SpiritHalloween scr*wed me big time. No costume for son. :-(

[Anonymous]

I am so mad right now my blood is boiling.  On the 16th I ordered a costume from spirithalloween.com - owned by Spencer's Gifts, so it should be a legit outfit...

They send an email saying it was shipped out on the 20th, but the tracking information says "Null".  I call them on the 21st and ask for tracking information and they tell me it's been shipped via USPS and there is no tracking info. I ask if they can provide the delivery confirmation number so I can atleast see if it gets scanned through postal hubs in it's travel, they tell me they don't have one. They have NO numbers at all for this package. Claim it's just packaged up and shipped regular mail with no proof of shipmet whatsoever.

Not loving this idea, but what can i do? By the 27th I call back because it's not here and I'm starting to get worried. I get a rude CSR who tells me same thing, no tracking provided but it will be here by the 30th at the latest. I tell her that's really pushing it, since their site still advertises that packages will be delivered by Halloween and today's the 27th...so why has  my package ordered on the 16th arrived yet? How are those packages being delievered? I ask for a supervisor and am put on hold for 5 minutes or more, CSR comes back and asks me to continue to hold to see if she can "find a supervisor that is available". After another 15 minutes, I hang up. BTW, I should mention this is after clicking through about 10 pages on their website before finding a phone number. There is NO phone number or email provided on their "contact" page. That's funny, I thought the whole purpose of having a "contact" page was to PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION!

So, yesterday I go back to the website and fire off an email to tell them that my costume still has not arrived, I have tried to speak to Supervisor to no avail and I want someone to contact me immediately about my order. ---  no response as of right now.

I just called them again and tell them that the mail has been delivered and costume hasn't arrived. I get a woman who tells me "sorry about that". I explain that I have a 10 year old son who is supposed to bring his costume to school tomorrow and now he has NOTHING to wear. Reply... "I do apologize for that"......silence......."Um, hello?"  she says...."yes, I'm here." WTF? I'm sorry about that? And, nothing else?  I asked for a supervisor and she says can I have your telelphone number? I ask if I am supposed to sit and wait for a call back and she tells me they will email me. WTF? Then why are you asking for my phone number? Then she asks for my email address. I give it to her and then ask for supevisor again. She says she will transfer me after she processes my refund. I'm like, what? I NEED the costume, can you overnight it to me? She says she's sorry, so can't do that. I tell her they mess up. I ordered 2 weeks ago, I have no costume for my child and they aren't even willing to expedite shipping and send out my order? She again says she can't do that. I even offered to pay for it, she tells me NO!

I can't even begin to tell you how mad I am. Don't ever order from these folks, what a joke. Now, I have to figure out where I am going to get my son a decent costume the day before halloween. I can't even leave to go do it now because he's on a field trip today and I have to pick him up from school at 4pm because there is no bus service due to the field trip. Argh..I'm so disappointed.

*rant over, thanks for listening*

[Anonymous]

Oh no, your poor son. It is next to impossible to find any decent costumes so close to Halloween. You were alot more polite than I would have been. DD #2 lives and breathes for Halloween and I can only imagine how hurt and disappointed she would be if it happened to her. We have a Spencer's in the Mall and I don't feel the need to over spend in there.

Sorry this happened.

[Anonymous]

He is really disappointed.  We just got back from going to a halloween store and it was really slim pickins. He couldn't find anything he wanted. The line, no exaggeration had atleast 100 people, it wrapped around the entire store and it was a huge warehouse.  They had ONE cashier! I thought I was going to have a panic attack just being in the place. He couldn't find anything, I'm going to go tomorrow morning when people are at work and hope to find him something.

[Anonymous]

Yeesh, Darlin' .... I am so sorry for you guys!!!
I'd have been FURIOUS, too!!!

Can I ask what kind of costume you ordered? What your sweetie was hoping to be?

I ask because we've been in your boat before -- and since we're obsessed with all that is crafty (and DH is OBSESSED with Halloweenie), we've been able to "pull" costumes out of our butts at the last minute. I might (and others might, too) have some quickie suggestions on what you can toss together (even if it's only as back-up for a store-bought you'll look for tomorrow).

Believe it or not, you can do frickin' wonders with felt, glue, scissors and a sweat suit. Sounds crappy and cheap, I know ... but when it's that or nuthin' it works better than nuthin' does!! And remember, a costume only has to last a few hours -- and kids, especially the young'uns, get more of a kick out of the candy and the experience -- and seem to be able to enhance a home-made costume with their imaginations -- than anything else!!

PM me for ideas -- if you like. No pressure (since I figure you're under enough as it is!!)

