# Halloween spenders still spooked this year



## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-09-29-halloween-spending_N.htm

I'm sure retailers prepared for a slower Halloween season by ordering less. The Home Depot by me never even put out any Halloween stuff.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

> That could mean more pressure on retailers to stock up on attractive, yet affordable Halloween items.


This would be a good thing!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Hauntiholik said:


> This would be a good thing!


Amen to that!


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

There seemed to be more bad than good in that artical. Less people planning on doing Halloween this year. That isn't right.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

While I, like many others, have less disposable income, the economy is not stopping me from enjoying the holiday, this one or any of the upcoming ones. My spending hasnt suffered drastically. Of course, I am assuming that I will have TOTers come by. That remains to be seen.


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## The Bloodshed Brothers (Jan 25, 2009)

well at least theres folks like us to keep i alive


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Eh, I choose to look at the bright side... if they put out less inventory it won't affect me much since most of my haunt is foam board, pvc, flour, wood glue, spray paint, etc. I havent noticed too much decline in those departments... and if less people decorate, that just makes my haunt get more attention on 10-31, when people are out looking for free candy!!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

That's the way to look at it, Dixie. The big "Halloween" stores are alive and thriving - Lowe's and Home Depot


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## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

The Bloodshed Brothers said:


> well at least theres folks like us to keep i alive


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Well they obviously have'nt been following me around anywhere. I have spent a fortune on halloween already and it's not even October yet.


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## The Creepster (Sep 18, 2009)

yeah average of $56.31? I spent the average in one trip to hardware store last January


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Holy cow- what do we spend just on candy and those little freakin treat bags??


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

Halloween falls on Saturday this year. There will be more parties then there normally is. It is just bad marketing, Target is selling a lot of their stuff. Walmart is storing the junk they put out. I was disappointed in Walgreens, they had the best stuff last year. They still have some nice stuff, it is just that it's the same we see every year. But like so many of you I am learning to make my own. Which is good because I am broke!!!! DD got married on the 12th.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

kprimm said:


> Well they obviously have'nt been following me around anywhere. I have spent a fortune on halloween already and it's not even October yet.


LOL, K, I think we went past $56 a while ago, too


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

My husband would love if I would spend just 56.31 on Halloween this year. Like kprimm said, it's not even Oct. yet.


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## halinar (Sep 11, 2008)

Yeah, I passed that dollar amount in January with out a doubt. I was working on my coffin then.


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## morbidmike (Sep 11, 2009)

Shoot I've spent over 400.00$ on props this year and will spend $80.00 on candy


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

So they polled 8500 people over an 8 day period. Not a very good sampling, IMO. Also, they are saying the spending will go down by $10.00 per person and 2% won't celebrate. Not very impressive or troubling. I don't think this bodes badly for the holiday. I think it's a crappy year for merchandise, period. I don't think it's about retailers scaling back. I walked into Home Depot a couple days ago and thought I landed at the North Pole! Two rows of lit Xmas trees, lights, decorations, etc.... Obviously they are expecting strong Xmas sales. Michaels has rows of Xmas stuff up as does ACMoore Kmart and Walmart. There is just very little choice this year. I would comfortably say that we have seen the best days of Halloween merchandise and they are behind us. There will be specialty stores that have high end props but overall, the retailers we have been used to are simply going to offer crap from here on. Kind of sad and while there will always be a market for it, the good stuff will have to be homemade or paid for through the nose.


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## saint paul mn (Jun 6, 2009)

I dunno. I am definitley not buying specialty items this year. I've accumulated lots of stuff over the years and have spent all halloween money on building props.

so far I've built a 12'x18'x12' fence and it's about 4 ft high. it cost me about 80 bucks after all is said and done. 

I also built... well, i'll start a different thread for this.


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

$56.31 ?
Amateurs....LOL


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

Wyatt Furr said:


> $56.31 ?
> Amateurs....LOL


I second that Wyatt!!


