Halloween Items Not Selling - A Race to the Bottom? Christmas Going to be Like this Also??

[katzrul15]

We have never had a Halloween sales slump like this - not in all the years on here.  Our Halloween items are not selling and there are so many items priced well below our wholesale pricing AND they offer FREE Shipping with that Race to the Bottom, Sandwich ~ THANK you so very much!  (We offer Free shipping, but I cannot sell something for $8 + free shipping, when our cost was $5.40/per and MSRP is $24.99)

Everything from Disney Princess costumes, wigs, flashlights - even Buzz Lightyear costumes and accessories are not selling like usual and we're not going to sell a full costume for $12.95 + free shipping.

I am concerned.  Is this what Christmas is shortly about to look like?  This Race to the Bottom (several items today from Sellers I have bookmarked have again lowered pricing by $1-$3 per item to try and get them to sell) is really concerning.  At least we sold several more Pokemon oreos today - 4 less packs I do not have to eat.  🙂

[katzrul15]

@libersales 

I have no idea what you're talking about.  I am a US Seller - my inventory is in a warehouse 3 miles from my home.  I am not "IN" China, we are talking about competing with those who are.

[katzrul15]

@jewelbiz 

Sure - Send me a PM with the pix and I will get it posted on this thread for you.  (No idea why you cannot post pix - have you tried a different browser?)

[jewelbiz]

Sent 

[katzrul15]

@jewelbiz 

[buyologist-3]

Make the sign fun: A Bad Witch Stole The Candy!!  Or something like that.  Or Evil Covid Man... you get it. (Smiles!)

[libersales]

I wasn't saying that you are in China. What I said was that buyers might think that you are in China or that your product comes from China and that there will be shipping delays. I have ordered from sellers that I thought were in the US and that the product would be here in a matter of days only to wait months for delivery.

Sorry if I offended you. I was just pointing out what the buying public may be thinking.

[katzrul15]

@libersales 

I have no idea what you are trying to say?  

On our listings, it is abundantly clear that my items are not being drop-shipped and my FB states everything arrives quickly.  There are Sellers (not selling the same product at all) keyword spamming and using stock photos (we take our own) and selling "similar" products for about 1/3 of what we are.  On our listings it shows in big red letters, FREE 3 DAY Shipping.  I do not think any buyer is going to be concerned with delays.  

My original post is about the "Race to the Bottom" as far as pricing.  You are seeing many Sellers cut their pricing repeatedly (you know, as e-Bay keeps sending us emails to let us know they lowered this price again) and if you look at "solds" - nothing is selling above the $19.95 range - but $12.95-$14.95 with Free shipping.  The full costume weighs almost 1.65lbs before a box.  We were at $26.85 + Free Shipping and our pricing is pretty much a mid-point.  It doesn't matter, as not one sold.   MSRP is $29 and today we went in one of the Halloween B&M pop-up stores and their similar costumes to ours were $34.99  + accessories at $12.99 - $19.99.  

Not a matter of waiting for the $12.95 seller to sell out - they are from China with an endless supply.   

It is a Halloween costume, so any Buyer is obviously going to buy the $12.95 + Free shipping one, it is a no-brainer.  One Seller started a 50% off sale today on all their Halloween and we are 6 weeks out from Halloween.  Their pricing is now well below ours also as well, based on e-Bay's, "hey it's on sale, get it now, e-mail".

If you are in China and you are shipping an item above 1lb to a U.S. Buyer and selling it for $12.95/free shipping, I am at a loss how you can do that and make any money at all?  They pay no fees?  Their shipping cost is zero or close to it?  Their item cost them pennies to make/procure?  They think they will make it up in volume? 

[chevy_327]

I think it's just because people can finally go out to stores now without so much worry. It's fun to get out, shop, spend money and we can finally do that. I wouldn't think last year was very good for Halloween stuff.

Hey do you have the leg or limbs that hang out the back of your trunk? Those are a crack up, but you might get pulled over.... Everyone looks at them and gets a chuckle. (Or maybe in horror). Let me know, I'll buy one from you!

[carolynnq]

A couple of Sundays a month, I sell at a flea market (stuff not worth selling online, things that are difficult to ship, etc.). Last Sunday I took several tubs of Halloween related items, mostly costumes but also some decorations. Normally at this time of year, Halloween stuff sells well, but not this year. A nursery school teacher bought several of the kids costumes. From talking with people, I think people are limiting/not doing Halloween activities because of Covid (90% of adults are vaccinated where I live; the flea market is outdoors and yet about 80% of people are wearing masks; there's lots of natural spacing between people - it's not crowded). Additionally, a lot of people seemed to have purged their possessions during the lockdown and are satisfied with what they already have.

[katzrul15]

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@carolynnq wrote:

A couple of Sundays a month, I sell at a flea market (stuff not worth selling online, things that are difficult to ship, etc.). Last Sunday I took several tubs of Halloween related items, mostly costumes but also some decorations. Normally at this time of year, Halloween stuff sells well, but not this year. A nursery school teacher bought several of the kids costumes. From talking with people, I think people are limiting/not doing Halloween activities because of Covid (90% of adults are vaccinated where I live; the flea market is outdoors and yet about 80% of people are wearing masks; there's lots of natural spacing between people - it's not crowded). Additionally, a lot of people seemed to have purged their possessions during the lockdown and are satisfied with what they already have.

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@carolynnq 

Thank you for posting - that is really telling.  Last year was odd due to covid, but typically, Halloween sales for us have been huge - right on par with Christmas.  That ship evidently has sailed or maybe it sunk.  

We have 2 suppliers awaiting our orders for Easter items.  Typically, we would order by 10/1 and get everything in by mid January or so.  I am thinking of not ordering anything Easter related.  Thanks, again!

[katzrul15]

@chevy_327 

(Cool name btw)

No, unfortunately, if it is Disney princess or Toy Story or Scooby Doo, we probably have something nifty.  Fake body parts to hang out of the trunk, not so much!  LOL  (desperate housewives and the finger comes to mind!)

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

I was at an indoor flea market this past weekend...almost no masks, no real effort to distance, in an area without high vaccination rate. Banners and other stuff for sale saying "No Mask Mandate" and stuff like that.

I mention this to point out that consumer perceptions differ from locale to locale. As I said above, consumer perceptions are divided and that will impact online (and B&M) sales this season. But as sellers, I think it's a good idea to remember that there are very different consumer perceptions out there, and our own locale might not be as much the "norm" as we think.....

[chapeau-noir]

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@byrd69er wrote:

Do what some stores have done around here....start selling Halloween items in mid-August.

 Hell, why not try mid-May?

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[katzrul15]

Too cute!

We do sell Christmas year 'round.  

Just a bummer.  Have been here too long - nothing I know translates to anything anymore on here it seems.  I might as well play the slots or the lottery.  Practically the same thing!

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

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 I am thinking of not ordering anything Easter related.  Thanks, again!

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Easter??? But, but that's got fuzzy bunnies and yellow chicks and pink things!!!  Easter is so much more cuter that vampires ( except Edward)  and ghoulish heads! And Easter has conversation hearts too!