Recent Quotes View Full List My Watchlist Create Watchlist Indicators DJI Nasdaq Composite SPX Gold Crude Oil Hydroworld Market Index Markets Stocks ETFs Tools Overview News Currencies International Treasuries Bed Bath & Beyond's stores have been slammed as 'devoid of inspiration' and 'a mess.' We went shopping there and found it completely overwhelming. (BBBY) By: Business Insider October 25, 2018 at 13:30 PM EDT Business Insider/Jessica TylerBed Bath & Beyond is struggling to keep up with its competition. Credit-ratings agency Standard & Poor lowered its rating on Bed Bath & Beyond on Thursday. We visited a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Manhattan earlier this year and found that while the amount of merchandise for sale was overwhelming, it was very clean and well organized overall. It also offered a lenient return policy.Bed Bath & Beyond is struggling to keep up with its competition. On Thursday, the credit-ratings agency Standard & Poor downgraded its bonds to BB+ from BBB- investment grade, according to Retail Dive. In the company's most recent earnings report in September, it reported comparable sales were down 0.6%.The problem, according to retail experts, could be with Bed Bath & Beyond's stores. "Too many of Bed Bath & Beyond's stores — especially older ones — are a mess," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in an email to CNBC in April. He continued by saying the stores' products are "crammed into a space that is largely devoid of inspiration." Whether or not the stores are in bad shape, Bed Bath & Beyond offers its customers some valuable perks. It has a lenient return policy that allows customers to return almost anything for a refund. Even without a proof of purchase, customers can be refunded 80% of the original price they said. In addition, most locations allow customers to use multiple coupons at once, use expired coupons, and use coupons on already-discounted items when making purchases.To better compete with Amazon on online orders, the store now offers free shipping on orders over $29. Some analysts have argued that while the offer is attractive, it hurts the company's profit margins in that customers might turn elsewhere to make purchases of under $29. The company also launched a membership program, called Beyond+, that costs $29 annually and gives customers 20% off every purchase, plus free shipping. We visited a Bed Bath & Beyond location in Downtown Manhattan earlier this year. Here's what we found: The Bed Bath & Beyond I went to was part of a shopping center and next to a Barnes & Noble. The store was advertising its wedding and gift registries and same-day delivery service, which costs $15 in Manhattan.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe customer service center was immediately next to the entrance of the store, and it highlighted its online order pick-up service. Bed Bath & Beyond allows returns of almost any product at any time, with or without a receipt, for a refund. Without any record of a purchase, customers can get an 80% refund.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThough reports have said that Bed Bath & Beyond stores are generally messy, the complete opposite was true at this location. Generally speaking, everything was spotless, and each display was carefully arranged.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe kitchen department was the first section of the store. It was very well labeled and organized, but I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of everything there was. Merchandise was stacked from floor to ceiling in almost every part of the store.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe kitchen department seemed to take up almost a quarter of the store, selling cutlery, baking supplies, appliances, and other kitchen essentials.Business Insider/Jessica TylerSee the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Kmart is closing dozens of stores as parent company Sears weathers Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here's how the discount chain fell from grace.Jennifer Garner's reported new boyfriend is leading the charge to replace human fast-food workers with robots at an In-N-Out copycat chainFashion Nova is becoming the internet's favorite fashion label. Here's how this affordable brand won over Kylie Jenner and Cardi B on its way to 13 million Instagram followers.SEE ALSO: Kmart is closing dozens of stores as parent company Sears weathers Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here's how the discount chain fell from grace. Related Stocks: Bed Bath & Beyond Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io Stock quotes supplied by Barchart Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes. By accessing this page, you agree to the following Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
Bed Bath & Beyond's stores have been slammed as 'devoid of inspiration' and 'a mess.' We went shopping there and found it completely overwhelming. (BBBY) By: Business Insider October 25, 2018 at 13:30 PM EDT Business Insider/Jessica TylerBed Bath & Beyond is struggling to keep up with its competition. Credit-ratings agency Standard & Poor lowered its rating on Bed Bath & Beyond on Thursday. We visited a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Manhattan earlier this year and found that while the amount of merchandise for sale was overwhelming, it was very clean and well organized overall. It also offered a lenient return policy.Bed Bath & Beyond is struggling to keep up with its competition. On Thursday, the credit-ratings agency Standard & Poor downgraded its bonds to BB+ from BBB- investment grade, according to Retail Dive. In the company's most recent earnings report in September, it reported comparable sales were down 0.6%.The problem, according to retail experts, could be with Bed Bath & Beyond's stores. "Too many of Bed Bath & Beyond's stores — especially older ones — are a mess," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in an email to CNBC in April. He continued by saying the stores' products are "crammed into a space that is largely devoid of inspiration." Whether or not the stores are in bad shape, Bed Bath & Beyond offers its customers some valuable perks. It has a lenient return policy that allows customers to return almost anything for a refund. Even without a proof of purchase, customers can be refunded 80% of the original price they said. In addition, most locations allow customers to use multiple coupons at once, use expired coupons, and use coupons on already-discounted items when making purchases.To better compete with Amazon on online orders, the store now offers free shipping on orders over $29. Some analysts have argued that while the offer is attractive, it hurts the company's profit margins in that customers might turn elsewhere to make purchases of under $29. The company also launched a membership program, called Beyond+, that costs $29 annually and gives customers 20% off every purchase, plus free shipping. We visited a Bed Bath & Beyond location in Downtown Manhattan earlier this year. Here's what we found: The Bed Bath & Beyond I went to was part of a shopping center and next to a Barnes & Noble. The store was advertising its wedding and gift registries and same-day delivery service, which costs $15 in Manhattan.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe customer service center was immediately next to the entrance of the store, and it highlighted its online order pick-up service. Bed Bath & Beyond allows returns of almost any product at any time, with or without a receipt, for a refund. Without any record of a purchase, customers can get an 80% refund.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThough reports have said that Bed Bath & Beyond stores are generally messy, the complete opposite was true at this location. Generally speaking, everything was spotless, and each display was carefully arranged.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe kitchen department was the first section of the store. It was very well labeled and organized, but I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of everything there was. Merchandise was stacked from floor to ceiling in almost every part of the store.Business Insider/Jessica TylerThe kitchen department seemed to take up almost a quarter of the store, selling cutlery, baking supplies, appliances, and other kitchen essentials.Business Insider/Jessica TylerSee the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Kmart is closing dozens of stores as parent company Sears weathers Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here's how the discount chain fell from grace.Jennifer Garner's reported new boyfriend is leading the charge to replace human fast-food workers with robots at an In-N-Out copycat chainFashion Nova is becoming the internet's favorite fashion label. Here's how this affordable brand won over Kylie Jenner and Cardi B on its way to 13 million Instagram followers.SEE ALSO: Kmart is closing dozens of stores as parent company Sears weathers Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here's how the discount chain fell from grace. Related Stocks: Bed Bath & Beyond