The first trading day of this merriest of months arrived on the heels of what could be some bad news for the holiday retail season. While shoppers hit the aisles in record-sized droves after Thanksgiving for the infamous Black Friday sales, they spent less on goods than they did last year, and the least amount of money over this benchmark shopping weekend than they have since such figures began being tracked some seven years ago.
Stocks for retailers suffered a sharp sell-off as a result, as investors assumed that more of the same was to be expected from the Christmas shopping season. But while the average person may be short on purchasing-power over the coming holidays, a look at some of the world’s most expensive luxury items provides a distinctly different take on the consumer economy.
Investors who’ve a taste for the finer things in life, or at least the most exhorbitantly expensive things that a consumer economy can provide in the way of satisfying the need for luxury products may want to consider some of the following gifts for themselves or, even, others this holiday season.
Transport – Oceanco's Yacht with Moving Pool
Omani oil tycoon Mohammed al-Barwani bought the Greek Oceanco yacht company a few years back, he has turned it into one of the premiere luxury boat-making outfits in the world. The newest project he’s working on is a 300 foot yacht (the size of a football field, that is), replete with 9 bedrooms, spas, suites, and the main attraction, moving pools. Al-Barwani has the discretion to not discuss the price of the boats he makes, but in the world of superyachts, a boat can cost as much as $600 million, aside from the costs of actually getting such a vessel around, like fuel, crew, and so on.
Home Accessories – Cardok's Two-Tiered Automobile Storage System
Are you the kind of investor that has so many automobiles that you are starting to wonder where you’re going to put them all? If you’ve got $70,000 laying around like a bump on a log, you may want to consider Cardok’s garage system. Composed of an electrohydraulic lift, the Cardok storage system can double your vehicle storage space by creating an easily accessible underground spot. This will come especially in handy if you happen to be worried about where Santa is going to park his sleigh when he comes by to visit on Christmas eve.
Telecom/Tech – Uunique London’s Lotus iPhone 5 case
We all know that Apple (AAPL) is a company that is stubbornly attached to its high quality-bordering on luxury image, but when the company first released the iPhone, they probably had no idea it would go this far. But indeed it has, and it may be a good thing for those 0.01 percenters who sincerely care for the dignity of not only their own iPhones, but those of their loved ones as well. This Christmas, then, consider Uunique London’s iPhone 5 case, a mere $302,985 expense, well worth it if you truly love someone.
Healthcare – The CataCombo Sound-System Equipped Coffin
They say you can’t take your money with you when you die, and that is probably no less true than it ever was, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t be buried in a coffin that you spent a great deal of your money on. The CataCombo coffin is just the thing you might be looking for. For a measly $30,000, you can travel to the pearly gates not only in style, but also with your favorite tunes! The company’s newest model casket comes equipped with speakers and even a streaming spotify account, perhaps in the event that you are out of ideas.
