. If you truly don't know...read a piece of paperwork ...ask someone else. Make the effort.
2. That is her personality, she is snarky and rude at times to a lot of people. (ummmm what?) I said that is fine if you all accept that to be the NORM...I do not.
3. We aren't allowed to show the totes so she didn't want YOU seeing it, it is a SECRET. We had a conference call about it... (yep she said it was a secret.  I laughed...it maybe a secret to others but they knew I knew long before ....anyway....ugh) I wish I had a recording of how silly it all looked, seeing me there.... the tossing it through the open door so I wouldn't see.  And oh yes, there were CUSTOMERS at the registers looking at the bag--secret?  sure....
4. If I was unhappy I can call and report it.

I get it, Life happens and the day to day stinks at times.  Having to work out in retail is a BEAR when you need to be on your game all of the time.  So there is unpleasantness. 
I just don't like it to try to penetrate my happiness...because I have my own day to day stinks....and Bath & Body Works is suppose to be my happy place.
So for those who mention on my Facebook and InstaGram Pages,  "shop and support your local stores, they need it." 
Some days....the impersonal touch of the keys for online is BETTER.