SKIMS $148 advent calendar sells out before backlash peaks

The holiday season saw a pricing dispute over a specific retail product.

SKIMS, the apparel company founded by Kim Kardashian, released an advent calendar for $148. The set was designed as a gift box containing twelve daily surprises. The website described the contents as everyday favorites. The item sold out completely on the SKIMS site. Customers who missed the initial sale were directed to join a waitlist for a future batch.

The criticism focused on the value of the items inside. The box contained four keychains, various hair bands, bobby pins, and a SKIMS squishy. All items were exclusive to the set. TikTok creators documented their reactions in video format. One creator stated, This is starting to piss me off, while unboxing the kit. That same creator added, I can get these at Dollar Tree. Another creator expressed frustration in a separate clip, saying, I am so mad about this. I could literally go all day. A third creator concluded that the set was actually the worst advent calendar to ever exist.

Retail expert Trae Bodge noted a trend in the market. Bodge, who co-founded the Thread Needle Alley Foundation, said brands are using advent calendars to create consumer experiences. He observed that popular toy companies and beauty retailers are attaching steep prices to these sets. Luxury designers, including Christian Louboutin, have also entered the space. Bodge warned that some products may not live up to the hype. He compared the SKIMS set to the Louboutin offering, stating, Louboutin may make a good, classy high-heeled shoe, but they do not make a classy advent calendar. He advised consumers not to waste their money on the Louboutin version.

SKIMS is not the first brand to face this reaction. Sephora received criticism two years ago for its trinket-filled advent calendar. Customers at the time called the product disappointing. The current backlash on social media has prompted a response from SKIMS. The company said it would offer customers a refund or store credit.

Bodge suggested the episode offers a lesson for other brands. He noted that social media heavily influences gift-giving decisions. He asked brands to consider whether their products will hold up well on TikTok. He said, With social media being such a big factor with gift-giving, you have got to kind of think that through as a brand, you know, am I creating something that is going to hold up well on a TikTok?