11 Ways Spirit Halloween Is Turning off Loyal Customers (Beyond High Prices)

Once upon a time, Spirit Halloween was the place to be during spooky season to help save money. It was the go-to for fun, over-the-top costumes, and eye-catching animatronics.

According to many people, however, it doesn't have the spark it once did. While the store still attracts plenty of customers, those of us who have adored this store are becoming more disappointed every year. For us, it feels like this Halloween store has lost its spirit.

Here are 10 reasons people no longer love Spirit Halloween.

We're talking about cobwebs in the corner of an old attic. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but some customers say their closest stores offer fewer costumes and animatronics due to their smaller layout, which is why they're known as "boutique" Spirit Halloween stores.

Imagine driving to your closest Spirit Halloween to find mostly merchandise and decor, and hardly any costumes. We have to ask, why not substitute most (if not all) of the merchandise for costumes?

If you're looking for basic costumes, like animals, clowns, and witches, Spirit Halloween is for you. If you want to go beyond the basics, even extreme, shop elsewhere, say shoppers.

Sure, there are characters like Freddy Krueger and the Sanderson Sisters, but those don't give much room for creativity. Maybe if you want to dress as a hippie or 1980s flash dancer, but otherwise, you're better off putting together your own costume.

Yes, we said it. The products look and feel cheap, and some really are. Some customers have even called the products shoddy.

Decor that costs $50 shouldn't feel like it was made for $5 or resemble the cheap plastic you'd find in dollar stores. On top of that, customers lack confidence in the durability of costume materials and zippers. Plus, some sizes have been placed inside the wrong bags.

We've already established that the products aren't high quality these days. However, the prices don't reflect reality.

Customers report spending $40 to $60 on basic costumes, as well as $50 on onesies they can find elsewhere for less. Whether it's higher quality or lower prices, these two areas need to match. Personally, I don't want to spend $40 on a costume that I can wear only once.

Most people say they purchase their makeup elsewhere, with good reason: Spirit Halloween's makeup is cheap.

Whether you're planning to dress up for hours or reuse your costume, you need something that won't rub off easily. You also need products that aren't already expired. Finding out from others that the makeup is restocked is enough to make us scream, and not in a spooky way.

When you spend over $50 on decor or a costume, you expect to use it more than once. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case with Spirit Halloween, according to Redditors.

A finger shouldn't fall off Freddy Krueger's glove by simply walking around. You shouldn't have to repurchase decor every year because it doesn't last beyond the season. But here we are, planning (or needing) to dispose of these products after Halloween.

Spirit Halloween is expected to be crowded and even chaotic on the days just before Halloween. But lately, I've been to the store early in the season, and it's become just as crowded. It just gets more crowded as the season progresses.

The crowds and chaos of this one-time Halloween wonderland make it difficult to shop. It's worse when store employees are stocking shelves because the merchandise isn't fully unpacked.

Spirit Halloween has moved to a more family-friendly atmosphere. That's OK because Halloween is for everyone, but is it still for those of us who love to be spooked?

I grew up thinking Halloween was all about good old, hair-raising horror. Like other shoppers, I remember when Spirit Halloween had a dark interior and decor that I'd playfully avoid. Nowadays, I don't feel that same vibe when I walk into the store.

It's normal for a store to carry some products year after year, but it's time for Spirit Halloween to change things up. Every year, it's the same home decor, mostly in the same themes, and customers are growing tired of it.

As for costumes and animatronics, clowns are cool, but they're overdone. It would be nice to see the store cut back on clowns and bring back products that gave the store its spine-chilling spirit in the first place.

Spirit Halloween was once a place to find your next costume, much-needed accessories, and new decor.

Now, it's become a place to find standard horror-movie T-shirts and home goods. It feels like the store has shifted from Halloween to generic horror merchandise. As a long-time customer, I'd love to see more Halloween and less of what I'll find at Hot Topic or on Amazon.

Those of us who have grown up shopping at Spirit Halloween aren't excited to point out its flaws, nor do we want the store to fail. We simply want to experience the spooky vibes that made us fall in love with this store in the first place. Basically, we want Spirit Halloween to find its Halloween spirit again.

If you're curious but don't have a Spirit Halloween nearby, browse through the inventory online. Most in-store inventory is also available online, with some products available year-round. If you do find something that catches your eye, it's a good idea to use a cash back credit card to earn rewards on your purchase.