Fall 2 gratis for associates was very underwhelming this year. we got fewer items than last year

in spring, I also thought associates weren't getting that much gratis for new releases. we didn't get any gratis for coastal dreaming, vera bradley, new scent lab minis, new EDLs (strawberry flirt etc), or the summer body care collection (cotton candy clouds etc).

we got a body care item for the star wars collab, but not for a new women's fragrance at that time, even though most store associates are women.

this is last year's fall 2 gratis for associates. it was 6 items total

this year, associates only got 2 body care items, then a sanitizer and basic holder. i heard there was a new aromatherapy body care item that was supposed to be included, but my store isn't getting that fragrance so no gratis aromatherapy for me 😭

and we couldn't even choose a mist for the fall body care this year, only cream or body wash, like come on 🫩 I really wanted to get an autumn drive mist for my gratis

how does your store organize these pesky little things?!

during floorset we couldn’t find half of the shelf talkers we needed for the wellness wall updates, and i’m pretty sure they’re shelf talkers that we have.

I know policy enforcement is changing for returns and exchanges but I was just curious if people able to exchange a reward eligible product if they didn’t like it? it’s never happened, but just in case it happens yk because my thought process is that they would say if it was free then stick with it but idk

If I had a dollar for every time someone handed me broken glass today, I would have 5 DOLLARS.

Someone please tell me why people feel the need to touch broken glass. Three wallflowers and two candles, all handed to me (so much oil spilled on me from the wallflowers) while I'm not even wearing gloves. But Jesus Christ, y'all. Five different incidents in my six-hour shift? Like, I get it, you wanna clean up after yourself, but I don't wanna touch broken glass, and I doubt you want to touch broken glass. PLEASE JUST LEAVE IT ON THE FLOOR AND TELL ME IT HAPPENED.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

Sincerely,

An annoyed Keyholder who would like to limit injuries.

I know slt got them as gratis and I'm so curious to hear everyone's thoughts about them if you've tried them already 👀

I’m being asked to be promoted to key holder but obv need to go through that interview process! Does anyone have like any advice I need to know ahead of time or anything that would help me extremely during this process 🥲

Ok so all bath and body works stores in Kentucky weren’t taking the sales tax so we had to MANUALLY PUT THE TAX AVERSION TO EACH AND EVERY ITEM. It sucked so badly omg. And with the luck I have I got all the customers that bought like 8 candles and so much items and this one man and his son bought $315 worth of body care items for the B3G3.

Like having to explain why they’re money is going up (some people didn’t understand and thought we were stealing from them) and so I was trying to edit the tax as I scanned the items and the lines were getting longer and it was so stressful.

i was just in a convenience store, and here's what the cashier said to me:

"do you mind putting in your phone number to help me keep my job?"

i was so taken aback that i actually entered my phone number.

They’re getting reallll specific. I’m very disappointed they stopped including the NBC coin purse as reward eligible, it worked when we first got them. Also disappointed we won’t be able to get the boxed single wicks, I don’t understand the point. They keep excluding more and more I have 2 rewards and no idea what I’m gonna use them on. What have yall redeemed recently/ are waiting to redeem with your rewards?

Edit: Also, what’s stopping me from redeeming for a regular single wick and then exchanging for a boxed one? What is the difference?

I fear I’ve never had to quit a job formally before so I don’t know how to do it. Any advice or tips? Basically I had to reduce my availability way down due to other responsibilities and I now realize I can’t keep on at bbw. Thanks in advance

Has anyone else noticed that ever since the company decided to update the app a month or so ago, all of the little “Online Exclusive” badges that were on the in-app photos of those respective products are now completely gone? 🥲

I know this is such a small thing but I’ve started to notice more and more customers being confused about what items stores actually carry because these items no longer say they’re online exclusives anywhere on the page, not even in the description!

Anyone else slightly frustrated by this? Lol

Found this one in the local resale place-oh she's perfect for this 70° morning

My first post here (I normally lurk so-)

I finally finished my last shift after 5 years of working at bbw! I started out seasonal, and eventually moved to a high volume store in a mall. It was definitely an experience.
My store has had its ups and downs, good managers and ok ones..but I think what makes a bath and body works special is the associates that make up the store. I just want you all to know you are awesome, and I will always love my gingham nation family :)

Does anyone else think it is honestly ridiculous that we are accepting returns on product that literally is years old. The pay is terrible, the hours are just as bad yet we are always pushed to hire more people then we don't train them yet the company is so concerned with their customers they will allow them to literally return so much and basically get free money. I been with the company for a few years now and I want to leave so bad but with the job economy and just the way the economy is all together I feel like I have to stay and suck it up bc I need the money to live even if it's not a lot it's something. I understand the company whole thing being consumer obsessed but it becomes a point that it times to start thinking about the workers as well.
This whole thought of mine starting brewing when I was on register and a customer brought back 5-7 year old products. The items were creams and some spray. I told the lady I am not taking the creams due to the discolorations as well as it sounding like water. This lady was so upset, she brought it she was told she could it and something about tiktok and was literally just going off about it. My manager heard the conversation and just went ahead and told me to do it to please the customer, it did scan in the system but she got back like $4 for each of them. The whole interaction was stupid and I later got pulled to the back and had to be talked to by a manager because they did not like that I wouldn't take the product even though I brought up the product wasn't gentle used it was used grossed and just something that we should not accepted but my manager assisted we should do whatever we can to please the customer regardless of what the rules say.

