Shoppers browse the Bath & Body Works section inside an Ulta Beauty store.
In a significant move to adapt to evolving consumer shopping habits, Bath & Body Works is broadening its retail footprint by partnering with Ulta Beauty. This strategic collaboration will introduce Bath & Body Works products to over 600 Ulta Beauty locations starting July 12, marking a key step in the company’s strategy to transition from a specialty retailer into a more expansive global brand.
“What this strategic partnership reflects is an evolution in how we think about reach, meeting consumers wherever they choose to shop,” Maly Bernstein, Chief Commercial Officer at Bath & Body Works, told Fox News Digital. “Ulta Beauty allows us to show up in a new, highly relevant environment where consumers are already exploring beauty and fragrance.”
This expansion means consumers will no longer need to visit a dedicated mall store to purchase popular items like fragrances, lotions, hand soaps, and candles. The partnership also heralds the return of “Juniper Breeze,” a beloved scent from the 1990s and 2000s, aimed at tapping into consumer nostalgia.
Bath & Body Works reported positive initial results from previous selective marketplace expansions, including its launch on Amazon earlier this year. Bernstein noted that these ventures have demonstrated that consumers shop differently across various channels, and these behaviors are often incremental rather than overlapping, bringing consistent growth and attracting a younger, more affluent demographic.
The selection of Ulta Beauty’s highest-performing stores for this rollout was a joint effort, designed to maximize productivity and prepare for future scalability. “Our goal is to position ourselves directly in the path of the consumer and make it easier for them to find and fall in love with us, wherever they shop,” Bernstein stated. “This collaboration makes Bath & Body Works easier to discover and access in the places consumers are already shopping for beauty and self-care.”
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Bath & Body Works operates more than 1,900 stores in the U.S. and Canada, alongside over 500 international locations. Ulta Beauty, founded in 1990, boasts over 1,500 domestic stores and is expanding internationally.
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