Bath & Body Works Inc. has opened an officially authorized store on Amazon.com, marking the brand's latest move to expand its sales channels beyond physical retail locations. CEO Daniel Heaf told CNBC that the launch aims to meet consumers where they shop.

For brands like Bath & Body Works, Gap, and Everlane, Amazon is increasingly serving as a specialized logistics partner rather than just a retail competitor.

Popular fragrances, body washes, hand soaps, and scented candles from the mall-favorite brand are now available to U.S. shoppers on Amazon. Prime members can purchase items like the Champagne Toast body wash with no minimum shipping requirement.

According to Euromonitor data, Amazon is the leading online shopping platform for U.S. beauty consumers, capturing 47% of the online beauty and personal care market in 2024, with Sephora ranking second at 9%. The research firm estimates that 39% of total beauty and personal care sales come from online channels.

"Launching our first official brand store on Amazon allows us to reach customers directly," stated Bath & Body Works CEO Daniel Heaf. "The core strategy is serving them where they regularly shop."

The Amazon launch represents the latest expansion effort for the Columbus, Ohio-based company. Last year, the brand began selling products in college campus stores, now totaling over 1,000 locations. This marks the first new sales channel beyond its approximately 2,600 company-owned and franchised stores and its own e-commerce website.

Heaf, who joined Bath & Body Works in May of last year after serving as Nike's Chief Transformation and Strategy Officer, recently unveiled a plan to return the company to profitable, sustainable growth. He describes it as a "consumer-first model" built on four pillars: creating disruptive product innovation, reigniting brand energy, winning in the marketplace, and operating with speed and efficiency.

He stated that the partnership with Amazon is "the first of many milestones in implementing this strategy during the current fiscal year."

Prior to the official store launch, Bath & Body Works products were only available on Amazon through third-party resellers. Heaf indicated that the company is now aiming to reclaim brand control and sales volume on the platform.

**Amazon: Partner or Competitor?**

While Amazon has established first-party wholesale relationships with numerous brands like Nike and Calvin Klein, it is less common for vertically integrated retailers like Bath & Body Works—which designs, produces, and sells its own products—to sell on Amazon.

For such brands, Amazon is increasingly playing the role of a specialized logistics provider. Gap, J.Crew, and Everlane, which are also vertically integrated, have similarly listed select products on Amazon.

Gap began selling "family basics" on Amazon under a wholesale model in 2022, where Amazon holds and sells the inventory with Prime shipping. Gap stated its goal was to reach new or lapsed customers while offering convenience for existing shoppers to purchase essential items.

Under Bath & Body Works's new agreement with Amazon, the brand will retain ownership of its inventory and control pricing, while utilizing Amazon's fulfillment partner network to qualify for Prime shipping.

Everlane declined to comment on its Amazon partnership, and J.Crew did not respond to requests for comment.

Jewelry brand Kendra Scott, which initially resisted partnering with Amazon despite having wholesale agreements with retailers like Macy's and Nordstrom, eventually opened an official store on the platform. A source familiar with the decision, who requested anonymity, revealed that the brand gradually came to view Amazon as a new opportunity to reach customers rather than a competitive threat.

On its own website, Bath & Body Works is also enhancing the shopping experience, having recently lowered its free shipping threshold from $100 to $50 last month.

Nevertheless, Heaf acknowledged, "We understand that we can never compete with Amazon on its Prime logistics network. No company can match its next-day delivery service, nor is that our business. Therefore, I believe that being on Amazon also makes our own website more competitive, while we recognize that our mission is not to build a delivery network that rivals Amazon's speed."