Bath & Body Works' Amazon storefront makes Amazon a battleground threatening Ulta Beauty

Snapshot: Amazon becomes unavoidable battleground for beauty retailers

Bath & Body Works is launching an authorized storefront on Amazon, a move that highlights how beauty brands are using the e-commerce giant to broaden reach and control their marketplace presence. The Columbus, Ohio‑based firm makes best‑selling fragrances, body washes, hand soaps and candles — including Champagne Toast body wash — available to U.S. Prime members with Prime‑eligible shipping and no minimum threshold. CEO Daniel Heaf, who joined the company in May from Nike, frames the partnership as a way to “put ourselves directly in the path of the consumer” and treat Amazon increasingly as a logistics and distribution partner.

What this means for Ulta Beauty’s competitive landscape

The Bath & Body Works push underscores a strategic challenge for Ulta Beauty, the U.S. specialty beauty retailer: more brands are bypassing traditional retail channels and using Amazon to reach new and lapsed customers. As manufacturers reassert control over pricing, merchandising and customer experience on third‑party marketplaces, Ulta faces pressure to protect shelf share, loyalty program relevance and in‑store exclusive advantages. Retailers that rely on brand assortment and exclusive products must adapt as manufacturers view Amazon not just as a retailer but as an essential distribution and fulfillment network.

Industry trend that reshapes omnichannel strategies

The move by Bath & Body Works is part of a broader industry pattern of vertically integrated brands — from apparel to beauty — experimenting with small, Prime‑eligible selections to reengage consumers. Market data underline the stakes: Amazon accounts for about 47% of the U.S. online beauty and personal care market in 2024, while Euromonitor estimates roughly 39% of all beauty and personal care sales occur online. Sephora holds a much smaller online share, underscoring why brands seek direct paths to consumers on Amazon.

Other developments to note

Before the official storefront launch, Bath & Body Works products were widely available on Amazon through third‑party resellers. The authorized storefront lets the company reclaim its brand narrative and gives greater control over promotional cadence, pricing and limited‑edition drops.

Operational implication for retailers

Heaf says the partnership helps accelerate delivery and scale seasonal promotions by leveraging Amazon’s fulfillment network. For competitors and specialty retailers like Ulta, the challenge is balancing brand partnerships, exclusive assortments and fulfillment speed as manufacturers increasingly view marketplace listings as strategic channels.