Protect your wallet from the horrors of Halloween
The Halloween season is getting more popular every year. One way to measure this growth is by consumer vacation spending in October. The National Retail Federation is forecasting an all-time high for Halloween spending this year: $ 10.14 billion compared to $ 8.05 billion last year. On average, each consumer spends $ 102.74 to celebrate the spooky season. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) ââwould like to give readers the following advice to avoid cheating in the market.
Your haunted cellar
It may be that there is ghost in your own basement, in the form of leftover Halloween ghosts and witchcraft from bygone times. It can be an excellent resource for finding the decorations and costumes from previous Halloween for creative reuse this year. Surely there are plenty of ideas on Pinterest and other websites to find ways to bring Halloween jewelry from years past to life. You can save money and time by digging up the old haunted and goblins that are now stored in your basement. A little age on previously used items only makes them more authentic for ghostly horrors.
Pop-up Halloween shops
As ubiquitous as pumpkins on the porch are seasonal pop-up stores selling Halloween merchandise. Here are BBB’s tips to get the most out of them:
⢠Check how you would return goods if you are not satisfied. (Or even, whether you could return it.) During the pandemic, the rules for returning items have changed many times. Are you back to normal now? Will the shop be there after Halloween? Do not hesitate to ask such questions.
⢠Visit bbb.org to check the merchant’s reviews. Also, take the time to search online by entering the company name and words such as “complaints” and “reviews”.
⢠If possible, pay by credit card. This makes refunding and dispute resolution easier.
Shopping on the web with no tangles
There are a few steps you can take when shopping online to avoid difficult situations:
⢠If you are new to the dealer, have a look at it bbb.org. You can choose to stick with the tried and true stores that you previously shopped from.
⢠Read carefully to determine if there are any hidden shipping and handling charges.
⢠Save all of your transactional records such as emails and texts.
⢠Pay with a credit card.
⢠Review the privacy policy and contact information. Do you only have one email address? That could be a cause for caution.
⢠Check that the website address starts with “https” and that the lock symbol is displayed. The “s” stands for safe. If it’s not there, look elsewhere.
Eliminate fear of costume rentals
If you decide to rent a Halloween costume, keep this in mind:
⢠Avoid blaming others for damaging the costume by carefully inspecting it for wear and letting the store know it is there before renting it.
⢠Try it on to make sure the fit is correct.
⢠Get a clear explanation of the rental agreement, fees and your responsibility in the event of damage. Return dates and fees should all be understood.
For answers to any other questions about Halloween transactions and security issues, contact the BBB at 800-856-2417 or visit the website bbb.org.