Slog - Comments on The Future in History

Comment by Mass Quantities

Mass Quantities — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:33:00 -0800

Does this mean I'm going to have to buy my personal submarine at Costco?

Comment by Trevor

Trevor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:43:58 -0800

Sharper Image is a victim of its own success. It was a key part of the marketing of superfluous crap in the 1980s that really solidified a shift in pop culture toward worshipping yuppie power and new forms of conspicuous consumption (despite growing inequaliies in wealth that make such consumption more and more reliant upon consumer debt).

Who needs one show called lifestyles of the rich and famous when so much pop culture is essentially just variation on the theme? What defines sharper image, when up-selling of unnecessary amenities in basic goods and superfluous consumer gizmos is everyone's modus operandi now?

But I don't think this is a triumph of generalization. It's the fragmenting of niche markets with their expansion. Made possible by the internet.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:44:55 -0800

As long as Brookstone, SkyMall, and Hammacher-Schlemmer are still in business, I don't think it means anything at all.

Comment by Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:45:06 -0800

I thought Sharper Image closing was the result of poor financial planning along with a buisness plan that lacked flexability to adapt to changing economic conditions. But you know...

Comment by Librarian@Play

Librarian@Play — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:47:24 -0800

Don't make me tell your mother to take your McLuhan books away from you.

Comment by NapoleonXIV

NapoleonXIV — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:48:41 -0800

I saw them haul the submarine out of there, unsold.

It was fake--FAKE!

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:49:02 -0800

I've never met anyone that actually bought anything at Sharper Image. I've also never understood buying goods to impress people unless there was a functional purpose like vibrators or ti calculator

Comment by douglas

douglas — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:49:43 -0800

the future is everywhere? really charles? don't you feel just a little bit silly?

Comment by NapoleonXIV

NapoleonXIV — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:51:18 -0800

@7: Philistine! One can simply not explain the joys of owning ion-purifying suit-hangers to the likes of you!

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:12:30 -0800

The real problem for the Sharper Image was that they dont carry enough Ohio State or Notre Dame branded merchandies while skymall has and always will.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:14:15 -0800

Insomnia can lead to mixed tenses on your verbs!

Comment by the future

the future — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:00:30 -0800

@11- meaning it should be "the future can NO longer be isolated"?

Comment by max solomon

max solomon — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:29:00 -0800

there is only now.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:09:59 -0800

But where will upper class ladies buy their ... massage devices?

Comment by Dougsf

Dougsf — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:24:55 -0800

Sharper image had a really strange niche - it successfully marketed average-quality (Bose), in many cases well below average (Ionic Breeze, oh God I feel bad for anyone that actually needed a purifier that got duped into one of those) consumer electronics and somehow thrust them into the realm of status symbol.

With their death, rich people can go back to having better stuff than me. Sorta.

Comment by Silverstar98121

Silverstar98121 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:38:43 -0800

Sharper Image had pretty much degenerated into a "as seen on TV" store lately. I'd rather shop at Brookestone...if I had any money.

Comment by Dan

Dan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:37:24 -0800

I could have sworn Charles was making sense last week.

Comment by uh hunh hunh

uh hunh hunh — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:47:46 -0800

Sharper Images problem? They didn't have any Elvis in them.

Elvis is everywhere!
Elvis is in everything!

Comment by Austin Chu

Austin Chu — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:17:52 -0800

I work for a company that manages and tracks gift cards, and I've been following retailers filing for bankruptcy on savvywallet.com. My advice? Go spend your gift cards, you may not know how long they will be accepting them. Don't forget The Sharper Image incident: $75m in unused gift cards.