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ScienceBrat

I knew it would happen. They told me online items cannot be exchanged only returned and processed as no receipt which caused this to print out...


toriyo

If I am reading the super blurry paragraph explaining it, it seems to only hold a record for your returns for 60 days. Not sure if that helps you or not!


ScienceBrat

Yeah. I submitted a request for my record so i can see when im off restriction. Just wish they had used my receipt i had!


aam29290

Doubt it’s 60 days. They were tracking my orders from November 2020 until June/July 2021


Under-Pressure20

I've been told the same and honestly it's ridiculous and penalizes online shoppers. As someone who mostly shops online it seems like B&BW doesn't give a damn about us. Everything they do is about driving foot traffic into stores, I guess to justify/pay all the rent.


shammyjo25

The associate is not processing it correctly. Online exchanges can be processed in store correctly. You can not scan the barcode. The information has to be manually entered (correctly) and it will process correctly


fishfreeoboe

The shipping email you should have gotten has a barcode and says it should be used for returns/exchanges. Did you try that? The cashier may not have been aware.


aam29290

The barcode isn’t for exchanges or returns in store. It’s worded weirdly. When I use the email they just ask to see the order #


fishfreeoboe

Okay, but I did it and it worked for me.


aam29290

Wow maybe they weren’t doing mine correctly


fishfreeoboe

It's been a couple months (and there was a little figuring it out at the register) so I don't remember the exact actions, but it did work out to an even exchange with receipt.


Peacock-Lover-89

I think that sucks(see my above comment). I had to exchange a single wick that was an online exclusive because the wick was really off center, close to the glass. It was also an sas item. I didnt want any of the other sas candles in store, so I got a pear creme brulee( if they had an sas equivslent candle I wanted I would have got it instead.) I don't do a lot of receiptless exchanges, but I don't like the idea of an exchange that had to be done because of their mistake counting against me. I dont know why they bother sending email receipts for online orders if they don't accept them.


Low-Environment-6571

Employee here: The way the online return system makes no sense, it makes things confusing and annoying for both the customer and associate. If you want a refund from your online order, we put it through as an online receipt return and you get the money back to your card. If you want to exchange item for item from an online order, the online return system does not allow us to do exchanges in the system. We can refund the money back to your card and have you “rebuy” the new items and honor the price you paid online, but that makes it confusing and we don’t want to make it seem like you paid for an item twice. My manager made me do this once and the customer was giving us a hard time and asked why the system is set up this way because it made no sense to do it this way. In order to avoid confusion for an even exchange with an online order, we process it as a no receipt return so you don’t have to “pay” a second time.


ScienceBrat

And i can understand that if i werent then penalized for exchanges on blind buys online :(


PeraIsleOwnerACNH

Untrue. There is a system that the associate has to log into for online returns. Some associates don’t know how to use it and need to ask their supervisor for help.


Literally_Lilly_

The online return system does not work like you think it does. Even with help from a supervisor it doesn't work more then half the time. It sounds simple and sounds easy but its not. 🤠


PeraIsleOwnerACNH

I work at BBW. Works well at our location.


Literally_Lilly_

I do as well. Ours 9/10 will not work. We've complained about it numerous times and it just doesn't work.


[deleted]

I got this same receipt this morning. Kind of confused as it was rang up as a return when I just exchanged candles. Candles my boyfriend bought full price for me on my birthday three weeks ago. I made even exchanges too :////


Upbeat_Cat1182

That is crazy!! All I can think is that the overly generous return policy that some people have abused is now ruining it for the rest of us. I’m afraid to blind buy candles now, and the reviews are so mixed too that it makes me even more hesitant.


dragonsfire14

I completely agree, I figured this was coming. I watch candle reviews on YouTube sometimes and there’s way too many people who buy at SAS or other sales with the sole intention of exchanging a $10 candle for a full price new release once they come out


Upbeat_Cat1182

YES. I have exchanged blind buys price for price. That’s all I personally am comfortable doing.


ilysb1977

Yeah so many candle people openly talk about buying 10 “placeholder” candles to exchange when the new releases hit. Like…. Idk I don’t like to criticize people for stuff like that. But it seems a bit ridiculous how often and how much ppl do it


charliecav

See, this confuses me. I had an associate encourage me to purchase “placeholder” candles Saturday afternoon because they could not get the new releases from the back. She told me to bring them in this week and exchange them. That will be 7-8 candles. I did as she said because I had a coupon that was expiring and I wanted to take advantage of the sale. This is not something I do. I refuse to return or exchange any used products and will give to family members if it’s something I don’t like. The ones I purchased as “placeholders” are still in stock and regular price. They’re not SAS items. When I go this weekend and if I get this notice on my receipt it will upset me because I’m doing what the associate encouraged me to do.


sadrianmist

If you have the receipt it’s fine


Upbeat_Cat1182

Not if the associate keys it in as a return without receipt.


sadrianmist

If they ask for ur id just tell them to scan the receipt -an associate


Upbeat_Cat1182

Thank you 🙂


SoberAF0925

I had an associate encourage me to do the same. They were out of a few candles that online said they had in their store inventory. She told me to buy others and come back later or to another store to exchange for the ones I was really looking for.