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Wyatt Furr said:


> $56.31 ?
> Amateurs....LOL


I third that! Bloody noobs ruining our demographics.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Just the purchase of our Scaretaker (even at the major discount we got) put Roxy and me past the $56 each.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

They need to add in all the money that is spent and Home Depot and Lowes on halloween props and then that average would rise. I know I spent more than that on my trash can fog chiller this year and that is only one thing I made this year.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

Spooky1 said:


> Just the purchase of our Scaretaker (even at the major discount we got) put Roxy and me past the $56 each.


Perhaps they don't include decorations that we leave up all year long? Don't you DARE put the scaretaker in storage!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Hauntiholik said:


> Perhaps they don't include decorations that we leave up all year long? Don't you DARE put the scaretaker in storage!


LOL, Haunti, he's been hanging out in our formal living room ever since we got him. Gives me a little adrenaline rush when I walk in there and the lights are out:googly:


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## Nyxy (Jan 4, 2009)

Ha, 56.31 was my first trip to dollar tree when they had no specific halloween out. I'm lookin at $360.00 overall, not just props, and I'm only half done. This isn't counting costume and all the electricity I'll be using.


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## azpaul (Aug 20, 2009)

Wyatt Furr said:


> $56.31 ?
> Amateurs....LOL


OK, I am here to stick up for the newbies and amateurs...

For the things I am doing I have already spent close to $800.00 in the last 4 days. I still have a few more things to do but almost done. I expect to close around $1500.00. Does this even the playing field??


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## Night Watchman (Aug 15, 2009)

$56.31, I finally don't feel like a Newbie anymore. I can't remeber the last time I went out for Halloween supplies and "only" spent $56.31.


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## HauntedHacienda (Sep 16, 2008)

We will be spending about $540.00 this year, with the majority of the money spent on Halloween next year, will be Homemade Props, Scares and other goods.
Found a few tricks I could use for next year.


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## Psyc0 Walrus (Sep 1, 2009)

$56.31!?!?!? i spent well over $100 on my drop panel alone!!! plus i bought a bunch of other crap this year! lets see 56.31x999999991=HALLOWEEN FOR HAUNTERS!!!!

haha wow im dumb


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

I spend what the wife says I can...

It depends upon our budget overall. Last year, I had like $20 to spend, with about another $100 the day *after* Halloween. This year, I spread it out more and have spent about $100 so far with more to go...and hopefully about that much again the day after. Budgets for this teacher.


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## Spooklights (Jul 4, 2006)

I would have spent more if I saw anything I really liked. Just didn't really see anything I wanted this year.


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## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

Similar article concerning the economy and Halloween spending:

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091021/BUSINESS10/910210349


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## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

When they do the math on Halloween spending, do they even factor in MonsterGuts, Efx Tek, and all the other vendors we know and love? Not to mention Home Depot, Lowes, Harbor Frieght and all the other places we spend out $$$.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

HauntCast said:


> When they do the math on Halloween spending, do they even factor in MonsterGuts, Efx Tek, and all the other vendors we know and love? Not to mention Home Depot, Lowes, Harbor Frieght and all the other places we spend out $$$.


Nope. Those places account for a big chunk of the Halloween bucks if you're into DIY stuff. I've probably dropped a couple hundred at HD and Lowes just in foam for tombstones, some lumber for wall panels, osb, plywood, hardware, and miscellaneous stuff I use in my haunt.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I dunno peeps. I am amazed at all the stuff that is still in the stores..usually it's half gone by now. The shelves are still bulging, and many of the folks I know are not doing the usual haunted cellar, front lawn, etc.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Our Spirit store is doing a huge business. Talked to the manager and they are going nuts. she also said that the week before is always peak time so they're geared up for a frantic week. I was in there today and there were at least 20 customers in the store and they were buying costumes,accessories and small props. The store stopped getting big props in and they are sold out of a lot of stuff. Manager said it has been a great year for them.


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