SKIMS’ Christmas advent calendar, from the clothing and underwear company co-founded by Kim Kardashian, sparked an online scandal over its contents. The product was sold for $148 and included 12 small accessories, among them keychains, hair ties, scrunchies, hair clips, claw clips and a rubber squeeze toy.
Discontent erupted after videos showing people unboxing the calendar were published. In them, buyers display the items from the boxes one by one and question whether they justify the price. One of the clips, cited by Global News, has garnered more than 22 million views.
What’s in the box
According to the product description, the calendar contains four keychains, several sets of hair ties, scrunchies, hair clips and claw clips. It also includes a headband inspired by a bra design and a small plush teddy bear in the shape of a keychain.
The criticism is directed not only at the individual items, but also at the mismatch between expectations for a product from a brand known for underwear and shapewear and its actual contents. The calendar contains no underwear, clothing or other core SKIMS product.
“I can find these things at a dollar store,” a user says in a video cited by CBS News. Other comments compare the contents to items forgotten at the bottom of a bag or in a drawer.
Company offered refunds
After the videos spread, SKIMS announced that it was offering buyers either a full refund of the amount paid or store credit for purchases from the brand. In a statement reported by CBS News, a company spokesperson said that SKIMS is “aware of the feedback” and acknowledged that “for some, the calendar did not meet expectations.”
The company also asked customers for additional feedback, saying that it would be taken into account when developing future products. It has not been publicly specified whether all buyers will automatically receive their money back or whether they need to contact customer service.
Has the product been removed?
There are differences in the reports by individual media outlets regarding the calendar’s status. CBS News reported that the product was sold out and that an option to join a waiting list was active on the website. Bloomberg later reported that SKIMS had removed the calendar from the website following customer complaints.
There was also speculation on social media that the reaction may have been a planned marketing campaign designed to attract attention. However, this version has not been confirmed by SKIMS or Kim Kardashian. The only confirmed facts are that the product sparked widespread criticism and that the company offered compensation to buyers.
Sources: cbsnews.com, bloomberg.com, globalnews.ca