The Better Business Bureau Chicago & Northern Illinois says consumers purchasing Halloween costumes, decorations, and candy must be careful where they shop.
“Halloween Pop-up stores are open and ready for business,” says Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau. “But the problem is, they might be here today and gone tomorrow. The buyer could be left holding the bag if the Halloween merchandise is unsatisfactory. You cannot return a product or file a complaint at a shuttered store.”
Halloween purchases this year will reach historical levels, so shoppers must be extra careful as scammers scheme to cash in on this lucrative market. The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects Halloween spending to reach an all-time high of $12.2 billion, with 73% of the public celebrating the holiday.
The NRF projects that a record 69% of Halloween enthusiasts plan to buy costumes, totaling $4.1 billion. The Federation also expects increased spending for decorations, $3.9 billion, and candy, $3.6 billion. While the big-box stores are often the go-to places, some of the money spent will be online.
Bernas notes, “Many people prefer shopping online for convenience and an increased variety of costumes, but going online brings risks, too. Be alert to inferior merchandise scams, counterfeit websites, and fake emails and texts.”
As October 31 gets closer, people pressed for time must be careful when shopping for Trick or Treat items.
BBB consumer tips to shop at a Halloween Pop-up store:
- Check the company’s business profile at BBB.org. Use your browser to search for the company’s customer reviews by typing their name plus the word “review.”
- Inquire about their return policy in detail, ask what type of merchandise they will take back, and how to redeem credit after the store closes for the season.
- Save every receipt, whether it is email or paper.
- Buy from companies that have been around long enough to have a clear track record when possible.
- Check a site’s security settings, ensuring the web address begins with https://
- Ask at the store how long they plan to occupy their building.
- Determine if they have a website and a physical location if you need to contact them later.
- Use a credit card to purchase merchandise. That way, you have recourse if there is something amiss. Services like PayPal are helpful because they keep your credit card number from the seller.
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB Scam Tracker.
For more information
Visit BBB.org or follow us @ChicagoBBB on social media. Look for the BBB seal, the Sign of a Better Business.