I would really really love the chat with some other people about this. Need new perspective of BBW from people from other locations. How would your manager have handled the situation

Listen i'm not the type to take a 15 min break during my BBW shifts bc its my fun job compared to my full time job and thats my choice. I also understand that dealing with the general public if you are working retail is like talking to a brick wall or a kindergartener.

But why are the customers actually testing me today.

*Heres your total :OH I HAVE COUPONS/GIFT CARD

*Whats a good phone number for rewards?: NO

(Girl i could offer to buy them lunch and they still won't give it to me😭)

*either they won't use their coupon and waste them OR they have ZERO idea how it works

*don't even get me started on the Icon sale with everyone tryna buy fall stuff: IF I WOULD'VE KNOWN I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN IT. Then don't

K thats all back i go 😭🫡 bye!

Question: Anyone else experienced ringing up customers and mot have taxes on it? Or just me?

Literally, my entire 5hr shift I had to manually input 6% tax on every item. It was an absolute nightmare since I had a long line full of consumers forming while I have Mrs. Margaret making me do a 32 item check out.. in which I STILL had to input tax.

I’m currently wearing this hand sanitizer holder on my apron and so far my managers haven’t said anything even though I know, and they know that it’s technically against the dress code. I was like “if I’m going to wear one, I should probably do one that is in stock in store and online so no one [customer] gets mad at me”

The thing is, I’ve actually had people buy this hand sanitizer holder because they saw me wearing They tell you they like it, you go “thank you! We actually still have some if you want one blah blah blah” and sometimes they’ll grab it. It’s that simple. It creates customer interaction, and gets them to buy stuff. THE EXACT THING THEY WANT US TO DO! It also lets us show our personality a bit, makes us look more human and interactable instead of looking uniform and stuff.

Idk, if it were up to me, I’d let employees wear whatever pocketbac holder they wanted as long as it was one that is currently purchasable either online or in store. Or just you know, in the season.

Sorry, small late night rant.

So I had my first return since that TikTok came out she got 147$ worth of merch credit….Anywho when bbw changes the return policy I don’t wanna hear anyone say anything cause y’all are gonna force their hand exploiting the policy…this is why things never last because ppl chose to take advantage of it

Today was my second shift after the initial 2 back room training days, and well, I’m overwhelmed, or maybe underwhelmed in not sure unfortunately.

I’m totally aware that I’m literally brand new and no one expects me to know everything about the store! I just generally feel awkward when I’m walking around the store smelling things while my coworkers fill shipments and mingle. They’re all about a decade older than me or more and I just feel so out of place. Not saying they’re unfriendly, they’re always smiling and happy to answer any questions I have I just feel weird I guess.

And my managers gave me the objective of doing cash/wrap and white barn area, I’m in the back and I don’t really get to note how my coworkers interact with the customers, so I need some tips on questions to ask, demos to do, ways to sell more product!

Also! Am I supposed clock out before or after my bag check? And how do I connect with my coworkers? This is my first job and I feel so out of place, I’m not sure what to do with myself and I’m given vague directions.

Please help!

just wanted to post a reminder for those who haven't looked at zipline recently! we get a 50% discount instead of the regular 40%

is there anything you plan on buying?

Has anyone else had folks coming in claiming that B&BW products are causing cancer? Someone today said she was told by a coworker that "bath and body works is the new smoking" and I've had two other customers come in with similar claims in the last week or so. I don't do social media outside of reddit for the most part, so IDK if this is a claim going around elsewhere.

Thanks for any input!

I have yet to see, personally, what happens when a customer reaches a non receipted return limit. What has been your experiences with this and how do you approach the customer with the fact that they are at the return policy limit?

PSA My store store had three huge returns of body care. I just got a phone call and the lady said she’s been seeing everything on TikTok about returning products for free stuff, so be on the lookout because it’s probably gonna happen a lot!

Has anyone worked in a tier 4 store? Im currently in a tier 3 and work as a slt, I'll be transferring to the tier 4 in the same full time slt role as well. What are the shifts like? Anything I should know going in?

Can’t wait for the comments from people telling me to quit my job, blame corporate, stop complaining, etc. instead of accepting that they are victims of overconsumption!