SkyMall

Sky Mall magazine is one of my favorite magazines in the whole wide world. I love random stuff. Love it. The only problem with loving random stuff is you have to go to so many places to get it. Electronics, pet supplies, home improvement, luxury items etc. etc.

But Sky Mall has it all.

I'm inclined to ask for copies to be sent to my house because I love them so very much.

What I'm saying is that they are good for a laugh. Don't get me wrong, there's stuff I want out of the catalog but most of the things inspire "Ah HA! Look at that! Boy, I think I'd like to own that. I better write down the item so I can find it cheaper on line."

But some of the stuff in there is ridiculously priced and it makes me think.

When I was a kid my parents told me that Sky Mall was in the plane with me except it wasn't like a real mall where you can walk around but more like a warehouse where the flight attendant would take the cash/check/credit card number, go to a hidden chamber (they liked it say it was between the ceiling and the actual roof of the plane) and get the bought item and bring it to you.

Obviously they never bought from the catalog and was just jerking me around. But every flight I was on I would find the water guns and beg my parents for one promising not to shoot anybody with water, I won't even fill it up, the Super Soaker 100 was tough to find in stores and here it is in the catalog WHICH MEANS IT'S ON THE PLANE!

I remember reading in Sky Mall an advertisement for your very own personal submarine called the Dolphin or something like that. that costs so much money it would make your eyes bleed to read it and thinking to myself "No way is something this expensive on this jet."

And who is falling for this impulse buy? How much money does Sky Mall generate? I can actually see it working out better for the organization if they DID store stuff on the plane. I see a lot more people saying "crap! I didn't get little Julie a present! *Bing Bong* Yes Sir, I'd like to purchase this. Please run along and get it for me. Is there any chance you gift wrap?"

Oh yes. They would. For a fee.

But how many people are sitting on the plane bored out of their minds flipping through the catalog and saying "holy crap! A personal submarine! I've always wanted one of those. Oh man, and it only costs XXX,XXX.99. I've got to get this and then wait for however long it will take to get to my house!"

That's really pushing the whole impulse buy thing don't you think? It's one thing to say "want to buy a candy bar you didn't even want?" and have someone buy it on impulse more because they're bored than hungry. It's something completely different to say "Want to buy an iPod clock (not a bad thing to have)? You'll have to order it on the ground where you can just go out and buy it and then you'll have to wait for it to come in, but you can pick it out right here 35,000 feet above sea level!"