The saga of Advent calendars that do not meet consumer expectations has been expanded with a new installment. After Sephora disappointed hundreds of users internationally in 2024, now Skims, the fashion brand promoted by Kim Kardashian, has also sparked controversy over the quality and quantity of its content. So much so that the brand has apologized to customers and offered a refund for the product.
The brand recognizes that the calendar “has not been up to par”
““We would like to address you personally regarding your recent purchase of the 2026 Christmas season Advent calendar. We are aware that the product did not meet customer expectations and we are deeply sorry for what happened.”commented the brand in an email to consumers, according to various American media. “We want all our customers to be satisfied with what they receive, and on this occasion we have not been up to the task.”.
As stated on the brand’s website, the calendar promised “12 reasons to celebrate” and “12 days of fun surprises” to count down until the Christmas holidays. “From hair accessories to keychains and more, discover a mix of fun items and everyday favorites, all presented in a festive Advent calendar box“, stated the description of the item, which went on sale on October 29 at a price of $148. Days later, with sales already underway, the brand shared a video on its social networks showing the content of the calendar.
Skims’ apology came after a consumer posted a video unboxing the calendar and clearly showing her frustration and disappointment at its content. In it you can see how their desperation grows as they reveal items whose accumulated value they believe does not reach the $148 amount. The video already has more than 70 million views and 8 million likes.
Along with her, many other users have gone to social networks to share their impressions of the calendar, once they have received it in their homes after purchasing it through the brand’s online store. The assessment and general feeling are the same, disappointment in the article and the brand and lack of respect for their loyalty. Mostly, consumers expected the calendar to include some piece of clothing, Skims’ core business.
The controversy has been such that many international users have made publications and shared videos parodying the calendar and satirizing the “unboxings” of the product. In them they point out that the brand has made it with leftovers from production, or they have compared it with the objects that a cat finds around the house. accumulates in a corner, or with those that tend to get lost between the sofa cushions. They have also criticized the design and aesthetics of the calendar.
That is why Skims has approached those who have purchased the product to try to alleviate and amend a reputation crisis. “We understand that the calendar did not meet expectations and we have contacted every customer who purchased it to offer them the option of receiving a full refund or a Skims credit that they can use on other products.“, they have explained from the brand to The Independent. They assure that their goal is that all customers are satisfied with what they receive from Skims and that the opinions received will be taken into consideration for future launches.