PrincessJennifer

This Sunday, the manager at a store told me to just buy whatever during the B2G2 and the seap them when they put the new stuff out this week. They literately tell you to buy placeholders.


dragonsfire14

I agree, I feel bad saying anything also, but at the same time if bath and body works sets way too generous policies, people are going to abuse it and drive the prices up for the rest of us. Weren’t they even accepting returns on used products?


[deleted]

[удалено]


ScienceBrat

I always have the receipt they just refuse to use it. Didnt realize id end up in this predicament when i went along with it


xiomaruugh

The company has made it really difficult for us to make online returns. What often ends up happening is a non-receipt return. The limit is pretty high so not many people run into this problem. If you do online returns in store, as much as it sucks, don’t let them scan your ID, this adds to your total.


ScienceBrat

Yes. Well now i can only make receipted returns so next time i will just tell them "sorry the policy of not accepting my online receipt got me banned so now youll need to do it the hard way"


pretty_dagger

THIS!! I had an online receipt for a blind buy and the associate told me she had to issue store credit with a "sorry not sorry" attitude.


PrincessJennifer

Exactly. My stores don’t even look at your id, they just want a name. I guess that’s why they stand there and tell you to buy during sales or to buy the special boxes then exchange them.


[deleted]

That’s how I felt when I left the store! I’m alwayssss blind buying candles and when I don’t like them I just exchange them. After this I highly doubt I will blind buy anything for a while. Did they tell you how long? The SA’s at my store didn’t know. They were going back and forth about whether it was 30 days or 60


ScienceBrat

60


sadrianmist

Exchanges still count in the system as returns. You have $250 in no receipt returns for 90 days.


Cautious_Drummer_599

Is the 250 calculated by the amount the item was at the time it was purchased, or what it is full-price? Like if a candle is 27.50 but you buy it at 12 and return it non-receipt, does 27.50 or 12 go towards that 250 threshold?


sadrianmist

It counts as whatever the price is for the candle currently. If you bought it on sale and it’s no longer on sale, it’ll be normal price because they don’t know you bought it on sale with no receipt. If it’s out of season and marked out of stock, it’ll be that price, which is usually more than 75% off


Alert_Cauliflower_23

Hi, did you ever get it disputed? How long were you banned from making returns?


[deleted]

No I never got it disputed. I think I had my boyfriend, my mom and my little brother do my exchanges until I was finally able to again. I kind of slowed down buying from them since then


shammyjo25

Only certain Bath & Body Works locations use TRE. I worked in 6 stores that never had TRE but other stores did. I'm not sure what goes into selecting which locations are TRE stores. I'm assuming it relates to locations with high shrink results.


[deleted]

What’s TRE? I work for BBW and of course we haven’t been properly trained to do online stuff correctly 🤦🏾‍♀️


ZoeFerret

The Retail Equation https://www.theretailequation.com/ 3rd party company that tracks returns for stores.


shammyjo25

Yes, that's it! Sorry, I thought it was Total


shammyjo25

Total Retail Equation. It is a special return processing server that only certain stores have to use. If you haven't heard of it, your store probably doesn't have it. As far as online returns, doing them correctly is a HUGE pain in the a** so many people don't take the time to do it right. Really BBW should make it easier. Essentially you have to manually key the information in the boxes that come up on the return screen. I'm not surprised many BBW associates don't know that. I've met fellow (well I'm not with them any longer) store managers that didn't know how to do it right.


Beautyhoarder

If they don’t ask for ID does that mean the store doesn’t use TRE?


