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Description Of the Company And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Description Of the Company And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] | Description of the Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The Company Blue Nile, Inc. (the “Company”) is the leading online retailer of high quality diamonds and fine jewelry. In addition to sales of diamonds and fine jewelry, the Company provides education, guidance and support to enable customers to more effectively learn about and purchase diamonds and fine jewelry. The Company, a Delaware corporation, based in Seattle, Washington, was formed in March 1999. The Company serves consumers in over 40 countries and territories all over the world through its website at www.bluenile.com. Fiscal Year The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to December 31. Each fiscal year consists of four 13-week quarters, with one extra week added in the fourth quarter every five to six years. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Some of the more significant estimates include the allowance for sales returns and assumptions used to determine stock-based compensation expense. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Foreign Currency The functional currency of most of the Company’s subsidiaries is the applicable local currency. Assets and liabilities have been translated to U.S. dollars using the exchange rates effective on the balance sheet dates, while income and expense accounts are translated at the average rates in effect during the periods presented. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity. The Company also recognizes gains and losses associated with transactions that are denominated in foreign currencies. The Company recorded a net loss resulting from foreign currency transactions of approximately $0.4 million, $0.4 million and $0.2 million in the fiscal years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively, within other income, net in the consolidated statements of operations. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued two Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”), ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12, which amend the guidance for the presentation of comprehensive income. The amended guidance requires an entity to present components of net income and other comprehensive income in one continuous statement, referred to as the statement of comprehensive income, or in two separate, but consecutive statements. The current option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of stockholders’ equity was eliminated. Although the new guidance changes the presentation of comprehensive income, there are no changes to the components that are recognized in net income or other comprehensive income under existing guidance. The Company adopted these ASUs at the beginning of fiscal year 2012. Adoption of these ASUs changed the Company’s presentation of comprehensive income but did not impact the Company’s net income, financial position, or cash flows. Concentration of Risk The Company maintains the majority of its cash and cash equivalents in accounts with five major financial institutions within and outside the United States, in the form of demand deposits, money market accounts, and time deposits. Deposits in these institutions may exceed the amounts of insurance provided, or deposits may not be covered by insurance. The Company has not experienced losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s trade accounts receivable are primarily derived from credit card purchases from customers and the majority are settled within two business days. The Company’s ability to acquire diamonds and fine jewelry is dependent on its relationships with various suppliers from whom it purchases diamonds and fine jewelry. The Company has reached agreements with certain suppliers to provide access to their inventories of diamonds for its customers, but the terms of these agreements are limited and do not govern the purchase of diamonds for its inventory. Purchase concentration by major supply vendor in fiscal year ended December 30, 2012 with comparative information for fiscal years ended January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, is as follows:
| Year Ended
| December 30, 2012 payments |  | January 1, 2012 payments |  | January 2, 2011 payments
Vendor A | 6 | % |  | 8 | % |  | 12 | %
Vendor B | 4 | % |  | 7 | % |  | 8 | %
Vendor C | 4 | % |  | 6 | % |  | 8 | %
| 14 | % |  | 21 | % |  | 28 | %
Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less, from the date of purchase, to be cash equivalents. Short-term Investments The Company classifies highly liquid investments with maturities greater than three months but less than one year as short-term investments. Inventories The Company’s diamond and fine jewelry inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market, using the specific identification method for diamonds and weighted average cost method for fine jewelry and watches. The Company lists loose diamonds on its website that are typically not included in inventory until the Company receives a customer order for those diamonds. Upon receipt of a customer order, the Company purchases a specific diamond and records it in inventory until it is delivered to the customer, at which time the revenue from the sale is recognized and inventory is relieved. To determine if the cost of our inventory should be written down, we consider current and anticipated demand, customer preferences, age of the merchandise and fashion trends. This write-down is equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its estimated market value. The Company did not record any significant write-downs for the fiscal years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 or January 2, 2011. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation expense is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets sold or otherwise disposed of are removed from the accounts and the related gain or loss is reported in the statement of operations. Estimated useful lives by major asset category are as follows:
Asset | Life (in years)
Software | 2-5
Computers and equipment | 2-5
Leasehold improvements | Shorter of lease term or asset life
Building | Shorter of lease term or asset life
Furniture and fixtures | 5-7
Capitalized Software The Company capitalizes costs to develop its website and internal-use software and amortizes such costs on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software once it is available for use. Costs related to the design and maintenance of internal-use software and website development are expensed as incurred. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company reviews the carrying value of its long-lived assets, including property and equipment and definite-lived intangible assets, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. To the extent the estimated future cash inflows attributable to the assets, less estimated future cash outflows, are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss would be recognized. The Company did not record an impairment loss for long-lived assets for the fiscal years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 or January 2, 2011. Intangible Assets Intangible assets are recorded at cost and consist primarily of the costs incurred to acquire licenses and other similar agreements with finite lives. The gross carrying amount of these licenses was approximately $0.5 million at December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012. Accumulated amortization was approximately $0.4 million and $0.3 million as of December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012, respectively. Amortization expense was approximately $58,000 in the fiscal year ended December 30, 2012, $54,000 in the fiscal year ended January 1, 2012 and $51,000 in the fiscal year ended January 2, 2011. Amortization expense is estimated to be $55,000 in fiscal 2013, $37,000 in fiscal 2014, $22,000 in fiscal 2015, $19,000 in fiscal 2016, and $14,000 in fiscal 2017. Intangible assets that are not being amortized relate to the Company’s domain names, with total carrying amounts of approximately $33,000 at both December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012. These assets are tested for impairment annually and more frequently if certain circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. Note Receivable and Other Investments On May 2, 2012, the Company purchased $2.0 million in convertible preferred shares in a privately-held company in exchange for a minority stake. The convertible preferred shares are convertible into common stock of the same privately-held company at any time at the Company's option. The convertible preferred shares did not meet the characteristics of in-substance common stock; as such, this investment is accounted for under the cost method. Also on May 2, 2012, the Company loaned $2.0 million to the same privately-held company in exchange for a note receivable (the “Note”). The Note is convertible into convertible preferred shares upon the occurrence of certain events or at the Company's written election. If not sooner converted, the Note matures on May 1, 2015, at which time the Company is due the entire unpaid principal amount and unpaid interest thereon. The interest on the principal amount outstanding is payable in quarterly installments in cash, until the Note is repaid in full or until the principal amount has been converted. The Note bears interest at LIBOR + 1% as of December 30, 2012. The interest rate increases over the term of the Note to a maximum rate of LIBOR + 8%. The Note is recorded at its face amount on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. The Company reviews the investment for impairment when events and circumstances indicate that the decline in fair value of the asset below the carrying value is other-than-temporary. This evaluation consists of several qualitative and quantitative factors regarding the severity and duration of the unrealized loss as well as the Company's ability and intent to hold the investment until a forecasted recovery occurs. Additionally, the Company assesses whether it has plans to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Factors considered include recent and projected financial results and operating trends; publicly available information that may affect the value of the investment; duration and severity of the decline in value; and our strategy and intentions for holding the investment. Fair Value of Financial Instruments The carrying amounts for the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value due to their short maturities. Treasury Stock Treasury stock is recorded at cost and consists primarily of the repurchase of the Company’s common stock in the open market. Income Taxes Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the tax rates that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Future tax benefits, such as return reserves, are recognized to the extent that realization of such benefits is considered to be more likely than not. The Company utilizes a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company considers many factors when evaluating and estimating tax positions and tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments and which may not accurately forecast actual outcomes. The Company does not have any unrecognized tax benefits. If interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits were incurred, such amounts would be included in the Company’s provision for