HUGS!!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Wonderin.  This was the first year he decided he wanted to be something really "scary" (much to my dismay).  His costume was a creepy/goblin doctor type getup. The base of it would have been easy to recreate because I could pick up some cheapo Dr. scrubs and put some of that fake blood all over them, but the top was a spooky-mask  and we couldn't come close to finding something similar. I offered to find some scrubs and told him we could do his face with makeup, but he was so excited about this costume and had been telling all his friends about it for the last 2 weeks that I think he's just super bummed out and he wasn't interested at all. He was almost ready to just forget the whole idea of trick-or-treating, etc. but I'm not about to let the poor kid give up on one of his last few years of really enjoying halloween. I think it's more of the let down than anything else. Every day for the last week he's come home from school and the first thing out of his mouth is "Is it here, yet?".  I feel so bad.

Back up ideas incase tomorrow morning is a bust, would be greatly appreciated. I sew, so I can whip up something in a pinch as well, so if you have any ideas for a boy wanting to look gross and scary...please share. lol

Message Edited by UpUpUp on 10-30-2008 09:23 PM

[Anonymous]

Hmmm .... the scrubs and fake oogie blood sounds perfect! For the creepy mask, you do have a pic of the mask you ordered, right?

I ask 'cause you can get some of that theatrical prosthetics (the latex stuff?) at your local party store or costume shop. Last time I went 'Weenie shopping, they even had some at the Spencer's at our local mall (though I understand if you don't want to give them anymore business -- it's just that, well, they'd have it).

Use the pic and just model the oogie features on his face. It'll even be safer than a traditional 'Weenie mask since it won't obstruct his vision.

Here's a good site (NO credit stuff on this site -- at least, that I know of) for a tutorial on using the stuff (really, it's easy -- just decide what shape to form the latex into and then stick it on his face and mold it/smooth it to look how you want it to).

I'd buy twice the amount you think you'll need ... that way, you won't be as stressed (since you won't feel that you have to be stingy with the stuff out of fear of "wasting" it). It usually costs about $5 for a fairly largish tube.

My dad, when I was a kid, was OBSESSED with jokes, pranks, and tricks. He used to buy this stuff like it was going out of style (back then, it was simply called "Nose Putty"). He'd alter his face so much I'd not recognize him (since it's flesh colored)!!! 

[Anonymous]

Oooh .... yuck. Is this the one he wanted??

I'd be dismayed, too!!! Ewwwwwwwww!!!!

(Kewl!) 

[Anonymous]

Haha, YES! Isn't it disgusting?  And, how about the fact that they now have it for 50% off! Grrr.  I still don't see my refund pending on my CC either, I betcha I will have to fight them for that, too.

Going to checkout the site you posted about the mask stuff now. Thanks so much for your help.

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@Anonymous wrote:

Oooh .... yuck. Is this the one he wanted??

I'd be dismayed, too!!! Ewwwwwwwww!!!!

(Kewl!) 

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[Anonymous]

Okay, the bleeding eye from that yucky face in the link you posted might even be more gory than my son's costume pick. YIKES! I can't even fatham he idea of being able to recreate something like that though. That's not saying I won't try, because I sure will. And, I'm stubborn to boot!

Message Edited by UpUpUp on 10-30-2008 10:04 PM

[Anonymous]

Enh ... it's not nearly as hard as you think (but psyching yourself out to think it IS will make it hard!!). Just think about the shapes and make'em ... then just refine'em.

Like the eyeball would just be a big ol' groaddy ball ... and the cheeks would start out as balls that you just smoosh on his cute lil face! I taught drawing for oodles of years (NOT sculpture ... though the principles seem to be the same when it comes to shapes) and it's SO much easier when you just "think in shapes!"

The hardest part will be to paint the latex. Personally, I'd use some acrylic paint thinned with a tad bit of dishwashing liquid (NOT detergent) ... that way, the paint will stick to the latex, but it won't stain his skin (since it will just wash out 'cause of the soap). He'll have to sit still for a bit while it dries, but not for too long.

If you want to make his skin look all oogie and rotting, grab some thin fabric, smoosh it in a ball (you know ... just smoosh it in your hand), "glue" it to his face with the latex and then paint over it. You can get some neat-O (but gross) rotting/oozing/decaying flesh looks out of that.

You probably know all this (or figured it out yourself) ... but since DH is out of town (and the demented circus monkeys are in bed -- the night before 'Weenie, you BETCHA they're being demented goobers!!!) I have no one to get gross with!! So you just letting me spout on helps oodles!!

Holler at me if'n you need me!!