SkyMall, the in-flight catalogue retailer that declared bankruptcy today, used to be a big business.
As recently as 2012, it was thought to exceed $100 million in sales. But by 2013 revenue had fallen to $34 million, according to the WSJ, and it reached only $16 million in the first nine months of 2014.
Those once-robust sales didn't come from ridiculous items like cat-relaxation pods and zombie yard decorations that SkyMall has become notorious for. They came from much more reasonable items.
As we reported in 2012, SkyMall's consistent top-seller was a $19.99 Releaf Neck Rest that "allows for easy
The second most popular product in 2012 was the Vista Stair Tread at $29.98 for a set of four.
Third was the Skyrest travel pillow at $29.95. As it said in the catalogue, "This person is able to sleep comfortably in any Seat! Can you say the same? Probably not, unless you have SkyRest."
Other top-sellers included the $17.99 bunion regulator, the $49.99 faux suede sofa protector, the $27.99 indoor/outdoor dog bed large, and a $39.99 mole/wart removing cream called Dermatend.
"With the increased use of electronic devices on planes, fewer people browsed the SkyMall in-flight catalog," Scott Wiley the CEO and CFO of Xhibit Corp., SkyMall's parent company, said in court filings.