income taxes. Revenue Recognition Net sales consist of products sold via the Internet and shipping revenue, net of estimated returns and promotional discounts and excluding sales taxes. The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following have occurred: persuasive evidence of an agreement with the customer exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the selling price is fixed or determinable and collectability of the selling price is reasonably assured. The Company evaluates whether it is appropriate to record the gross amount of product sales and related costs or the net amount earned. Revenue is recorded at the gross amount when the Company is the primary obligor, is subject to inventory and credit risk, has latitude in establishing price and product specification, or has most of these indicators. When the Company is not primarily obligated and has no latitude in establishing the price, revenue will be recorded at the net amount earned. The Company requires payment at the point of sale. Amounts received before the customer assumes the risk of loss are not recorded as revenue. For sales to customers in the U.S., Canada, E.U., and the United Arab Emirates (the "U.A.E."), the Company recognizes revenue when delivery has occurred, which is typically one to three days after shipment. For international sales, other than to Canada, E.U., and the U.A.E., revenue is recognized upon shipment. The Company generally offers a return policy of 30 days and provides an allowance for sales returns during the period in which the sales are made. At December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012, the reserve for sales returns was $1.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, and was recorded as an accrued liability. Sales and cost of sales reported in the consolidated statements of operations are reduced to reflect estimated returns. The estimates are based on the Company’s historical product return rates and current economic conditions. In 2011, the Company began offering a lifetime diamond upgrade program on all certified diamonds purchased since January 1, 2011. This is accounted for as a guarantee and at December 30, 2012 and January 1, 2012, the estimated the fair value of the guarantee is inconsequential. The Company generally does not extend credit to customers, except through third party credit cards. The majority of sales are through credit cards, and trade accounts receivable are composed primarily of amounts due from financial institutions related to credit card sales. The Company does not maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts because payment is typically received within two business days after the sale is complete. Shipping and Handling Costs The Company’s shipping and handling costs primarily include payments to third-parties for shipping merchandise to the Company’s customers. Shipping and handling costs of approximately $4.5 million, $4.2 million and $3.2 million in the fiscal years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively, were included in cost of sales. Cost of Sales Cost of sales consists of the cost of merchandise sold to customers, inbound and outbound shipping costs, insurance on shipments, the costs incurred to set diamonds into ring, earring and pendant settings, including labor and related facility costs, and depreciation on assembly related property, plant and equipment. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of payroll and related benefit costs for the Company’s employees, marketing costs, stock-based compensation and credit card fees. These expenses also include certain facility-related costs, and fulfillment, customer service, technology and depreciation expenses, as well as professional fees and other general corporate expenses. Fulfillment costs include costs incurred in operating and staffing the fulfillment center, including costs attributable to receiving, inspecting and warehousing inventories and picking, packaging and preparing customers’ orders for shipment. Fulfillment costs in the years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011 were approximately $3.7 million, $3.5 million and $3.3 million, respectively. The Company has procedures in place to detect and prevent credit card fraud to mitigate exposure to losses from fraudulent charges. The Company records a reserve for fraud losses based on the Company’s historical rate of such losses. This reserve is recorded as an accrued liability and amounted to approximately $0.1 million at December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011, respectively. Marketing Marketing costs are expensed as incurred. Costs associated with web portal advertising contracts are amortized over the period such advertising is expected to be used. Costs of advertising associated with radio, print and other media are expensed when such services are used. Marketing expense for the fiscal years ended December 30, 2012, January 1, 2012 and January 2, 2011 was approximately $21.0 million, $16.9 million and $14.5 million, respectively. Stock-Based Compensation The Company measures compensation cost for all stock options and restricted stock units granted based on fair value on the measurement date, which is typically the grant date. The fair value of each stock option granted is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes-Merton option valuation model. The fair value of each restricted stock unit is based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each stock option or restricted stock unit grant expected to vest with forfeitures estimated at the date of grant based on the Company’s historical experience and future expectations.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References No definition available. + Details
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