Bath & Body Works

Bath & Body • Complaints Recalls • Ice shaver • Nature's candles • Pumpkin tealight candles

Things from this store have a nasty habit of starting fires. Besides the complaints below, there have been several recalls of items sold at Bath and Body Works.

Ebone' of Harisburg, PA October 3, 2009

I received a call on 9/30/9 that my home was on fire. I couldn't believe it because I unplug everything, I won't leave the house until all the lights are off, oven checked, bedroom appliances checked. I got home and my house was ingulved in flames. Once the fire was put out the Fire Marshall came to me and asked what was plugged up in the Master bedroom it was a Bath& Body wallflower.He said it was one of two things "it got to hot and exploded or the oil leaked into the electric socket".

I lost my bedroom & furniture, my sons bedroom & furniture, and two bathrooms, my exercise equipment, clothing, shoes,etc.... I would have never in a million years would have thought, I used the Wallflowers for years! All I could think "Not my house"! It hit me that I lost so much and just little things that you just dont think of. On 10/1/09 I had to take my son to school but I was running late so I called the school to see if someone could me us outside because I was in a fire and lost all my clothes and I all I had on was a jacket a panjama shirt, its really hard, I woke crying yesterday because it dawned on me that I didnt have an iron or an ironing board or tooth paste, makeup, I lost my senior pictures, high school/college photos. I can't stop crying, I cant believe this all happend by a "Wallflower"! The wallflower is literally melted into the electric socket! the electricity was cut off, Its hard for me to try and salvage anything with out a flashlight. I am totally displaced, If some could be contact me

LaChelle of Crowley, TX September 29, 2009

On Saturday, September 19, 2009 my daughter and I along with her friend went to Bath and Body Works in Cedar Hill, Texas. Upon entering the store I heard a loud voice say, "Hey girl come on in". I ignored the voice and continued to the counter. I asked an associate for help and immediately she came from behind the counter to assist me. My daughter and her friend were looking at the lip gloss. I overheard the same loud voice say to the girls "do you want to get this lip gloss", and my daughter responded yes, but I have to ask my mom. The same loud voice begins to yell from across the room, "Mama!, Mama!, Mama!", as I ignored him which now I could clearly put a face with the voice. The man, who I assumed was an employee, approached me while I was being helped already. He said, "Try this Mama", and I said, "I"m not your Mama", and he said, "Well you're someone's now try this" and he proceeded to apply lip gloss to my lips. I said "What are you doing"? He replied, "All African American women love this." I said, "How do you know I'm African American?" He said, "It doesn't matter this is what you need to look sexy and anyways you can pretend all you want, I know you're a Sista", meaning a Black lady.

I was so embarrassed. My children and customers, as well as employees all stared in disbelief. He continued in the same tone. He said, "So now you're going to be hard-headed and ignore me." I tried very hard to act as if this wasn't happening, but it was IMPOSSIBLE! I was violated and had racial remarks thrown at me several times. I was harassed and felt humiliated in front of my daughter. I asked the associate that was helping me if this guy was the manager since no one else in the store thought to ask him to stop. I was so frustrated and disappointed that Bath and Body hired someone that didn't live up to their high standards. He was very unprofessional and disrespectful. If this was an approach that he uses to get people to buy or to make a sale, he needs to be trained again.

It was totally embarrassing and I've never had an experience in my life like this one, especially not at Bath & Body Works, in any state. I couldn't tolerate his behavior any longer. I left the store without making my purchase, which, by the way, would have been a big purchase since I was shopping for a Bridal Shower and needed several gifts for the games and hostesses. I was so upset that my entire day was ruined.

bobbie of richardson, TX July 21, 2009

I bought 4 bottles of your signature lotions "White Citrus" 1 ounce bottles and 2 of them had clumps in them. I have the upc code of one of them I unfortunately gave the other ones to people as gifts. I have a upc code of 637293602598; I have been a big fan of your products for over 10 years and this is a first.

mehak of glen allen , VA June 18, 2009

I recently bought a Wallflower pluggable fragrance set from Bath and Body works during their Semi annual sale. I came home and put it in my bedroom hoping to get a nice fragrance all day long. But instead it filled my bedroom with this smell which made feel nauseous and I had watery eyes. I opened the window in my room thinking it must be something else but still I felt the same.

Now everything in my room smells of it. My bed sheets and clothes and even my hair. Even when I goto work I get that lingering smell from my hair no matter how much perfume I use. I removed it the same day from my room. But I still have that nauseous feeling. I am sure they use some chemicals that have caused it. It must have definetely given out some fumes that penetrated deep inside my bedding and clothes and my hair. I will be going to the doctor tomorrow to get a check up. I checked on BBW website they dont have any phone numbers given and all I could do is fill out a form which I am sure they will not be bothered about checking.

