A witch hand candle holder has been flooded with bad reviews on Bath & Body Works' site because commenters say it's impossible to find

• Bath & Body Works' "witch hand" candle pedestal has cast a spell on shoppers.
• But many angry customers are hexing the specialty retailer in their reviews of the sold-out product.
• Numerous reviews included accusations about resellers buying up all the pedestals.

An in-demand decoration from Bath & Body Works is stirring controversy online. The specialty retailer has offered a "witch hand pedestal" single wick candle holder for the fall season. The product was introduced on July 26, as part of the company's 2021 Halloween collection, which also includes candle holders featuring a skull, a cauldron, and a water globe.

As of Monday, the product has sold out online, prompting a bit of a witch hunt in the review section for the product.

So far, the pedestal has attracted 12 five-star reviews, and 92 one-star reviews. Many of the negative reviews express frustration with the company's website. Others have accused Bath & Body Works employees of purchasing the $39.95 pedestal themselves, with the intent of making a profit by jacking the price up on the resell market.

The review-bombing posts fall into a few categories. As of Monday, a total of 34 reviews contained specific accusations about resellers - or even Bath & Body Works employees - hording the pedestal. Other, more general complaints of abrupt order cancellation emails, cart errors, and inaccurate website stock listings are featured in 30 reviews. Overall, the pedestal's average rating value is one-and-a-half out of five, from 110 reviews that began in July.

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"This seasonal item was quite popular and sold quickly," a Bath & Body Works spokesperson told Insider. "When we reviewed the stats, there was nothing out of line for associate sales. We look forward to bringing even more seasonal favorites to our customers."

Insider has not seen any proof that Bath & Body Works employees are behind the shortage. But reviewers seem to have a point when it comes to the issue of resellers lay hands on the decoration. On eBay, the product is currently being sold for anywhere between $15.19 to $199.99. One bundle of five pedestals is listed at $799.99.

To find out whether the online toil and trouble is bubbling over into stores, Insider rang up 11 Bath & Body Works stores in Indianapolis and the surrounding suburbs. One store never picked up the phone. Employees from the other 10 confirmed that the item is out of stock in their location. Three employees recommended calling back later in the afternoon, after their shipment was fully unloaded and inventoried. Two said specifically that the witch hand pedestal was in particularly high demand.

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