Buyer beware at the Bath and Body Works Outlet Stores

SL6827

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
I always post when I get good deals and such at Bath and Body and so I am going to post about them getting one over on me, even if it wasn't but for like $2, that is $2.00 that I should have caught because I am very vigilant on when and what coupons to use, the sales, ect. But they did get this over on me.

I went to the Bath and Body outlet store in Calhoun, Ga this past Saturday because we were in the area for my daughter's FFA event and we had time to kill. I went in and purchased two items, a wallflower and a "candle holder". As pictured here with my receipt. Well I went online and seen where the "candle holder" was $12.50 online and should have been the same price in store, and this was an outlet and I was charged $2 more. So beware the outlet stores, especially the one in Calhoun, Ga. I went and posted about it on the Bath and Body Facebook page, but no response, shocking.IMG_2018-09-09_13-10-49.JPG
 
I haven't been to a BBB Outlet store, but do they say the outlet store price will be the same as online?
I know with the Levi's Outlet stores, the prices are HIGHER because you are going to an exclusive Levi store. They make no representation that they price match the website.
 
I haven't been to a BBB Outlet store, but do they say the outlet store price will be the same as online?
I know with the Levi's Outlet stores, the prices are HIGHER because you are going to an exclusive Levi store. They make no representation that they price match the website.
Well an outlet store is "supposed" to be cheaper, but rarely is, but for it to be higher in price, ugh, no. I love the way they didn't respond at all to my post on Facebook. But, it is possible that it could have been an honest mistake and they priced the item incorrectly. We all make mistakes, so it could have very well been that. But be very aware of the prices if you shop at one of their outlets.
 
The last time I purchased at a Bath and Body Works outlet, the product smelled off and appeared to be old stock. Now I order online and pay the shipping rather than go to the outlet store.
 


There are outlet stores by me. It may be well known, but maybe not... the stock at some outlet stores are Specifically made for Outlet selling.
Meaning, that name brand bag that you bought is Not their regular high end stock you just happened to get a great deal on. It was stock not seen in the regular retail store.

My g/friend was so surprised .. so I thought I’d pass along. Nothing wrong with getting the “outlet” purchase, but being informed that it’s not their retail offer nor is it of the same quality.
 
we used to live by one of their outlets and i could always do better on an item when they had a sale on-line b/c they are one of the few that will let you stack a discount code on top of an already good sale price (and the outlets don't always accept the coupons). just this past week i took advantage of their buy 3 get 3 sale topped off with a 20% off the entire order code.
 
This was my very first stop at the Bath and Body Works Outlet store there. And the only reason was the fact that we were in the area for a FFA event and had time to kill. Now I have shopped at the other outlet stores in that outlet mall like Old Navy, Coach, Nike, ect. but never the Bath and Body Works store. Probably won't venture in there again, especially with 2-3 other regular stores I can go to.
 


I’ve been in their outlet store in Sevierville, TN, and they do not have the same sale prices as the regular stores. Last time I stopped in there, I had an email showing $5 2-packs of Wallflower refills. In the outlet store, they didn’t even have any 2-packs available, and the singles were the usual 5 for $23. I walked out without buying anything.
 
I’ve been in their outlet store in Sevierville, TN, and they do not have the same sale prices as the regular stores. Last time I stopped in there, I had an email showing $5 2-packs of Wallflower refills. In the outlet store, they didn’t even have any 2-packs available, and the singles were the usual 5 for $23. I walked out without buying anything.
My favorite Fall scent, Heirloom Apple does not have any of the 2-pack Wallflower refills at all. Just singles. But I bought a whole case of them about 6 weeks ago at one time. LoL!:crazy:
 
I want to update. I went into a regular BBW store today and the item was the same price as in the outlet store. $14.50. But online, still $12.50, so I think BBW is experimenting with price differences in store verses online. So for all those who frequent the store, keep an eye out for this.
 
