# Bath & Body Works tested a sensory store redesign and saw 30% longer dwell times

*The brand rebuilt its flagship layout around trial zones and softer lighting to pull shoppers off autopilot.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-10-26.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/bath-body-works-2026-10-26t00-4
Subject: Bath & Body Works
Tags: retail design, dwell time, product sampling, store format, customer experience, basket size

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Bath & Body Works opened a redesigned store concept in Columbus, Ohio, according to Retail Dive, betting that a shift in physical environment could change how customers interact with a brand many consider solved. The new format replaces the wall-of-product grid with distinct trial zones, warmer lighting, and wider aisles designed to slow foot traffic and increase sampling. The company reported that early foot-traffic data showed customers spent approximately **30% longer** in the test location compared to legacy stores, and basket size trended higher in the redesigned space.

The mechanics are straightforward. Bath & Body Works stripped out the dense shelving that maximized SKU count and replaced it with lower fixtures, dedicated testing stations for fragrance families, and seating areas where customers can linger. Lighting shifted from bright fluorescents to softer, layered fixtures that change tone by zone. Signage moved from promotional screaming to quieter wayfinding that names scent profiles instead of discount percentages. The layout forces a longer walk path, but the wider aisles and invitation to sit make the extended journey feel like a choice rather than a maze.

This works because it changes the decision context. In the old format, customers defaulted to repurchase: grab the known candle, check the bin for a deal, exit. The new layout interrupts that script by making the familiar feel unfamiliar. Dedicated trial zones give permission to explore without the friction of opening a sealed product or asking for help. Softer lighting and seating lower the perceived cost of time spent, which increases the odds a customer will try a second or third scent family. The longer dwell time is not accidental—it is engineered through spatial design that makes lingering feel productive rather than indulgent.

A small physical-product brand can steal this without a buildout. Start with your packaging and unboxing. If customers default to repurchase, interrupt that script by changing one sensory variable in your next shipment: a sample of a new SKU in a different scent or finish, a card that names three use cases they have not tried, or a texture swatch for an adjacent product line. The goal is to break the autopilot loop and create a moment of reconsideration. If you sell through retail, work with your buyer to add a trial element at point of purchase—a tester unit, a small sample pack, or even a QR code to a one-minute video that shows the product in a context the shopper has not imagined. The cost is minimal; the sample or collateral is already in your production budget. The return is the same as Bath & Body Works: longer engagement, more consideration, and a higher chance the customer adds a second item.

For your own DTC site, apply this to your product page. Most brands assume the visitor knows what they want and optimize for speed to checkout. Instead, add a "try something new" module below the add-to-cart button that shows three products in adjacent categories or different finishes, with a single sentence explaining why someone who bought the current item might want each one. Test this against your control. If your average order value climbs even **5%**, you have found the same lever Bath & Body Works pulled with softer lighting and seating.

The broader pattern is that customers on autopilot buy less. Redesign the environment—physical or digital—to give them a reason to slow down, and the incremental revenue comes from consideration, not coercion.

## The takeaway

Interrupt repurchase autopilot by changing one sensory or contextual variable in the buying environment.

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## Publisher

**Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339.
Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**.

- Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about
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