Thread: Is it just me?

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Or does it seem like the Halloween store decorations are getting crappier and crappier every year? I was at a halloween store (a sponsor here) and i was browsing just because i love browsing Halloween stuff in person, and maybe its just me but the stuff looked really cheesy and not worth buying. Which makes me crazy because i feel like i am priced too high for my props. Its like people no longer care about quality. Everyone just wants quantity nowadays it seems. The best is its not like it was there and no one was buying it. People were buying all sorts of stuff. I don't know who i despise more. Do i despise the manufacturers for putting out these crummy decorations or do i despise the consumer for keeping them in business by purchasing these decorations. Do people no longer care about what decorations look like? I think people should get what they pay for. If you want a piece of junk than it should be worth a piece of junk price, and if you want high qualtiy decoration than charge me accordingly. I guess i'm just in a pissy mood so i'll get off my soap box now.

I agree with you whole heatedly. It seems it's been like this over the last couple of years. Most of the things I see are mass produced junk. There are some out there that are still great but for the most part, the quality has suffered. The other thing i've noticed is that even your local discount stores have caught on to the haunting trend and now items you used to find dirt cheap are now on par with retail chains stores. Just my two cents!

I think we prop builders become snobs.
Alot of what is offered as a newbie haunter with no skills would be considered gems.
I look back at some of past purchases and think what the hell was I thinking.I always think nothing looks as good as 2007 props ....that is when i put forth my first haunt effort.So was the props really that great or was it where i was new to haunting.
Now that I have found this great forum and all the wonderful members I can build beyond what the stores offer.

While I do agree with halloween71, we do become snobs, I have to agree with Nick also. The retail props this year are a whole lot of SUCK. Even the props that are re-run from last season suck. Case in point the zombie babes at Spirit. Last years were really pretty decent, this year they are horrible but the price has not gone down one red cent. I spent quite a bit on retail props last year, this year I haven't even spent a quarter of what I did just because I can't find anything I WANT to spend my money on. I would much rather spend the cash on stuff to make my own (this is where that snob comes in to play).

I've only been on this forums for about a year or so, and I already feel like the stuff at the stores is complete garbage. Seeing what is capable on a "do it yourself" level from you guys is what inspires me. My only prop this year I'm doing is creating tombstones, and its a job, I'll tell ya! BUT OMG, compared to the absolute complete crap tombstones you buy is well worth it.

So ya..I guess I feel like I'm better than the average Joe haunter... It's pretty selfish I know

Totally agree with you. That is why I started to make my own props.

Dave
Norfolk, VA

I agree with all of you 100%!! I have yet to see a descent talking skull, or really cool lights that strobe and the strobe strand that I did see was cheap and shorter. All the props seem cheap and flimsy and not creepy at all. I am not impressed at all with any retail store this year. Fright Aid has always been my one stop shop for Halloween stuff at a good discount toward the end of the season, but not this year. I might buy what ever plastic skulls they left for 2.50 each. Things are getting worse. For what they want to charge for a prop....any of us can make bigger and better.

I don't know if I'm a snob or not but as you can tell I'm extremely new to this as I've only been making props for about a month, but that's why I'm finally making props is because everything in the stores are horrible even the halloween "specialty" stores come up short. I have a feeling I know which store the O.P. Was in and I agree whole heartedly that most of the props were not worth half of what they cost. I'll admit the costumes and accessories are ok but the props are cheap looking and look amature I know what you're thinking look who's talking as I am an amature lol, but I feel kind of cheated as I figured a specialty store designed strictly around halloween would have the best of the best, instead of the most of the cheapest. I'll stop now before I get into trouble

i just can't believe how many people are buying this stuff up. Its really insane!

I've thought retail props weren't very good for a while now, especially the animated ones, even before I started making anything.

The quality of static stuff seems to be OK & the quality of masks has gone up, but most animated stuff is pretty lame.