Thread regarding Bed Bath & Beyond layoffs

District staff once blamed me for a couple throwing a scanner because they were angry they couldn’t get help closing out their registry. If they like you you can do no wrong, if they hate you, you get blamed for Bridal even if you work front end. They have big time issues.

I agree. Stupid old thinking by the ceo is who is so out of touch with retail reality. He owns a woman’s soccer or lacrosse team and obviously doesn’t give a hoot about BBB anymore. Make a change at the top starting with ST. The return policy is a joke. It’s more like a rental policy. Don’t let the ship sink. The founders worked so hard to build a great business and they are letting it slip away.

I couldn’t agree more regarding bridal. And your “used car salesman” comparison is spot on! I’ve been a bridal consultant for a few years, and with the exception of a handful of couples I’ve escorted, the experience has been awkward at best. You don’t have to have a degree in psychology to get the clue that the couple would rather not have you there! And yet, you sure hear all about it if you didn’t give a full escort! And since when does the number of invitations have any bearing on how many units “should” be on the registry? The other day I registered a couple who were having a huge wedding. They were also college students, scrimping to afford their tiny studio apartment. So you’re telling me that I should still encourage this couple to request service for 12 Colorwave, an equal amount of flatware, oh and don’t forget the all important “3 sets of sheets...one for the linen closet, one in the laundry basket, and one on the bed”. I thought the idea behind chatting it up with the couples was to gather information about them so we can better serve them. Where in the heck are they expected to put all this stuff in their 500 sq ft. apt?

Not to mention, we’re working with a skeleton crew as is. Taking someone off the floor to escort just lessens customer service for the other guests.

Such unrealistic expectations for employees!

Let's stop chasing a dead target...bridal. Trying to cram 150 units of items couples don't want just because that was the old model. Wake up there's a reason no other retailer gives a crap about registries. More and more couples avoid us because of our awful must escort push. The word is out if you want to have privacy creating your registry go anywhere but BBB. We have become the used car salesman of bridal registry. Stupid old thinking.

Yes exactly. I am the one who said it. Bbby has such poor inventory management and logistics. That alone is enough to stick a fork in it. It’s not wise. You don’t buy 6 months worth of food for your house. But the average store has 6 months of inventory.

Whoever said this...”They don’t carry 2 months plus supply on hand at any point.”

It then gets dropped and your stuck with it and the stockroom space it takes up.

This thread could go on for days.

Am I the only old timer wondering where the money went ? I used to put STAPLES on beds. That went on the trash. It was all damaged out. Thrown away. Croscill comforter $500? Damages. We threw away $1000 per bed. $500 per vignette. Times have changed. We don’t do that. So where did the money go ??? How is profit shrinking when we OWN the companies that make the goods? Salt. Wamsutta. Anthology. Real simple. All the cozy is our brand. We legit own the entire rug room and the sheet room. All of the towel room. Half of shower curtains. Let’s be real. How is profit down 50% in a year when cutting 800 managers. Something doesn’t add up. Wake up folks.

There is very little about bbby I wouldn’t change to be honest. Ps. 10% penetration on bridal is not real. I ran an A volume store w afv $1200 annually and my penetration was 3%. That’s not even half a million dollars. So if you are at 10 you are killing it.

-Need to have a private label that connects with the customer. Salt will not cut it and the packaging is less than desirable.

-Will need to change promotional strategy sooner rather than later. The customer can no longer see the value in their coupon strategy.

-Fix the return policy. Bed Bath has attracted a small base that is very unprofitable.

-Processes need to be simplified and they will need to ask whether or not the way they do everything in their building currently impacts the mission statement positively.

-Expense Reduction initiative. Supplies, travel, meetings, gift packaging etc. Do our competitors offer it? If they do not, what is the ROI? Plane tickets for too many people to the dog and pony show? Can the message be delivered less expensively?

Omg YES on tightening up the return policy. I mean, come on! You want to return a filthy, stained, stinky blanket covered in dog hair that you bought five years ago because it didn’t hold up well? Or how about the restaurant owner who routinely returns blenders, coffee makers, and other appliances “not for commercial use”, only to cheerfully be given a brand new one to use in their business? Beyond ridiculous!!

Bridal business isn't dead but we focus so much payroll on what amounts to 10-15% of the sales... neglecting the other 85-90%. We poke fun at Target or Walmart for their self serve bridal....seems to have kinda worked out for them. The stores need cleaned up and filled. Assortments need to be narrowed for in store offerings. Does the customer even want to have to choose between 47 different brands of towels all in the same color palette? Or pillows, sheets, coffee makers, slow cookers, etc... Narrow the assortment. While we're dreaming, get rid of the fixtures in the middle aisle and open it up. A customer shouldn't have to feel like they just entered a cage match if they want to shop in our stores on the weekend. Coupons...if you don't have a coupon then tfb...get one. We push stores not to accommodate a customer for a coupon but then rain down hell fire from the clackers if a complaint comes. Stand behind your stores when they are doing the right thing for the company! And most importantly, change the return policy. Coupons hurt profit but bring sales... the current return policy is the f'n grim reaper to profit. It's a joke and its costing the company tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions. Grow a sack and stand up to these people and the ridiculous returns before they put us out of business...cause that's exactly what's happening.

I just wish it weren’t a mini Ikea. I hate the labyrinth. At keast Ikea has wide aisles. I hate walking in to BB&B and can’t leave fast enough.

There isn’t any replies because the business model is so flawed people would be typing for days. You take away the coupon to save margin. You kill the sales. You invest in anything and you take the operating profit hit even further. I agree with everything you have said. But successful retailers are ever changing and evolving. They aren’t pushing for “bridal” which is a dead business. They don’t carry 2 months plus supply on hand at any point. They have DC warehouses that they source from as needed and immediately. There isn’t anything you can do to save this. It’s cooked.