My outlet has the same prices as the stores, accepts the same coupons, really I can't tell any difference between the two places.
 
This is the very first time I have noticed a difference in prices with the stores verses online. Makes me wonder if they might have priced it incorrectly online, or if they are testing the waters with different prices. But both the outlet and the regular store has the item at $14.50, online it is $12.50.
 
This is the very first time I have noticed a difference in prices with the stores verses online. Makes me wonder if they might have priced it incorrectly online, or if they are testing the waters with different prices. But both the outlet and the regular store has the item at $14.50, online it is $12.50.
If they are they wouldn't be the first ones to do that. Frequently stores have different pricing online than in-store, heck even different locations may have different pricing when it comes to sales or clearance items. Now some other stores have price match guarantee with their online website and their in-store locations.

BUT I do know some places are at least up front about it. For example when I search my Walmart app it will tell me at times that online pricing may vary from in-store pricing.

For your specific issue another example is I buy my cat's dry and wet food at Petsmart and 1) they tend to offer a 5-10% discount for online ordering but in-store pickup 2) they'll have sales online that are not extended to sales in-store OR they will have different sales. I buy Feliway also at Petsmart and frequently it will be half off online and not on sale at all in-store.

Good catch though if that's the issue for alerting folks!
 
If they are they wouldn't be the first ones to do that. Frequently stores have different pricing online than in-store, heck even different locations may have different pricing when it comes to sales or clearance items. Now some other stores have price match guarantee with their online website and their in-store locations.

BUT I do know some places are at least up front about it. For example when I search my Walmart app it will tell me at times that online pricing may vary from in-store pricing.

For your specific issue another example is I buy my cat's dry and wet food at Petsmart and 1) they tend to offer a 5-10% discount for online ordering but in-store pickup 2) they'll have sales online that are not extended to sales in-store OR they will have different sales. I buy Feliway also at Petsmart and frequently it will be half off online and not on sale at all in-store.

Good catch though if that's the issue for alerting folks!
Thanks! I am just guessing, I really don't know, but this is the first that I have seen of it.
 
TONS of things from Target are cheaper on their website. The cat food we use is over $2/box cheaper from target.com.
 
The only difference I see between our BBW outlet vs regular store is the outlet tends to have more clearance items, and the end of year sale is stocked better than the regular stores.
 
This is the very first time I have noticed a difference in prices with the stores verses online. Makes me wonder if they might have priced it incorrectly online, or if they are testing the waters with different prices. But both the outlet and the regular store has the item at $14.50, online it is $12.50.
It could just be that the cost of doing business online is less. No individual store rent, consolidation...
 
This is the very first time I have noticed a difference in prices with the stores verses online. Makes me wonder if they might have priced it incorrectly online, or if they are testing the waters with different prices. But both the outlet and the regular store has the item at $14.50, online it is $12.50.

Many brands run their brick and mortar stores and online divisions as separate companies so to speak. This is why there are sometimes sales on line not matched in stores or vice versa. I see this often at clothes stores like LOFT or White House Black Market...where the same thing can cost differently depending how you buy it. ULTA does this too.

For example, this past Sunday LOFT had $50 off a $100 purchase online. I wanted to try on a few things, so I went to the store and no dice in terms of getting them to price match. So I tried the items on in the store and left. In this case, I did not particularly love (or need) the items after seeing them in person, so I passed. I have mentioned to the stores before that it all seems counter intuitive. So many physical stores and malls are suffering, yet things are very often less online. No wonder people tend toward buying online more.

Anyway, several times I have been told they also track inventory separately so sometimes online they need to get rid of different items, but that doesn't seem to make a ton of sense to me since these same brands will let you buy online and pick up in store or will ship it to you from a store if you order it online.
 
Stores often have higher prices than online - there are far more costs involved with a physcal store than with an online presence. Online scales well, staffing is mostly on the IT side, inventory can be held in warehouses, and they often charge for shipping when their costs are low.
 

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