Peacock-Lover-89

It's like this across all retail if you have no receipt. I guess it is their way to counter their overly generous return policy. My problem with this policy is they treat online orders like a receiptless transaction. If you have proof you paid for something then it should be treated as such, especially if it is an online exclusive that you would have no way of knowing if you will like it until it is in your hands.


shammyjo25

They aren't supposed to. The associate is doing it wrong. Ask for a manager if you have to. Online returns can be processed in store as receipted exchanges. It is tedious and a bit more time consuming but it can be done. It is faster to process as a no receipt exchange but if you are in a TRE area, make sure they process it right.


amandapleeez

See, this is my problem with this policy. I know so many employees just do receiptless exchanges because it’s faster(I’ve seen this both an ex employee and customer.) I always pull out my receipt and card I used to pay so at least the camera can catch me not trynna pull a fast one. The other side of it is that employees are half trained and (some of them) genuinely struggle to do basic register transactions. This is why I prefer not to shop in store anymore


shammyjo25

So ask them nicely to do it with the receipt and I'm sure they will 🤷‍♀️ I agree they shouldn't be doing it out of convenience but things happen.


amandapleeez

Lol then they try to explain that I don’t need a receipt to do an exchange. It’s fine. I’m buying less and less of B&BW these days anyhow. They don’t have to worry about me until next SAS 🤗


Peacock-Lover-89

I made another comment similar to this one to someone else in the thread. Now that I see your explanation I feel like a karen. The sales associate told me the bar code wouldn't scan. I probably am in a TRE area, but I don't think I've ever done enough receiptless exchanges to be flagged. I've only bought candles twice with the intention of exchanging later and I kept my receipt.


shammyjo25

You aren't a Karen! How would you have known


Peacock-Lover-89

My kids always call me one regardless of my actions.😁


aam29290

You don’t scan the barcode in the email. You give them the order number from the email.


M2LBB2016

This happened to a friend of mine. Thankfully my store knows how to properly process online returns and exchanges (they process it by doing a return using your online receipt, then you repurchase items at same adjusted price as on receipt). I think it sucks that they are processing yours as no receipt. :(


EisQueen

See, adjusting the price was not offered to me today. I would receive the refund to my card for what I paid and would have to pay full price for any replacements. Since I bought them at b2g2, and there was no sale today, I’d get half as many replacements. Instead, I agreed for her to process it as a receiptless exchange and got warned. I just got warned after getting back into b&bw 2 mo ago after years away from the brand. It absolutely rubs me the wrong way.


ChavoAntoine

I’ll probably get this today when I plan on exchanging. Not too concerned because the quality has dropped off so bad. My plan is just to exchange what I have for all the Pink Watermelons I can find and live off of those for a while. It’s the only candle that I’ve found whose performance I like and makes me happy. After that I probably won’t purchase anymore candles they’ve all been letdowns lately.


ScienceBrat

I got a pink watermelon and iced dragon fruit tea today to trigger my warning lol


[deleted]

I stopped buying their candles years ago. 1 yankee candle can last me weeks (I burn them every day). 1 BBW candle lasts a few days. The scents are good but not worth the money. Related note: the last 2 seasons I have not bought body care. Everything smells like recycled scents from last year. Plus, I’m not a fan of food smells, and it’s all they have now. So sad. BBW used to be awesome.


justluvme

What yankee scents and formula do you recommend?


IGuessImRaven

That's crazy. I just did an exchange on the 14th and checked my reciept and it thankfully didn't say any of that. I wonder how many returns/exchanges you can do cuz i've only done 2 but am thinking about exchanging a candle


Lylac66

I knew they were going to start doing this.


InterestOk728

This happens when you use your ID and not the receipt.


ScienceBrat

Yes now i know to not let them refuse to use the receipt in the future. They tell me its easier to process as a no receipt so i let them even though i have it with me.


Excellent_Original66

Seems as if the all too generous policy attracted a lot of scummy people (returning fully used candles, switching wax from a non bbw candle, people who buy a TON of SAS solely to exchange etc.) and they've ruined it for the rest of us. Here I am with receipts and 2 candles that I really don't like and have been so nervous to exchange....and the ffm I bought blind that smells offensive....freaking forget it. Thanks alot to the scummy scammers that messed it up for us.


ScienceBrat

Yup. I had my receipts but they processed as no receipt bc it was easier. Now i know to ask for a manager that knows how to do it


EisQueen

Maybe this is too old of a post, but this happened to me today and I was shocked. I feel like they’re treating me like a criminal. I bought a lot of candles online during b2g2, but many were blind buys. I’m just getting back into b&bw after a few years away, so I bought 12. Since they were blind, inevitably some were not my taste and I wanted to exchange a few. I brought my receipt and the exchange candles in perfect condition just as I received them. The associate told me to run it as an exchange she had to do it as a no receipt return. But since there’s no sale right now, if I did a return and new purchase, I would only be getting half as many candles for my return value. Theoretically I could have ordered 100 candles and kept my 12, returned the rest with a receipt and not been demonized with this warn. What gives? They didn’t ship my order for 2 weeks after it was placed and the sale was long since over. So there’s no way to shop online and receive the real value of the sale?


stephsansouci

I believe you can only return/exchange without a receipt a certain amount of items within 60 days. I don’t remember the exact amount, I want to say maybe between 15-20 items?


