Victoria’s Secret Outage Leaves Shoppers Frustrated

The retailer confirmed the incident in a brief message on their website and social media, stating that the shutdown was a precautionary move. “We identified and are taking steps to address a security incident,” the message reads. “We have taken down our website and some in store services as a precaution. Our team is working around the clock to fully restore operations.”

Customers reported being unable to place online orders, redeem gift cards, or contact customer service. The last official social media post on the company’s Facebook page was on May 25, and hundreds of comments underneath it mention the outage. Many say they received no direct communication or updates from the company.

Some stores cannot process returns or use loyalty rewards, though they remain open and are accepting regular cash and card payments. Meanwhile, corporate employees at the company’s Reynoldsburg, Ohio headquarters were told not to report to work on Tuesday and to stay logged off their systems.

The timing of the incident adds to the pressure on the company, which recently adopted a shareholder rights plan, or “poison pill,” to prevent a possible takeover by Australian firm BBRC International. The firm had quietly acquired around 13% of the company’s shares. The Victoria’s Secret board said the move was necessary to protect the long-term interests of shareholders.

While brick-and-mortar stores continue to operate, the lack of a functioning online platform and full customer service access is a major blow for a company already navigating internal and external pressures.

As of now, there is no estimated timeline for full recovery. The company has pledged to restore operations “quickly and securely,” but both employees and customers are still waiting for answers.