Long story short: They don't honor sales plastered around their own store!!! They refused to honor…read moretheir Buy 3 body care, get 3 free promo!
The long story: I've spent a pretty penny at Bath & Body Works over the past few months, and unfortunately, this has got to be the worst location I've visited!
I typically order online for in store pickup and then browse for a few additional items while I'm there. Today, I spent nearly an hour picking out products after the employee who greeted me verbally confirmed that they were running a Buy 3, Get 3 Free body care promotion, along with a free 3 wick candle with a $50+ purchase for members, which I am.
When I got to the register, however, I was suddenly told that the promotion "doesn't apply" because the body wash I selected was "part of a different sale." This made absolutely no sense, especially since the exact same body wash was included in the Buy 3, Get 3 Free promotion online, which was clearly advertised as being available both online and in stores. Instead, I was encouraged to use my rewards to get the items which still would've amounted to more than the sale price!
The total at the register was $99 and change. The exact same cart in the Bath & Body Works app came to $58.69. That's a difference of more than $40!
At that point, I left everything I had picked out, collected my existing online order, and placed a new order online for pickup at another location down the road. I even double checked with an employee at the other store about whether the body wash in question was included in the in store promotion, and she confirmed that it was!
It's incredibly frustrating to spend that much time shopping based on promotions advertised ALL OVER THE STORE, and even confirmed by an employee, only to be told something completely different once you reach the register. It genuinely felt like I was being hustled into paying significantly more than the advertised promotion price. I shop at Bath & Body Works frequently, but I won't be returning to this location despite how convenient it is. There are several other locations nearby where I've had significantly better experiences.
The staff up front were attentive, but there was another smaller issue that stood out. When I was asked what I was looking for, I specifically explained that I was trying to stay away from vanilla because I already own far too many vanilla and gourmand scents and wanted something less sweet and more along mahogany/teakwood style scents. I was then repeatedly recommended more vanilla and dessert heavy fragrances. As a salesperson, active listening is incredibly important, so this was a little frustrating, although I initially brushed it off and assumed the employees might simply be new. That experience was far less bothersome than what happened at the register.
What concerns me most is that the cashier apparently contacted another employee over the walkie talkie to "confirm" that the body wash wasn't included in the promotion. If that's the case, this wasn't simply one cashier misunderstanding the sale. More than one employee appeared to have incorrect information about a promotion the company was actively advertising, while another Bath & Body Works location correctly confirmed that the product qualified.
I'll be contacting corporate about the experience as well. Refusing to honor an advertised promotion, particularly after an employee confirmed it and another location verified that the item qualified, is completely unacceptable. A $40+ discrepancy is substantial, and situations like this can easily cost a company loyal customers.
