Many of you have enjoyed the videos we've started to post on a range of products. For those that want to take their interest in our company to a new level, do we have a video for you? This video will either cement our place in your heart as the passionate upstarts trying to make a go of it doing something we love...or introduce the notion that we're doing everything we do, literally, "on the fly."

The backstory: several years ago, a production company approached us about filming the opening of our warehouse facility which we intended to also make available to the public. It was in the "industrial" part of town, which gave it its own charms.We hoped to open in time for a Superbowl party so much of the activity took place during our busiest time of the year: December. Havoc ensues. The show was called Ultimate Retail, hence the title of the post.

The video is just under 20 minutes long, so make sure you've got the time, a comfortable seat, and preferably, a fifth of whiskey. Enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.

Today is Day 3 of our "Risk/Reward Sale" which means seasonal items are now marked down 27%. Why 27%?

Every year, after the holidays, we begin a SALE to clear out Fall's merchandise before Spring starts arriving. Every few weeks, the discount would increase but there would be less to choose from. This year, we're doing things a little different with a SALE we're going to refer to as the Risk/Reward Sale.

The "Reward" part is the transparent increase in the discount each day of 1%. The markdown started at 25% on Monday, increased to 26% yesterday, and now 27% today. You can probably guess where it will be tomorrow.

Why would anyone buy today when it will be cheaper tomorrow or next week or the week after that? Well, that's the "Risk" part. There are others out there that find 26% off a Peter Millar cashmere sweater or Bills Khakis corduroys to be a great deal, and in most cases, we only have 1 item left in any size & color combination. So if you wait for greater savings, you'll surely be browsing a smaller selection.

And don't forget: you can now accrue points good for store credit on sale merchandise you buy (although points cannot be redeemed for sale merchandise). Read all about the very generous Frequent Flyer program we launched last month that earns you 10% back in store credit for qualifying purchases. Enroll at the first step of Checkout. 

Shop the Risk/Reward Sale now...

While other retailers were announcing one-day deals on Black Friday, we chose to officially roll out a rewards program we're calling our "Frequent Flyer" program that will benefit customers 365 days a year. We call it: Frequent Flyer. Customers will earn points with every purchase, and those points can be used for store credit!

As with any program like this, of course there is fine print, but we've tried extra hard to keep things as simple as possible. The basics:

Earn 1 point for each $1 you spend.
Redeem 10 points for $1 in savings towards merchandise. 

For example, a $200 order gets you 200 points. Those 200 points equal $20 in store credit. You can use that $20 to buy a single item of that value, or get that amount off a larger purchase.

Occasionally, we'll run special promotions in our email newsletters with the opportunity to earn bonus points, and we have big plans for exclusive products that can only be acquired by our most loyal customers with points. 

Online customers will be asked to enroll (while we assume everyone will want to participate, there is no auto-enrollment) at the first step of checkout on their next purchase. In-store customers will be asked at the point of sale. Points start accruing with your next purchase! 

We have worked long and hard to develop the technology and processes to support this program, and we look forward to thanking our customers with more of the stuff they love. 

My mom was brought up in a Christian household; dad was born & raised in Israel. I think that entitles me to a Chrismukkah Wish List of...9 gifts? If so, here's what would make my list this year: 

9. A Peter Millar cashmere sweater (believe it or not, I need a black or a navy!)
8. Another Margo Petitti scarf
7. The Michael Toschi Luciano in chocolate suede
6. A Jura Capresso espresso machine
5. Any pair of Gold & Wood sunglasses
4. Custom "Wingtip" cufflinks by Robin Rotenier (still being designed)
3. A Derek Rose Silk Robe
2. Any W. Kleinberg Belt with a monogrammed plaque buckle
1. A William Henry Studio pocket knife which I'll probably pick out at the Trunk Show on Friday, December 2nd! 

Warning: I don't rant often, but I feel the need to rant: 

Apparently, an employee of Target has started a petition that has 80,000+ signatures at the time I'm writing, asking the company not to open on Thanksgiving at midnight, but rather push it back until 5am on Friday morning. I'm not sure whose worse: the company requiring employees to come into work at 11pm on Thanksgiving, or the consumers that leave their families --or drag them with them in all likelihood-- to a big box store in the middle of the night to save a few extra bucks on a flat screen TV? 

And what's worse, there will be a death or two. Someone will get trampled this year, just like last year and the year before that. In fact, here's Jon Stewart in 2008 on the topic.

It's probably easy for us to say that On The Fly would never do something like that since no one is camping out in front of our store anyways, but let me just say that On The Fly will NEVER do that to our employees or our customers. 

So...DO NOT pitch a tent outside On The Fly's stores on Thanksgiving evening. In fact, don't show up to the store on Friday, because we'll probably be closed (downtown San Francisco is a ghost town over the Thanksgiving weekend, as it should be!). The store might be open on Saturday or Sunday, but that's not guaranteed either (we've let employees volunteer to come in if they'd like). The website is open for business 24/7. If we ever do midnight Black Friday promotions, I promise they'll be online only! You can only take advantage of them on the website, preferably from the comfort of your own bed, and ideally, while in a pair of Derek Rose pyjamas.