Bonita of Plymouth, MN September 16, 2008

Bonita of Plymouth MN (09/16/08)
I am a frequent Bath and Body Works Consumer. lately I have thought of finding new fragrances elsewhere. My time is fragile. I was in the Mall of America Store, the larger of the 2. This particular store sells more specialty products than other BBW stores. About a month ago I was there and asked questions about a certain acne product that is higher priced than most retail store acne products. I asked many questions including what their return policy is. I was told that they guarantee all their products 100% and if it did not work for me than I could bring it back. The BBW host even stated not to worry, even if the product was empty they would still guarantee this product as I explained to her that I need something for my back and chest. I paid for this item at around 38.00.

On 8-13-08 I brought the item back to the store and wanted to just exchange it for something else that might work better because this item did not work for my acne type or just get store credit as in the mean time I had lost my receipt knowing I would not be able to just get a refund. It did not matter to me about a refund because I am, or was, a huge consumer of BBW. I was promised a 100% guarantee. This statement is clearly on their receipts of purchase as well.

The clerk stated to me that she needed to ask someone something. She came back and only would give me a store credit of 10% back. She stated to me that it was over half used and that it should not take a month to figure out if it works and that I should have tried returning the item after 2 weeks. I stated to the clerk that I do not get to the Mall of America that often. She also stated to me that every retail store out there has their policies in place for a reason. She stated to me that I would not be able to buy a pair of jeans from a store, wear them for a week and then try to return them.

I was furious with this. Especially when the clerk encouraged me to take the product home and acted like it was not difficult at all and gave me that cushion to say here, try it. If it does not work we will refund or exchange for something else.

I had also purchased a gift for a friend at the time I purchased the acne medicaton. After the clerk sold the product to me, her receipt printer malfunctioned. I asked for a gift receipt and I was told not to worry about a gift receipt because they will exchange the product of equal value if my friend does not like her gift. They say this with all of their purchases. My friend stated to me that she had a difficult time exchanging without the receipt.

I will never buy or test anything from BBW that requires time to get results. I am contimplatng buying anything at all from them anymore. I am sick and tired of this type of service. Obviously this is just not the clerks policy since she had to ask her manager what she should do.

The use of gas driving 25 miles to purchase this at a larger BBW store and then another 25 miles back to exchange. Not all BBW stores offer this item. Them embarrasment I felt as the clerk scolded me in front of her staff and other customers.

Edith of Spring Valley, NY July 12, 2008

Edith of Spring Valley NY (07/12/08)
I was in nanuet mall shopping and I always love to go to that store because all the girls there are so helpful and friendly. they make me feel comfortable shopping. the reason for this email is because I was shopping there on wednesday 7.9.08 and there was a woman by the name of ellen whom I think is a manager because I've never seen her before, if she is a manager she is very unprofessional the whole time I was there all she did was demand the girls to do things, and her tone of voice was ridiculous. you would have thought these girls were 4 or 5.

I've worked in retail and know what its like to have a manager that speaks nasty to you and make you dislike your job. I don't want to see any of the girls leave that store on account of that manager. she really needs a class on commnication in the business, because noone deserves that especially not the girls at the nanuet store.

Jessica of Hamilton, NJ January 16, 2008

Jessica of Hamilton NJ (01/16/08)
I purchased a wallflower from Bath and Body Works; they are the scented oil dispensers that are plugged into the wall. I sat it down in its upright position, and it must have been leaking. YES THEY LEAK! A GOOD PRODUCT WOULD NOT LEAK! It leaked on to my BRAND NEW cherry bedroom furniture, and when I wiped it off, it had eaten the finish off my dresser! It left an indentation the exact shape and size of the wallflower's bottom piece. Mind you, it was only on the dresser for a matter of minutes, and like I said it was in the UPRIGHT position. I contacted Bath and Body Works to file a complaint as well as to investigate if anything could be done to rectify my situation. Upon speaking to a woman (Gigi), I was informed that I am not the first to have this problem. She offered me a gift card for 25 and a replacement wallflower! What would make her think I would chance my belongings again with this product is beyond me!

She then said someone from insurance would contact me. They did! But only to inform that on the box it says that the product may leak. WOW! She said they could not issue damages to me as it says on the box that is should not be placed on finished surfaces! I for one never read either of these things and will be investigating this further! My question is how can they continue to sell a product that is used in peoples homes, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, etc. so at any given time if their product leaks they are not responsible because they warned you it could leak! WHERE EXACTLY IS IT SAFE TO PUT THIS HOME ITEM? It would seem to me that they should pull it off the shelf until they can ensure that it does not leak. For instance, if you plug it in and it happens to leak into the electric socket directly below it, this could cause a fire. They are not responsible because they told you it may leak.They should have a visible warning label printed BOLDLY for all to see. If this were the case, would people still purchase the product? I think not. At least I would'nt have! What a crummy way to do business!

My dresser that was less than a year old is worth over 500 and is now damaged. Unfortunately for me it is  part of a set.

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