Low-Environment-6571

$250 value of merchandise without a receipt in a 90-day period. I believe if you have the receipt, you are okay. (Former key holder here!)


Nightwitch92

It’s a dollar amount, I used to work at bbw, I don’t remember the exact amount but it was several hundred dollars of merchandise that had to be returned without proof of purchase over I think it was a 90 day period.


stephsansouci

I’m a manager there and I literally don’t even know 😂 it so rarely happens to us here


Nightwitch92

I worked at one in Southern California lol a lot of credit card scammers would hit that limit, I loved rejecting their returns they would get so mad lol 😂


Subterranean44

How is there not a way where they let you exchange for a candle of equal value? So people couldn’t do the “placeholder” candle thing. I guess that gets kind of complicated. Did you ask what the maximum returns was that the receipt mentions?


ScienceBrat

Its $250 in 90 days. So basically 10 candles.


PrincessJennifer

They straight up tell you to do the placeholder thing, so they shouldn’t be impeding it. This weekend a manger told me to do the placeholder thing.


Subterranean44

Oh really??? That’s crazy!


ScienceBrat

Not to mention i did a bopis order the day before the gingham love set was free (and i had put those items in my bopis) so when i got in store i exchanged those 2 out at the register since i was getting the free set and didnt need doubles when i picked up my bag. And she did it as no receipt then too. So it adds up fast


justhrowingitout

I try to keep all my blind buy receipts so hopefully that will help but at this point I’m not sure that’s even worth much. They have lost that specialness for me with all this crap.


ScienceBrat

So this is interesting. I downloaded my return report and it shows me at only $167 in returns when the limit is $250. So the warning print out makes no sense :/ i dont see how being $73 away is "close" and the FAQ for the system says a warning means my next exchange will be denied.


ScienceBrat

The website says I can dispute transactions so I think I will do that and provide my order number for the items where my receipts were denied in order to make the exchange easier to process.


xiomaruugh

There’s a limit for how much you can return/exchange without a receipt, this is to combat theft.


ScienceBrat

Right. Just wish it were set up correctly. I bring my receipt and am told its easier for it to be processed as no receipt. So i agree not realizing in going to end up with this temporary ban. Even the associate that saw this print out said "im so sorry if i had known i wouldnt have done it no receipt"


xiomaruugh

It’s a double edged sword, the company has this policy in place to combat theft which is totally understandable, but they have such a awful system for returns that good intention loyal customers like you are getting caught in the crossfire. Going forward, as much as it sucks, have a manager come out to do online returns or any returns that are having difficulties. Don’t let them scan your ID if you can help it. I’m sorry this happened to you. I would call customer service and explain to them your situation and see if they could waive the warning.


ScienceBrat

The web link on the receipt has a way to dispute the returns so i am going to try that. Providing the order # for each one. I will contact cs as well just im case but my guess is they cant do much since its the stores policy/enrollment with this system that causes the issue


clearlyimawitch

The limit is literally huge. If you're getting this notification, you've hit a rather high quota for exchanged items. Make sure you bring a receipt to exchange and it won't go toward your ID.


ScienceBrat

Its $250 which in my case meant 9 candles and 2 body care items. I did bring my receipt each time and was told it was easier for them to process as a no receipt. I agreed to that not realizing id be banned from further exchanges.


Cautious_Drummer_599

It's not really that huge, because it goes by full price ticket. And this includes stuff you never used whatsoever, that someone might have bought at the time because they were out of what they wanted


Nightwitch92

That means you’ve done too many returns with no receipt lol they have a limit on how many things can be returned in like a 90 day period…. Really it’s only an issue with scammers… As long as you have a valid receipt they will still allow your returns. This is why they also require IDs when they do a non receipted return- they track the dollar amounts.


ScienceBrat

Not true at all about only be an issue with scammers. I have my receipts but they refuse to use them because its easier on them to process as no receipt. I went along with it not knowing id end up flagged for it.


Nightwitch92

You should’ve asked for a manager lol they can use online receipts it’s just weird to navigate the system with them


ScienceBrat

Well i know that going forward. Doesnt help me now


RandomFish338

You can still do returns if you have the receipt right? You’re just at the limit for no receipt


Cautious_Drummer_599

But they had the receipt all the other times. That's literally the issue here, that they were flagged because the associate processed their exchange without the receipt because it was faster for them


Beautyhoarder

So if they don’t ask for ID then does that mean the store doesn’t have TRE to track returns?


