SKIMS refunds $148 Advent calendars after viral unboxing complaints expose low-cost items

SKIMS issued a refund policy for its $148 holiday gift box on Sunday, conceding to the backlash generated by social media videos that dissected the product's contents. The apparel brand, founded by Kim Kardashian, stated it will provide customers with a choice between a full refund or store credit. This move follows a wave of online criticism that centered on the gap between the premium price point and the perceived value of the items inside.

The controversy erupted when content creators posted TikTok videos showing themselves opening the calendar. The initial enthusiasm in the clips quickly shifted to frustration as the boxes were emptied. One creator declared, "This is starting to piss me off," before adding, "I can get these at Dollar Tree." Another user expressed their anger directly, stating, "I'm so mad about this. I could literally go all day." A third creator summarized the sentiment of the online community by labeling it "actually the worst Advent calendar to ever exist."

The product is marketed on the SKIMS website as a holiday gift box containing "twelve days of fun surprises" and "everyday favorites." However, the inventory consists of four keychains, various hair bands, bobby pins, and a squishy toy, all of which are exclusive to this specific set. Despite the negative reception, the item is currently sold out on the company's site, where a waitlist has been opened for a future production run.

The situation illustrates a wider market trend where brands are repositioning the traditional Advent calendar as a high-end luxury item. Retail expert Trae Bodge, co-founder of the Thread Needle Alley Foundation, noted that major toy companies, beauty retailers, and luxury designers like Christian Louboutin have adopted similar pricing strategies. Bodge acknowledged that these sets allow brands to create an experiential product, but he warned that the contents often fail to meet the high expectations set by the price tag.

Bodge used Louboutin as a specific example of this trend, stating, "[Louboutin] may make a good, classy high-heeled shoe, but they do not make a classy Advent calendar. Please don't waste your money on this." He suggested that SKIMS is not the first brand to face this specific type of consumer reaction. Two years ago, Sephora received similar criticism for its trinket-filled calendar, with customers at the time describing the set as disappointing.

In response to the current scrutiny, Bodge advised other retailers to consider the visibility of their products in the digital space. "With social media being such a big factor with gift-giving, you've got to kind of think that through as a brand, you know, 'am I creating something that's gonna hold up well on a TikTok?'", Bodge said. SKIMS has not announced a new release date for the calendar, but the company is processing the refund and credit requests generated by the online complaints.