Bath and Body Works used to own the mall fragrance space. Now traffic is shrinking, margins are squeezed and a new CEO is blaming the old playbook.
In this episode, we break down what went wrong and whether the turnaround plan has a real shot.
We cover:
- How chasing “adjacent” categories like shampoo and laundry backfired
- Why discounting destroys price integrity in a brand-led business
- The missed opportunity in e-commerce and Amazon resellers
- What Bath and Body Works can learn from Walmart, Target and TJX
- How to think about profit from the core in your own business
If you want to sharpen your operator brain and see how a real consumer brand tries to pull out of a stall, this one is for you.
Partner Links:
- Learn more about NordStellar's Threat Exposure Management Program; unlock 20% off with code BLACKFRIDAY20 until Dec. 10, 2025
Chapters:
- 00:30 Introduction to Bath and Body Worksv
- 06:37 Analyzing Bath and Body Works' Strategy
- 11:40 Challenges in Product Expansion
- 17:32 E-commerce Strategy and Customer Engagement
- 27:34 Future Outlook
- Listen to the Market Outsiders podcast, the new daily show with the Management Consulted team
Connect With Management Consulted
- Schedule free 15min consultation with the MC Team.
- Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube!
- Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and industry insights!
- Join an upcoming live event - case interviews demos, expert panels, and more.
- Email us (team@managementconsulted.com) with questions or feedback.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.