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Halloween Retail Show 2018 - The Crows are Circling 'Review' Could Haunts suffer same fate?
Tue, January 16, 2018
Who remembers the days when the Halloween Show located in Chicago was the can't wait event?  Who can remember when the retail industry tried to get the Haunted House industry booted from this once fabulous show?  Can anyone now remember when the Transworld Halloween show use to draw over 10,000 buyers from all over the country?  It was the retail industry that pushed out Transworld Exhibits and haunters and went their own direction.  So how did that work out?  Just look at the show today!   Two words can describe the once SPOOKY and JAM PACKED Halloween retail show... GHOST TOWN!  

A new company has now produces this show, and decided it was a great idea to buy or co-locate Hauntcon.  Hauntcon is another dead on arrival convention.   Hauntcon featured very few vendors, few buyers, and little interest from the haunt industry.  The Halloween retail show from what we're hearing will be back in New Orleans in 2019 then a possible move to Atlanta.   The orginal Halloween show retail leaders shot itself in the foot and now it's paying the price.  Just our opinion. 

Transworld after getting the boot started a new show centered around the Haunted House industry.  Nine years later the haunted house show is now home to the Escape Room, Corn Mazes, Farmers, Haunts, Pumpkin Patches,Hayrides, and very soon Christmas Attraction industry.  Transworld has taken the Haunt Show from 50,000 square feet year one to now (hold your breathe) for 2019 they've reserved the ENTIRE convention center including the Dome Stadium.  Incase you're wondering that is nearly 500,000 square feet of attraction exhibits.  Where is the Halloween retail show?  

The show was missing several vendors, the show looked smaller and buyers we didn't see more than 500.  Maybe more attended it just seemed DEAD!  You could walk up and talk to any vendor almost at any time.   As for Hauntcon this show has been on the decline for years.  Why on Earth did the Halloween retail show want to add Hauntcon?  Do they really believe finally after all these years they actually do need the Haunted House industry?  WOW!  What a revelation because that is exactly what we told these people over 10 years ago!  They didn't listen. 

Halloween retail industry has been KILLED by Amazon.com, Target, Walmart and Spirits.  Essentially the  ma and pa retail stores have disappeared.  The industry is now owned by the giants!  When so few control so much it's bad for everyone else.  A strong Halloween show could have put more focus on helping the small business owners compete but there may now be no hope.  The Haunt industry seems to find itself in the same boat.  Amusement Parks are trying to take over the industry.  Additionally we have a couple different companies with designs on opening haunted houses across the country.  By utilizing the same content, same marketing group, same essentially everything if this becomes too big our industry could suffer if successful.  Attempts to by one or two companies to get big could hurt vendors, and the haunt owners already being hurt by a host of other problems.  Furthermore amusement parks have a marketing advantage and are really starting to hurt the haunt industry.  Our industry should learn from the demise or near demise of the Halloween retail industry and fast.  This industry doesn't need nor should support a handful of people trying to get their fingers into every city in America.   This will turn out BAD in our opinion really bad.  Our industry thrives as a small ma and pa industry, helping employ tens of thousands of people each Halloween.    

Lastly, let us say the retail industry should strongly consider SELLING the show to Transworld because working with Hauntcon isn't going to save anything.  The retail industry needs to find the next generation of small costume shop retailers. The retail show needs energy!  The retail show needs a new breed of small business owners who understand how to create a business in 2018.  The retail industry needs more synergy!   Who could open the next big costume stores?  HAUNTED HOUSES who are now looking to increase revenue.  Attention retail industry... call Jen before it's too late!  Just our opinion.  The next article we write about the now graveyard like retail show could be it's final nail in the coffin.  As for Hauntcon this show worked better when it traveled and put the focus on visiting haunted houses in the offseason.  Hauntcon is not going to work as a second tradeshow for the haunt industry because the haunt industry doesn't need one.   Hauntcon in our opinion needs or should continue visiting cool cities with amazing haunts.  Attaching Hauntcon to the retail show and staying put in one city don't think it's going to work.  

Haunt industry WAKE UP and WAKE UP fast.  Our industry needs to better educate ourselves to compete.  We don't need to attend seminars about scaring people ... that is just dumb!  You need to learn how to market your business.  You need to simply become better at all aspects of business because if you don't you'll join the retail industry on the outside looking in.   Hauntworld is here to help.  You need to let us help you!  Transworld needs to wake up and do a better job at helping you by getting qualified speakers who know what they're talking about.  Haunters must find a great digital marketing person locally, take classes on the subject, or just learning how to create a better overall managed, operated, attractions.  FOCUS!   REALLY FOCUS!  Your business depends on it. 

Subscribe to Hauntworld Magazine www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com because we are going to HELP YOU!  I call on Transworld to focus on helping you.  I call most importantly on you to not support anything that could hurt your business, and partner with people who can!   Lastly it's time to  start posting on FORUMS again where you can talk about things that can help your business.  The Fright Forum is open and I'm more dedicated than ever to help and I ask you do the same!   Our industry has grown while the retail industry is now being controlled.  We must fight to keep our passions alive every October.  Again Hauntworld is here to help! 

The next few issues of Hauntworld will focus on helping you grow revenue, market your business, and look at different ways you can expand what you do using your skill sets as a haunter.  Learning how to airbrush, make your own masks, blah, blah won't save, expand, or grow your business.  Hauntworld has forums time to use them again.  We started a facebook forum look it up 'Hauntworld Fright Forum'... it's time to stand up and SCREAM, LEARN and EXPAND!  

  Posted by Larry 11.03 AM Read Comments ()
 
 
 
 

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