Key Takeaways:
Bath & Body Works, the brand long known for its mall-based stores, signature candles, and fragrance-first approach, is making one of the boldest moves in its history. This fall, the retailer placed a curated assortment of its best-selling products in more than 600 college campus stores across the United States. This marks Bath & Body Works’ first large-scale foray into third-party retail, a distribution shift aimed squarely at capturing the attention and wallets of Gen Z.
For a company that traditionally kept its retail operations close, running stores and online platforms directly, the campus rollout represents a significant strategic departure. Betsy Schumacher, Chief Merchandising Officer, described the launch as both an expansion of brand visibility and a deepened investment in one of the brand’s most promising demographics.
“High-quality and on-trend fragrance launches, sold-out collections on TikTok Shop, and culturally relevant collabs have positioned Bath & Body Works as a go-to brand for Gen Z,” Schumacher said to BeautyMatter. “This new initiative is another opportunity to build on our winning track record with this demographic.”
Meeting Gen Z Where They Are
The move to campuses wasn’t accidental. According to Mordor Intelligence, the fragrances market, valued at $76.71 billion in 2025, is expected to reach $112.46 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.95% during the forecast period. Bath & Body Works is now identifying college students as a crucial audience not only because of their spending power, but also because of their relationship with fragrance as a form of self-expression. “Fragrance isn’t just functional—it’s deeply personal,” Schumacher said. “It can make a dorm room feel more like home, offer a sense of comfort, or help you feel more like you,” she continued.
As students increasingly turn to digital platforms for textbooks and learning materials, the traditional campus bookstore has evolved into a multipurpose hub. For Bath & Body Works, this shift created an ideal environment for discovery. By tapping into existing student foot traffic at Barnes & Noble, Follett, and independent campus stores, the brand gains access not only to students but also to faculty, staff, visiting families, and local community members.
Though the rollout is expansive, Schumacher is clear that this is not a one-off experiment tied to back-to-school season. Instead, it’s the first step in a longer journey. “We continue to take a test-and-learn approach across everything we do to ensure we meet our customers where they are with the products that resonate most,” she noted. “We have multiyear agreements in place, with the flexibility to adjust our approach based on customer demand. If something works, we lean in, and when it doesn’t, we evolve.”
That flexibility could mean expanding the assortment, adding new products, or even increasing square footage in select campus locations. In essence, campuses have become live laboratories for understanding Gen Z fragrance preferences and shopping behaviors.
Unlike a full-line Bath & Body Works store, the campus selection is curated tightly around Gen Z favorites. Students will find fragrances like Champagne Toast, Platinum, and Mahogany Teakwood available in multiple formats ranging from fine fragrance mists and body creams to candles, wallflower diffusers, lip products, and the ever-popular PocketBac sanitizers.
“Our curated assortment was selected based on consumer insights and includes the best-selling core fragrances among Gen Z,” Schumacher said. “We know this demo is highly engaged with fragrance—creating their own ‘scent wardrobes’ and layering different fragrances to express themselves. They love the accessibility of our products to mix and match their favorites.”
At this stage, the assortment does not include exclusive launches tied to campus stores, though Schumacher hinted that the model allows for rapid evolution if students show interest in niche formats or trend-driven launches.
Strategic Partnerships and Logistics
Executing a rollout of this scale required careful coordination. Bath & Body Works worked closely with ICM Distributing Company Inc., alongside retail partners Barnes & Noble and Follett, to determine placement in the highest-traffic, most productive stores nationwide. Independent bookstores were also included, ensuring a broad geographic footprint.
“Through our partnership with ICM, we’re able to leverage their distribution model and existing campus store relationships,” Schumacher explained. “This allows us to efficiently bring Bath & Body Works to 600+ campus locations in a seamless way.” The model allows the brand to test distribution at scale without building out an entirely new infrastructure. It also builds the foundation for Bath & Body Works’ long-term, third-party retail strategy.
A critical piece of the puzzle is Bath & Body Works’ resonance with Gen Z on TikTok, where scent reviews, hauls, and collection tours routinely go viral. “Younger customers love us on TikTok, and then come in-person to try our products for themselves,” she said. “We’re focused on meeting new consumers right where they are, whether in-store or online.” While formal influencer partnerships with student creators are still in development, Schumacher emphasized that digital engagement will remain a key driver of awareness and traffic.
Although framed as a student-focused initiative, the campus launch reaches well beyond university borders. By embedding its products in multiuse retail environments, Bath & Body Works positions itself as part of everyday life, not just a destination at the mall or in standalone stores.
“This is the first step in our third-party distribution strategy,” Schumacher said. “We’re putting our premium fragrances in the path of the consumer, with strategic, test-and-learn expansion into new channels.” Schumacher remains cautious but optimistic that this could eventually include international campuses or other nontraditional outlets. “While I can’t share specifics, we will continue to select new distribution channels strategically and thoughtfully, and we’re excited by what’s on the horizon.”
Redefining Brand Perception
Perhaps the most important outcome of the initiative is how it reshapes Bath & Body Works’ image among younger consumers. Once associated primarily with mall culture and nostalgic early 2000s shopping trips, the brand’s campus strategy changes the narrative to more Gen Z-focused.
“Younger consumers are increasingly viewing Bath & Body Works as a more modern and innovative brand,” said Schumacher. “We see the new distribution strategy as an opportunity to deepen that engagement, drive discovery, and showcase our premium fragrances in a new way.” By aligning with moments of transition—that is, moving away from home, setting up dorm rooms, and navigating independence—the brand is embedding itself into Gen Z’s lifestyle at a pivotal stage.
The college campus rollout comes at a transformative moment for Bath & Body Works. With a new CEO at the helm and a renewed emphasis on innovation, the company is actively redefining how it connects with consumers. The decision to move into third-party distribution marks a critical inflection point, where a brand once tethered to malls is now testing the waters of broader accessibility.
If the strategy succeeds, Bath & Body Works could unlock new growth opportunities not only with students but also with consumers who encounter the brand in unexpected places. For now, the move signals a willingness to take calculated risks, leveraging both the power of nostalgia and the excitement of newness to stay relevant in a competitive fragrance market. As Schumacher summed it up, “We’re accelerating growth by meeting our customers where they are with trend-forward and innovative products—and we’re excited for what’s next.”
