August 23, 2023

Bath & Body Works Sales Decline Which Means Sh1T Is Serious

Not to make light of a bad situation but when Bath & Body Works sales decline you know sh1t is serious. According to news outlets Bath & Body Works’ sales have declined in Q2 which is a pretty bad sign for the Holiday 2023 Beauty World. Bath & Body Works has always had a very strong customer and fan base. I honestly feel they could sell snow in the Winter to most of us. Lately, I’ve been noticing an increasing amount of sales especially ones on their new Rewards App (today you can snag Halloween 2023 at 50% Off) not to mention they have been really, really trying hard lately with new releases like the Gingham Sleep Collection and Laundry Detergent.

Although their earnings perform better than they had hoped Bath & Body Works has said sales have slid in the second quarter and I can testify to this just by looking at their recent Halloween 2023 Collection. This is normally a huge collection release and I can recall last year many items just flying off shelves. This year, not so much! And now 50% off so soon after the launch? That alone speaks volumes. Not to mention we’ve had quite a few 20% offers and other incentive sales to buy almost every other week!

This comes as no surprise though does it? The economy is in shambles and many large retailers like Macy’s and Kohl’s are feeling the effects. As per Bath & Body Works: “To be clear, we aren’t seeing any trade down in our business, but we’ve observed that the customer is carefully managing their spending against the backdrop of a challenging macroeconomic environment.”

According to reports the company expects net sales to decline 1.5 to 3.5 percent. My mom called me a few months back and said she saw on the news Bath & Body Works was getting ready to close some stores and I quickly brushed it off as always confused Bath & Body Works with Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I had assumed at the time she meant that Bed, Bath, and Beyond locations were closing but maybe she really did hear Bath & Body Works.

Apparently and interestingly enough home fragrances, soaps, and sanitizers make up over half of Bath & Body Works business! That’s insane to me and boggles my mind. I’d have guessed it was more in the fragrance mist and body collection line. These three popular categories have all declined in the last year (I know I put myself on a candle and hand soap ban!).

Don’t worry! Your beloved Bath & Body Works isn’t in too much trouble but I do think this is a lesson in what’s to come for the Holiday Season. I’m sure people will be very disciplined with how they spend their money and on what. I do also, wonder what the sales situation will be like because as I recall last year the sales were very limited to Black Friday and Cyber Monday with certain brands and not much before or after those two big sale days.

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About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Dee

    I have cut way back on what I purchase from BBW over the last year. I used to have quite the stash of candles but I don’t haul those like I used to. The price for the three-wick is ridiculous when you can get the same size elsewhere for less. I’m not on a candle ban. I am looking and purchasing elsewhere.

    • Isabella Muse

      I cut back bc I have quite a huge stash of candles! Aside from that I’d buy if I didn’t have so many bc with sales and coupons I still feel they are a good deal!

  • Christine Dunham

    I stopped buying their products because its just all chemicals! I also don’t want to burn their candles anymore! I think sales are down because people are becoming more aware of all the chemicals in their products!

    • Isabella Muse

      ugh I know 🙁 My OB-GYN gave me a big lecture about this last visit!

  • Ashley Abrams

    I was a loyal buyer of soaps but have moved to filling up at a refill story to try to be more sustainable. I’d easily buy from them again given I love their scents if they embraced that.

    • Isabella Muse

      don’t quote me but aren’t the testing out refills now? They have bagged soaps I think at certain stores!

  • Deena

    I have noticed that their fall collection was a lot less than last year.

    • Isabella Muse

      Halloween as fairly big! I think Fall is rolling out a bit slower!

  • Liz

    This is isn’t surprising given how much they’ve increased the prices over the years. Hoping they are testing the pricing waters with all these sales to find the sweet spot!

  • Fey

    I wonder if their company hit their historic peak and is struggling to beat that. (Probably not.)

    Here are a couple smart things they did that I noticed as a consumer: handsoaps that don’t contain dyes and refills. Their containers are up cycled plastic. Another thing, expanding their men’s fragrance line. I’ve seen them mentioned positively in fragrance groups, and there is an upward trend of younger American men being more interested in fragrance.

    I don’t use their fragrance mists anymore. They’re so weak now. I don’t use their shower gel because it dried out my skin over the years. I don’t dare use their new shampoo or laundry lines. I wish they’d release more actual perfumes. I only buy their handsoaps, and sometimes my hands need a break from them.

    I started buying body care from Yves Rocher or l’Occitane, which can recycle empty containers and plant trees and support biodiversity to a small extent (as they still make profit and plastic waste).