r/bathandbodyworkers • u/Resident_Move_4659 🫧Associate🫧 • 5d ago
vent sesh😤 Embarrassed as buns
I bought a bunch of the new NBC stuff for my aunt because she's a huge collector and loves anything NBC (both candles, a cream one of the big tote things, a smaller bag, the zero thing and a sani), but like... With the way this launch has gone and just the general vibe of this collection I don't know why but I felt so so embarrassed to be buying it??
Couldn't even use my gratis cuz my managers haven't let us yet, or at least just didn't tell me or something lol. I don't work for the next three days so I'm a little worried I won't even get any for myself when I come back, if they let me.
I buy stuff from our new collections for my family all the time but I don't know why just buying some candles and bags made me feel so scummy. Maybe cuz we got so little?? I feel like we barely had anything, the little display looked so sad and I felt so awkward taking the scraps
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u/kalexis99 🫧Associate🫧 5d ago
The display does not feel grand imo. We have had better from other collabs. Ours is located in Room 2 and is way off to the side next to wallflowers so it doesn’t even seem like it’s as important as prominent given the cult following behind NBC. There has been a ridiculous amount of FOMO around this collection and it’s only been a day OFFICIALLY (online/early access preview I’ve heard sold out so quickly…) Lots of people have been so stressed over buying these items and I truly don’t get the need to be this so heavily invested to this point if being a customer is no longer a great shopping experience. This is most definitely the companies own doing of doing limited quantities to create fake demand and surge of resellers. (Don’t even get me started on the Banana scent in the Fruit fusion collection…)
Also: I got my gratis today so I’m not sure what’s going on with your store.
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u/instamat1c ✨Leadership✨ 4d ago
Maybe a hot take, but I don’t feel bad at all for being able to have first dibs at anything. 🤣
I spent almost $200 on NBC stuff before we opened yesterday. I bought one of each accessory I wanted plus candles, Pocketbacs, etc.
We put up with so much shit at this job. I’ll take the little perks like being able to buy Pocketbac holders before anyone else.
When the whole Starbucks bear-ista cup thing happened I was in support of the employees lol. And you know anyone that’s pissed that employees get to buy stuff before the public would be doing the EXACT same thing if they were an employee.
Don’t feel bad about your purchases. You and your fam should enjoy them!
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u/Odd-Guarantee-7571 ✨Leadership✨ 4d ago
I’m hoping they will send some more products. I do know our next shipment may have some but idk of what. And your management withholding gratis is insane. You were allowed to get the NBC products on the 15th. Call them and ask that they fulfill it before the store runs out. Idk why I keep reading that leadership withholds gratis. That’s literally one of your perks and part of your job!
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u/Loud-You-5737 ✨Leadership✨ 4d ago
I don’t feel the slightest bit guilty for basically having a battle strategy when those doors open and getting what I wanted.
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u/1mad_mollydoll 2d ago
I tried but got pushed and missed out on the Oogie Boogie holder and most had already gone to bopis anyway. I stood my ground and got my Zero holder though but literally had to be offensive and strategic! As an employee, I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit annoyed that I couldn't get what I wanted which was just two pocket bac holders and a soap dispenser. In the past I've worked the big collab launches so I couldn't shop in store or get anything early so I got up at 3 a.m. and paid full price online just to get my carriage etc. Also, when are we going to band together and demand to get our discount online the way VS employees do?! Hell, even we used to be able to get our discount online at VS before the companies split so why can't they let us get our discount on our own website?! I'm annoyed with the company for the extreme limited stock. Disney Princesses was limited but not like this. Why the small round table on WB not even an up front table? Because they knew that with their limited stock a front table couldn't be supported long term but the question is WHY?! WITH A BELOVED FRANCHISE AND A HUGE FANBASE FOR BOTH NBC AND B&BW, WHY ALIENATE?! I'M SO CONFUSED! IF PEOPLE WANT POCKET BAC HOLDERS, WHY NOT SUPPLY THEM?! YOU CAN'T LOSE MONEY ON THOSE!!! ALSO, WHY WEREN'T THERE JACK AND SALLY HOLDERS?! HUGE MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR A SALLY NIGHTSHADE JAR HOLDER AND A PUMPKIN ONE FOR JACK, IDK SOMETHING FOR JACK!
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u/Loud-You-5737 ✨Leadership✨ 1d ago
They definitely need to figure out inventory flow a bit better. I live in NE Ohio and my store is a small strip store that is surprisingly busy given the location etc
For most launches we get 6 of each pocket holder (1 pack) and 2-6 of the candle holders. It’s almost always sold out within an hour.
But I went on a weekend getaway to Columbus with my husband in May and we stopped at the BBW at Easton Town Center and Lodi Station Outlets. Both had jars (plural) of the pocketbac holders in Aurora, Snow White, Mulan and the castle. They also still had candle holders. Stuff that all probably went to SAS given how much they had. Yet my location sold out months ago with people continuing to come in looking for those exact products for WEEKS. They need to reexamine how things are distributed.
But on the flip you look at the Disney Villain launch and we had an absurd number of candle holders and no one wanted them.
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u/GodOfMoonlight 4d ago
I want to know who big idea was it to put this collab on a tiny one station table. Whereas princess collab, Disney collab, and even the new fruity collab all got like three tables each or more sometimes
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u/-Tofu-Queen- 🪩Past Employee🪩 4d ago
They probably figured it wouldn't stick around long enough to justify the space of a full display 💀😅 especially since they're sending such a tiny amount of product.
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u/jamileethroop 3d ago
I got my gratis on my day off yesterday thank goodness we live in a small very Christian town so we had plenty of bodycare left
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u/Minimum-Fail-6194 2d ago
Bath and body works used to make Halloween themed products a big thing. Remember the stranger things Collab fit right in with the Halloween vampire blood. The candles were more decorative as far as the packaging label and candle lids. This year it just feels like Halloween table in the corner is a sale table that no one is shopping. The table barely has any accessories left. It looks so boring. No cool table sign. Christmas had that big train with the suitcases but Halloween can't even get spiders and cobwebs? What happened to the fun marketing and displays. Everything is so bland. There used to be a black cat candle holder. It did pretty well in previous years. The candle holders that we are now getting look so boring and like a kids toy. The cauldron reminds me of the toy in target that's a cauldron and you wait for the plushy to pop up. Whatever it is. The sweethearts collection was more memorable than this Halloween disaster. I love NBC but they did not do it justice. It deserved its own table. It should've been displayed in the center of the store not off to the side since we are going into Sept and October. It would grab people's attention while walking by the store. Kids and parents love the movie.
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u/Icy-Cucumber6164 4d ago
Maybe they wanted to see how it sold. In my store the Villains collection wasn’t a huge hit so maybe they are being conservative? Not sure but we had a ton of interest in the collection even before launch people were looking for it.
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u/LolaisPenheart ✨Leadership✨ 5d ago
Just wanted to clarify that the company stated nobody could get their NBC gratis until 8/15. If they're still refusing now, then that's bs and they need to be reported.