I enjoy purchasing Bath & Body Works products at the mall. Being a woman who likes the way certain scents are, it is disappointing when your favorite is “retired”. I was very attached to the light smelling scent of Rice Flower & Shea. When I learned that the scent was discontinued, I visited many of the local stores to buy what was available. During the stock-up process, I discovered the website www.bathandbodyworks.com and decided to investigate.
THE SITE
The www.bathandbodyworks.com website lays out the following product lines so makes it easier to find the type of product you are looking for:
Bath & Shower Body Moisturizers
Hand & Foot Care
Facial Skincare Hair Care
Spa & Aromatherapy
Candles & Home
Gifts
Sales & Specials
There is also a search function in case you have a particular item, or scent in mind, which I found to be a timesaver. When I did a search for my Rice Flower & Shea product, I just entered “rice flower” in the search function and pressed the “Search” button. The search returned three versions of the product (body wash, body lotion & body splash). When a scent is taken off the shelves, it can become a “Classic” scent, which is good thing as Bath & Body Works is notorious for bringing the scents back temporarily to the stores and luckily, online at www.bathandbodyworks.com. The search did bring up other items that were not exactly what I was looking for, but were interesting to look at.
MAKING THE PAYMENT
First of all, you will need to sign in or set up an account on www.bathandbodyworks.com. If you are in the process of setting up a new account, you would press the “Continue Checkout” button to go to the address section. Next, you will need to fill in the required information on the site for the billing address, including your name, full address, telephone and email address.
In addition to the demographic data, the account set-up will ask you if you want to receive the Bath & Body Works newsletter and other promotional information. In case you don’t make a purchase while looking over the website, you can still sign-up for email and get the offers. I would strongly suggest signing up. Normally I receive emails advertising the latest sale online with some bonuses attached, like free shipping online or a free gift in store with minimum purchase. It is a great way to try out some new products.
In the past, I’ve received an email coupon from www.bathandbodyworks.com for a True Blue Spa product with $15 purchase or a Signature Collection product (valued at $12) with a $10 purchase. I have also at times combined coupons received online and used them in the store along with the store sale, as long as you meet the purchase requirement. For example, I had a coupon for a free Breathe product, valued at $12.50 with a $15.00 purchase. At the same time, the store sale for hand soaps was five for $15.00, normally $6.00 or $5.00 each depending on the hand soap selected. If I didn’t take advantage of the coupon, I would have paid $27.50 plus tax. By using the coupon, I paid $15.00 plus tax and walked away with a free $12.50 product, which was a Breathe In-Shower Moisturizer, under the scent Tranquil Lotus Blossom. I really am enjoying this freebie and may lead me to buying this in the future, which is likely the intent of offering the free product in the first place.
The shipping information is entered on this screen. Normally you will see your billing address as the default. Otherwise, you may enter a different address or multiple locations. This screen will also list out your estimated total order along with the shipping method. The shipping method is determined by the amount you order. Sometimes there will be offers for free shipping for an order over a certain amount. There will probably be a promotional code to use, which would be entered during the payment step. I normally opt for ground as I am not in a major hurry for the products as long as I have the items stocked in my home. In addition, you may choose to see gift wrap options. The order would be wrapped up in a gift box and come along with a gift tag that you could personalize. The cost appears to be $4.00, but I am not sure if the price differs depending on the number of items ordered.
When determining your payment options, you have the option to enter a promotional code and/or gift card. The www.bathandbodyworks.com website will provide a Cost Summary on the same page, which will include the merchandise subtotal, shipping and handling, sales tax and the total order cost. The shipping and handling charges are determined by the amount of your order. This screen will provide you with the recap of your order so you can check for accuracy. If you go to the next screen, then your order is processed. Once you reach this screen, your order is processed and a receipt is noted. You will also receive an email from www.bathandbodyworks.com detailing the same order.
OVERALL
I have placed orders on the www.bathandbodyworks.com site and try to take advantage of free shipping promotions whenever possible. I have never had any issues receiving my orders. I do recommend signing up for the mailing list, even if you don’t plan to purchase online. If you enjoy going to the Bath & Body Works retail stores, the free products with purchase are a great deal.
