Bath & Body Works - A Few Thoughts On Things - Limits on Purchases, Lack of Quantity, Pricing

Bath & Body Works A Few Random Things - Limits on Purchases, Lack of Quantity, Pricing

LIMITS

You may or may not have heard about the latest thing happening in stores regarding the amounts of items you can purchase of an item (SKU).  The number is 9.  (It is a limit of 9 items online already.)

In a backhanded attempt to stop resellers. (gray market) the B has already launched a store on Amazon trying to grab the dollars from those who shop in that Marketplace.

Now they want to limit how many of each item you can buy at a time, and they are serious about doing it -- the staff will have it explained how it will work in the beginning of April.  

For example:  You like a certain Wallflower scent (say Lavender) and when it goes on sale, you stock up.  You grab your tan basket or blue bag and fill'er up...only to walk to the checkout and be told there is a limit on how many you can buy of each scent.  You're buying for yourself and the bunches of holders in your home... and with this "new" idea, you cannot pass 9 in that SKU (scent/product).  You can grab 9 of everyone there, just not the 20 you may have wanted.  And the same goes for everything.  

Candle Day?  Oh boy, good luck to those super shoppers who LOVE candles and grab their favorites by the dozens.

I asked, "what about coupons...if I want 12 of any one sku, say wallflowers, and that's it, and I have my one coupon that I received for the month, saved for the sale...what about the other items over 9?"

Out of luck?  

Will they let you add the extras over the 9 limits on another order/purchase? Without coupon savings? 

You can say, well resellers... and I get that.  I've seen the chaos at Halloween when people you never see in stores all year long come with pull-along carts to load up and take it all.  

I have seen those come in at SAS, take every Fine Fragrance Mist to send back home (wherever) to family. 

It hurts to miss out on what you want, understandable.

In the economy we are currently in, and the lack of sales of all things, especially these luxuries - and the amount of pressure that is put on stores and workers to make their daily sales quotas with the little that they have in store to do it with --- why limit anything.  If you can sell it--sell it.  

If someone buys it, to resell it, it is on the purchaser to want to take that chance on the quality of the product they are getting to be as it was sold from the company as a source.  

If you don't want the brand diluted, stay true to your core values, watch your poor-quality control and focus on keeping your customer's trust.

PRICING 

I did notice that one dollar increase on the store price points for Hand Soaps now starting with Spring 3 (3/23/26) from 5/$27 to 5/$28...now matching that same 5/$28 price point of the wallflower refills.  And it was noticeable that the Lip Care products were removed from the Travel/Smalls buy more and save pricing of Buy 3 Get 1 Free.  Now Lip Care is what it is priced, (unless on a promo/sale). 

With $14.95 Charmed tiny lip glosses not offering a buy more and save price -- we will either chose to spend $45 plus tax on lip products offering a tiny bit of lip oil to get them all or buy less.

QUANTITIES

I have heard from various people regarding the Vera Bradleyⓒ Mother's Day Purchase with Purchase Bag - that some stores may NOT have enough quantity of bags everywhere to support that sale. (The Basket PWP item should be enough)

Is that meant to cause FOMO?  I don't know.   While some stores will get dozens and dozens, others will have very few.  Is it about poor planning comparisons from last year's PWP sales?  How can you compare a pillowcase looking tote bag to a Vera Bradley quality Tote?  And yes, I know that many are turned off of that brand collab we have currently.  Not everything is for everyone.  But what could help make those sales quotas is having enough product to SELL.

Blue Gingham Print Fill a Bag Promo = Not enough bags...disappointed customers.

My Last Point

It would seem that the 90's are making a significant comeback lately in all thing's life and culture --- everywhere you look so where are you Bath and Body Works currently in joining the party?  I was there...and it was great.  Will there be 90's products showcased anywhere this year?  While we are always looking ahead to new, a look back every once and awhile could show that demographic you're interested in now your Roots. 🌳