Q. We ordered online Halloween costumes for my kids. What we received was not as ordered and we cannot return the item for refund. What advice may BBB provide?
A. Interestingly, Halloween is the second largest shopping holiday of the year, which means unscrupulous businesses have plenty of opportunity to cash in. In the rush to purchase a costume or decorate the house, consumers can miss red flags. This Halloween, watch out for pop-up store confusion, online shopping scams, haunted events, and other seasonal hazards.
Halloween has become very popular with grown-ups, especially the millennial generation, and there are numerous haunted theme events you can attend with your friends. Be cautious of events that advertise only online or in social media, or that don’t provide information on how to contact the event organizers. When in doubt, contact the venue and see if they have a paid booking for the date and time listed, or if they have heard of the organizer. One company that came to BBB’s attention has a stated “No Refund” policy which applies even when they are the ones to cancel the event! Talk about scary.
Each fall, pop-up Halloween stores appear in empty storefronts across the United States and Canada. Those shops can be a great way to purchase costumes, decorations, and other themed merchandise. But their temporary nature can leave consumers in the lurch.
Here are some tips for shopping at a seasonal Halloween store.