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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what happened to Body Shop?

437 replies

Handbaghag · 26/08/2019 17:46

Where have they gone wrong? Why are their shops so dead on the high Street. They were buzzing in the 80s. Is it online shopping? Lush?

OP posts:
Jo20204 · 28/08/2019 18:51

You can still get peppermint foot lotion 👍🏼

CorBlimeyGovenor · 28/08/2019 18:53

Re Japanese washing grains - well they were certainly messy! And a bit scratchy. I'd just forgotten all about them.

To wonder what happened to Body Shop?
ChardonnaysPrettySister · 28/08/2019 18:56

I’ve made my own a few times. You have to roast the beans first, then grind.

There was a wonderful little book called Japanese Beauty Rituals and it had all sorts of —weird— lovely concoctions.

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 28/08/2019 19:01

Well, I liked them! I had horribly oily as an adolescent and those grains kept the sebum at bay for longer than most products. I'd still use them now at particular times of the month when I'm very spot-prone.

notanothercrapusername · 28/08/2019 19:19

I won't shop anywhere that is an MLM. Which TBS now is.

I used to love their Tangerine Beer shampoo in the 90s though. It was gorgeous!

SunshineCake · 28/08/2019 19:45

CorBlimeyGovenor

SunshineCake · 28/08/2019 19:48

There has been numerous threads like this regarding marks and spencer and they don't listen either.

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 28/08/2019 20:10

This sort of thing is like free market research for these companies, I don't understand why they either ignore it or line up their representatives to tell us we're wrong! The public perception of the Body Shop is, according to this thread, that they sold out their principles when they sold up (albeit they're no longer owned by L'Oreal), that they employ sales techniques that people dislike, that they discontinued a lot of products that people liked, that they no longer have a USP because there are loads of other brands doing the ethical/green thing now, and that mlms are off-putting. They could do a lot with that information if they chose to but I bet they won't.

gemmagilbert · 28/08/2019 20:30

@checkingoutthequantocks

I just wanted to say that my comments were from my alone, I wasnt asked to comment by the company, and I certainly wasn't commenting to say your opinions were wrong.

I just wanted to give a balanced arguement in regards to the "at home" side of the business. The mlm side of the business has been going for 25 years and is the most successful channel so I'm afraid it won't be going anywhere soon

But I too hope that The Body Shop listen as I constantly get asked about discontinued products. Who knows what's in the pipeline.

IcedPurple · 28/08/2019 20:31

I don't understand why they either ignore it or line up their representatives to tell us we're wrong!

Complete with xx!

I agree though. The posts were pretty consistent for the first few pages - we used to like TBS, but now it's too expensive, too pushy and it's lost what made it unique. And all of a sudden, along come a flood of posters (who don't work for TBS, mind!) telling us they're in 'awe' of their charity initiatives and that really it's a great place to work and the products are fab!

Do they think we're stupid?

HeadintheiClouds · 28/08/2019 20:35

It would appear so.

JasperRising · 28/08/2019 20:40

To be fair, I doubt that 'they' (as in TBS head office) are behind BS at home consultants appearing on this thread to say nice things. Any company with an MLM, the reps are always madly positive about the opportunity, the company and the products, and will rush to defend them online.

thecalmorchid · 28/08/2019 20:40

I think Lush have taken that corner of the market.

I remember as a teenager in the 1980's, it was so cool to buy and use body shop products.

That's how Lush is for youngsters today. Lush is today's ethical, low packaging, latest must have for teens and twenty somethings.

gemmagilbert · 28/08/2019 20:55

🙄 what you get for trying to be friendly 😂

HariboLecter · 28/08/2019 21:37

To the PP asking about toweling headbands, I bought one recently from Home Bargains would have been no more than £2.

HeadintheiClouds · 28/08/2019 21:37

Of course you were being friendly 😂. How much did they pay you to be friendly?

IcedPurple · 28/08/2019 21:41

To be fair, I doubt that 'they' (as in TBS head office) are behind BS at home consultants appearing on this thread to say nice things.

Well, it's impossible to prove. But as I say, a couple of pages with mostly consistent criticism of TBS, and then suddenly a rash of posters reminding us they don't work for TBS but are just here to tell us how wonderful it is and we're all misjudging it and its sale tactics?

xxx

gemmagilbert · 28/08/2019 22:44

So because I'm saying positive things mean I should be ridiculed? It means you can be rude about me and to me?

I said in my very first post that I work as a at home Consultant. And the only reason I made my "rash posts" is because this post popped up on my Google news feed. I read through it and saw stuff about the mlm side and thought as part of a healthy conversation I would just put my opinion across.

I think it's really sad that you are so suspicious and judgemental of people who are just trying. Shame on me for trying to earn some money right? I've just given you my opinions, I've not once try to sell anything to you.

MarieVanGoethem · 28/08/2019 23:04

@brownbreadicecream
The one I’m thinking of was in a [wee] bottle with, I think, an elephant on. (As we all know, elephants love marshmallows, yes...) Confused

Iamthewombat · 28/08/2019 23:11

You’ve given us somebody’s opinions, yes.

Aridane · 28/08/2019 23:39

I work for the Tube and we are encouraged by managers to approach people and ask if they need help (customer satisfaction surveys on which performance related pay is calculated) and it is cringy every single time when the customer looks embarrassed and mumbles "no, I'm ok". It just turns awkward. I am often slinking away after the exchange feeling stupid (I have social anxiety which doesn't help)

Hey, I love it when I'm looking all bewildered at London Underground or standing at a ticket machine frowning and someone offers to help. it's fab - totally unlike Body Shop Pouncing. Please don't feel awkward - you do a great job Smile!

brownbreadicecream · 28/08/2019 23:59

I can almost smell these photos...
www.pinterest.co.uk/lornaavery/vintage-body-shop/

Sakura7 · 29/08/2019 00:14

The mark up on their products in Ireland is ridiculously high, and out of kilter with the vast majority of UK retailers operating here. And they never do the 40% sale here. Or allow you to order from the UK site. I'm not willing to get ripped off so I just don't bother with them anymore.

I was a fan of their Japanese cherry blossom range but Rituals now have similar products which are nicer and cheaper.

wonderingsoul · 29/08/2019 08:05

Hairibo- iv got that one and the coconut nut one, I dont use it as a mask but do run it through my wet hair and leave In.
Really helps my curls.

Much prefer the coconut nut one to the banana one though.