Joined
·
80 Posts
Anyone ever sell a prop or other item to Spirit Halloween? Or maybe try to? I'm curious what the process is to get them interested in an item and to possibly sell it at their stores.
Ever Sell Item to Spirit Halloween?
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
Joined
·
442 Posts
I would get it patented if it was really unique. I would be so nervous of them saying 'not interested' and then see it pop up in their stores in a couple of years. Just be careful with who you share it with.
Joined
·
575 Posts
Agreed. Look at what that dude is doing with Pumpkinrot's stuff.
http://pumpkinrot.blogspot.com/2016/12/that-old-integrity-discussion-again.html
Joined
·
80 Posts
Great point.
I'm not sure what I have to sell is necessarily something that would apply to what you've suggested, but I'll certainly need to time things properly and come strong with a pitch.
Joined
·
681 Posts
This was a discussion that was on here last year you may want to look at.
http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/147926-so-now-spirit-copying-pvc-candles.html
http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/147926-so-now-spirit-copying-pvc-candles.html
Joined
·
3,077 Posts
Sell???? Bwahahahahaha!!!!!!
Joined
·
3,077 Posts
And forget the patent. All they have to do is change it a little. If they like it, they'll take it.
Joined
·
10,113 Posts
I'd also imagine that you'd have to go to a trade show where their buyers frequent & even then your idea could be stolen. Heck, if you post your idea HERE it could be stolen.
If you're serious though, you'd have to have something pretty cool, get it patented if at all possible & have all your ducks in a row before you could even think about it. You'd probably be better off setting up an Etsy shop or your own site & selling it on your own.
I'd also like to say that it's not really Grandin Road or Spirit that steals, it's some cheap overseas company that sees it, take the idea & changes it juuuuust enough to get away with it then mass produces it. Because they know little guys like you & I don't have deep enough pockets to take them to court over it & if it's some nameless faceless company in China you may not even be able to find out who you need to sue.
If I had a choice, I'd go with the Etsy/own site route.
If you're serious though, you'd have to have something pretty cool, get it patented if at all possible & have all your ducks in a row before you could even think about it. You'd probably be better off setting up an Etsy shop or your own site & selling it on your own.
I'd also like to say that it's not really Grandin Road or Spirit that steals, it's some cheap overseas company that sees it, take the idea & changes it juuuuust enough to get away with it then mass produces it. Because they know little guys like you & I don't have deep enough pockets to take them to court over it & if it's some nameless faceless company in China you may not even be able to find out who you need to sue.
If I had a choice, I'd go with the Etsy/own site route.
Joined
·
248 Posts
Spirit pays dirt cheap for the products and sells them high. Unless the production costs for your item are very, very low, then I advise you simply sell the items on your own website or store or try a different, smaller company.
Joined
·
2,891 Posts
Like the time they copied Terra's hound from hell as an inflatable
Joined
·
10,113 Posts
Exactly. Spirit is in it for the masses. The people that decide to have a party at the last minute, people looking for easy, mass produced costumes, the "normals", not us.
Not that people here don't buy stuff from Spirit, plenty do, but we're the smallest part of their audience. We're the niche market that would buy a prop & alter it, make our own or spend more money on a more well made prop from an indie maker.
Not that people here don't buy stuff from Spirit, plenty do, but we're the smallest part of their audience. We're the niche market that would buy a prop & alter it, make our own or spend more money on a more well made prop from an indie maker.
Joined
·
5,440 Posts
I don't think Spirit is interested in buying stuff to market. They by from wholesalers in bulk. And some of those rip people's designs off. Last year it was the Wife tombstone made my a fellow Florida Haunter. (we've seen online where people say it's a real tombstone & they've seen it in a cemetery) They scaled it down, of course, but it was almost Exact. When haunters from all over started posting on SH's Facebook page & the Haunter whose tombstone was copied called and made comments, it was pulled from the website. I wonder where all the ones they had went.
They scaled it down, of course, but it was almost Exact. When haunters from all over started posting on SH's Facebook page & the Haunter whose tombstone was copied called and made comments, it was pulled from the website. I wonder where all the ones they had went.
Joined
·
681 Posts
Fact is that they dont even need to change it one single bit. They can make an exact duplicate. U.S. Patents have no legal basis overseas. They can do what they want. And beings they are produced over there the U.S. Patents mean nothing once they ship them here as well.
Joined
·
10,113 Posts
I didn't know that. That explains a lot about a lot of stolen props & knockoff products in general doesn't it?
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!