"We don't sell on Amazon." But you're on Amazon anyway. Bath & Body Works learne
By Liranhirschkorn · April 1, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
"We don't sell on Amazon."
But you're on Amazon anyway.
Bath & Body Works learned this last month when they finally launched an official Amazon storefront.
Why? Because unauthorized resellers were already doing $60–$80 million a year selling their products on the platform.
Without permission. Without quality control. Without anyone at BBW having a say in the pricing, the packaging condition, or the customer experience.
Amazon owns 47% of online beauty sales in the US.
So while BBW was pretending Amazon didn't exist, millions of shoppers were buying their products from random third-party sellers — and leaving reviews on listings BBW didn't control.
Expired product. Slashed prices. One-star reviews. All attached to Bath & Body Works' name.
The company called it "brand dilutive." I'd call it an $80 million problem they let grow for years.
And this wasn't even a growth move. BBW's sales were down 2% last quarter.
They launched on Amazon because they had to stop the bleeding, not because they wanted more shelf space. Bobbi Brown did the same thing in December. More are coming.
The pattern is always the same. Brand says "we're not an Amazon brand." Gray market sellers say "great, we'll do it for you." They source product through liquidation, distributor diversion, retail arbitrage. They undercut MAP by 20–40%. They win the Buy Box. And by the time the brand finally shows up, those sellers have been building review history and optimizing listings for years.
If you're doing $10M+ and you think you're "not on Amazon" go search your brand name right now. Look at who's selling your stuff, what they're charging, and what the reviews say.
That's your brand in the eyes of 200 million Prime members. Whether you like it or not.