Kim Kardashian's Skims Offers Refunds After $148 Advent Calendar Backlash
Kim Kardashian's Skims is offering refunds on its $148 Accessories Advent Calendar after shoppers slammed the holiday gift online. Customers who opened the boxes found hair ties, bobby pins and keychains instead of the clothing many had hoped for, and their unboxing videos quickly went viral.
Now the shapewear brand is reaching out to buyers directly with an offer to make things right.
What Was Inside the Box
Skims released the Accessories Advent Calendar on Oct. 29 as part of its Holiday Shop. It promised 12 days of surprises and sold for $148 in the U.S. and £158 in the U.K., according to Yahoo Entertainment.
According to the brand's website, the calendar included a bear keychain, packs of hair elastics, satin scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, headbands made from bra elastic, a comb keychain, a logo keychain and a squishy toy featuring the Skims logo. None of the items were clothing.
That was a big change from the brand's first Advent calendar in 2021, which held 25 pairs of underwear and cost $450.
Shoppers Sound Off Online
Within days of deliveries arriving, disappointed customers flooded social media with unboxing videos. One TikTok from an unhappy buyer has racked up nearly 65 million views, according to E! News.
Influencer Kayla Ryan joked while opening hers, "I'm hoping this is a prank and the last one is a $150 gift card for all my money back," The Daily Beast reported.
On Reddit, one user wrote, "Not even a full pack of plain hair ties is taking me out." Others called the calendar a scam, and some TikTok viewers said the items looked like they came from a bargain bin.
Some critics online dubbed it the "worst advent calendar ever," while one person compared the contents to the odds and ends women find at the bottom of their purses, according to TMZ.
Not Everyone Was Upset
The calendar did have some defenders. Several people pointed out that the product was clearly labeled as an accessories calendar, not an apparel one.
"Do people really expect Skims to send them bras and panties?" one person asked online.
Kardashian herself has said she loves the countdown tradition. She told Elle that the calendar lets her give someone a new gift each day.
The holiday collection also came with a major campaign. Shot by photographer Nadia Lee Cohen, it features Kim, Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian along with Kendall and Kylie Jenner. It marks the first time all five sisters have appeared together in a Skims photo.
How the Refund Offer Works
A Skims spokesperson told Today that the company is "aware of the feedback" and acknowledged that "for some, the calendar didn't meet expectations."
"We want every customer to be truly happy with what they receive from Skims," the spokesperson said, adding that the feedback "will directly shape how we approach future releases."
The brand has contacted everyone who bought the calendar with two options. Customers can return it for a full refund, minus shipping, or keep it and receive store credit for its full value to spend on other Skims items.
Some buyers said the offer arrived quickly. TikToker Sean Anthony said his refund offer showed up before his calendar did, joking about whether it was "really that bad" that Skims had to go on an "apology tour."
The calendar is no longer available on the Skims website, though shoppers can still join a waitlist. Skims has not said how many calendars were sold or how many customers have asked for refunds.
Kardashian co-founded Skims with Jens Grede in 2019, and it has since grown into a major shapewear and loungewear brand.
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