Hey Reader,

I was off yesterday. You didn't know that, but that's why you're getting this newsletter today. Apologies if the delay really threw off your groove.

Anyway, do you remember SkyMall?? I was traveling this weekend and, I've got to say, the seat-back-pocket reading materials have gotten weak. I didn't get an eclectic catalog or a branded magazine, just the standard safety card and in-flight menu. Now I've flown plenty over the last decade. I know this isn't a new change. But this weekend had me reminiscing about my childhood and it reminded me how much joy those weird little gadgets and devices brought me.

And look, there's a lot going on air travel these days. It all sucks. I'm not going to talk about that today.

Let the SkyMall

In case you didn't fly on an airplane before 2010, SkyMall was a seat-back-pocket staple. In the times before in-flight Wi-Fi, a worn copy of the whimsical shopping rag was a welcome break from the eye strain caused by a Gameboy with no backlight. That's all that SkyMall really was: a catalog to entertain you during your flight. But, while the product was simple, the strategy was immaculate. After all, is there a more captive audience than one trapped in a steel tube at 30,000 feet?

SkyMall was founded in 1989. At the start, customers actually placed their orders with flight attendants or by using a seat-back phone before landing, and SkyMall would have their product ready upon arrival. Even in the era of Amazon same-day delivery, that sounds bananas. To accomplish this, SkyMall operated a number of warehouses near select airports. (I do not know the logistics behind that operation; do not ask me.) That set SkyMall apart from any other catalog a traveler might find in an airport. You weren't bookmarking something for later or mailing out an order, you were literally at a paper mall.

When it Crumbles

As awesome an idea as SkyMall was in 1989, it wasn't particularly sustainable. First and foremost, there wasn't really a reason for travelers to buy anything. SkyMall solved that problem by shifting away from traditional products and to the more unique and unusual. Think yeti statues for your garden and shelves for your shower beers. An interesting inventory and same-day delivery was enough to help SkyMall solidify its identity, but that identity didn't come cheap.

It's hard to predict when a traveler will want to buy a combination toothbrush/karaoke mic, but the only way to fulfil a same-day delivery is to have plenty of combination toothbrush/karaoke mics on hand. Dead stock and storage overhead were bleeding money out of the operation. The solution to both of these problems came with a Hail Mary in 1993. SkyMall abandoned their same-day shipping model and making their own stock altogether. Instead they leased space in their magazine to third-party retailers. This undoubtedly saved the business, but it took away a piece of SkyMall's identity. The immediacy of delivery made SkyMall novel. Without it, the catalog was no different than any other weird website that would let you order things online.

Speaking of weird websites that let you order things online, in-flight Wi-Fi became available in 2009 and with it, Amazon.com took to the skies. SkyMall stayed mighty and relevant for more than 15 years after their strategic shift, but it was no longer the unique concept it once was. Similar obscure items could be purchased at Brookstone, Sharper Image and, of course, Amazon. While their presence on planes was neat, SkyMall didn't have anything else that set it apart. So when fliers could shop online in-flight, SkyMall no longer gave them a reason not to. The retailer filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy after changing hands through a number of private equity firms.

We Will Stand Tall

If I told you SkyMall still exists, would you believe me? No, really, here's an inflatable water slide bounce house that you can buy from SkyMall right now. The brand was purchased out of bankruptcy court in 2015 and is still going strong today. Well they're going about as strong as a brand with no identity can go.

See, that's the takeaway. I found plenty of articles about SkyMall filing for bankruptcy (like this one and this one), but there's no coverage of their comeback. In fact, the Wikipedia page for SkyMall ends in 2015! The harsh reality is that there's no reason for anyone to care. Kitschy products aren't enough of an "identity" in 2026. Sure, SkyMall still has a physical catalog in a few small airlines, but it's no different from any other online retailer. (Just like Brookstone and Sharper Image)

What made SkyMall so unique was that it was a mall in the sky. It's literally in the name. As soon as this concept was lost, the brand became a time bomb of mundanity. SkyMall was a catalog with a brick and mortar space, that space was just an airplane. They had the most captive audience in the world, but they stopped prioritizing them. Because if there's nothing that makes shopping in-store different than shopping online, no one's going to do it.

-MC

p.s.

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