Bath & Body Works Comes To India; Opens 1st Store In Delhi; Plans 50 Stores In 5 Years

For over 20 years, American bath products and skin care giant Bath & Body Works has created the scents that make you smile. “There is never a dull moment for the customer who comes to our shop. They like to come back for fragrance. It is therapeutic to an extent. Whether you’re shopping for fragrant body care or a 3-wick candle, we have hundreds of quality products perfect for treating yourself or someone else,” explains Tony Garrison, Senior Vice President of Sales, Bath & Body Works, who was present at the launch of the brick and mortar store in New Delhi.

Major Brands by Tushar Ved has brought the brand to India, opened its first store in Select City Walk in New Delhi and the second one at the DLF Mall of India, Noida. There are plans to open another store in Ambience Mall in Gurugram later this year with another store expected to open in Mumbai early next year. The Delhi store is spread across a space of 1300 square feet and has a wide array of popular beauty and personal care products.

“We have planned for an investment of approximately Rs 80 crore for India over the next two years. After Mumbai, we also plan to open Bath & Body Works stores in the best malls of Bengaluru and Chennai,” informed Tushar Ved, President, Major Brands India.

With over 1,600 stores all over the world, the brand has over 1500 SKUs and is one of the most expansive collections when it comes to skin care, body care, bath products and fragrances. While you can get Bath & Body Works products online, the store stocks a wide range of products, ranging from body washes, body fragrances, and home fragrances to bath oils, shower gels, lotions and more.

“Our best-selling product is the shower gel. And so liked by our customers that they relate to their ‘me-time’ spent during those lazy shower breaks amidst the fragrance. So the products offer quite a personalised and intimate experience with a collection of utility items that one loves to use again and again,” added Garrison.

Marking this launch as the best time to bring the brand to India where the essential care segment in the country has grown exponentially, Garrison is committed to make this brand a part of the booming market. “The rising awareness of premium personal care products, growing disposable incomes, changes in consumption patterns and lifestyles, promises exciting times for the brand,” he said.

Ved feels that the potential of the brand is such that they will introduce five stores by 2018 in India and 50 or more in the next five years.

While the future of the beauty industry lies in the natural and sustainable products, Garrison sees a major shift in the consumer behaviour. “There is a shift in the entire beauty, wellness and luxury market. The customer now is evolved and knows more than the brand seller. They research well on their products and find the best that can satiate their requirement. So one has to be conscious of the requirement and understand the customer well. After all, customer experience is important,” he added.

Vaishali Dar

BW Reporters Vaishali Dar is a Senior Associate Editor with BW Businessworld and Editorial Head with BW Disrupt. She writes on corporates, start-ups, hospitality and travel