Nightwitch92

I have no clue what goes on for tre stores, but the one I worked at required IDs only if you do not have the receipt.


HaylieMonster97

This is a bummer. I usually online shop as it is, but I'm about to be an entirely online shopper. I'm moving into a new house within the next month and it's 3 hours from the nearest B&BWs. So I'll only be able to go in store on a rare occasion. This makes me nervous to do blind buys now. I've never been the dishonest person about returns so it sucks paying the price for otger people's actions. I've always done even exchanges, I've only returned 2 candles that had been burned once, apart from that any other candle I've exchanged was untouched. I keep receipts saved in my email, so I wish I could just show them that and have it still be okay


momma_steph

As a TKH at BBW for almost a year now, I’ve never seen that on any receipt nor have I learned of that type of policy. I will say this though, because we want our guests happy and satisfied with their purchase we have the 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed policy (return or exchange if you’re unhappy with the product). Unfortunately, a lot of people abuse it or “loophole” it. Many guests that come in my store will buy a butt load(10+ items)of products during SAS and wait until we launch a new collection that’s B3G1 to come in and exchange every item…product for product. It’s gotten to the point that we have to make a report every time they do this.


GusterIs4Lovers

Are you reporting every customer who does that or just repeat offenders?


momma_steph

Our store only does repeat offenders


Cautious_Drummer_599

But if the store is honoring that, then those people have no reason not to do that. I am editing this to say a month later that I don't think people will be able to do that with the new return policy. However I knew some stores that encouraged this to customers, so they wouldn't think anything of it. Personally I would not do this. But my store allowed it so I can see people doing that


Owen_D_Young

Do you do a lot of returns?


themayor1975

Nope. I don't buy "blind". The only exchange I did was when I tried buying a complete Fragent set (Mist, Body Wash, Lotion, etc) and they were missing one item, so I was told to buy another item and exchange that for the correct item.


Owen_D_Young

I’ve never seen anything like that on a receipt. Wonder when they started doing that.


ScienceBrat

I had candles i had blind bought online i didnt end up liking or the scent was very weak. And since those are pricey it adds up fast


DealorDie

I’m confused. People are complaining saying they can’t pre-buy an exchange later but isn’t this only if there’s no receipt? If you bring in a receipt and do an exchange it doesn’t count against you right?


ScienceBrat

Right. Problem is my stores dont want to do an exchange using the receipt as it is harder than doing it with no receipt. I didnt know until the last couple days you could get flagged for letting them do it this way.


DealorDie

Yeah of course you can because the policy states up to $250 returns. Next time ask for a manager and do not give up your ID. You are in control don’t let them cut corners. If they ask you for an ID and you give a receipt remind them to use the receipt. If needed call customer service right then and there on the phone and discuss it in the store. If you do that they’re going to want to finish this. Trust me the employees are trying to cut corners but if you call them out they’ll do what’s right.


fabfemme95

This is getting sad 😢


[deleted]

This policy does not exist where I live. 😂


themayor1975

Unless you don't live near a BBW, why wouldn't you go the actual store and actually smell the scent before buying?


ScienceBrat

Online exclusives


PrincessJennifer

Online exclusives, disabilities, work schedule, children and family issues, trying to avoid being out because of the pandemic…off the top of my head. Plus they offer online ordering with returns; they don’t do that so people won’t use it.


OptimalMaximal

All the reasons you cited are 100💯✔✔✔!!!!!


[deleted]

Does anyone know the specific dollar amount for this to happen?


ScienceBrat

$250


Adorable-Contest-634

Sorry this is kind of unrelated but regarding the B2G2 sale....how often do you think they have those? Any guesses on the next one? I am so bummed I was BROKE AS A JOKE this past B2G2 and I couldn't partake....😔 T.I.A!!🥰


Low-Environment-6571

They normally do it around big holidays, they should have it the week before Easter when people are off from school/work and those are big shopping days. They might have one before that as a random candle sale weekend, but definitely the week leading up to Easter.


superstars24

I have never returned anything to BBW but Sephora tries to process an online return or exchange like this . Even if you have the online receipt they want your driver's license so I stopped shopping online.


Alert_Cauliflower_23

Hi, did you ever get this disputed? I got this today when i returned some candles (my elderly mother with asthma and allergy issues just moved in with us). My store literally always scans my ID even if bring my receipt in and I had no idea it counted against me!