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  • Here we go again...

    I read this today I can't believe what I'm reading... because this retail show clearly wanted haunts to visit their show they took ads in our magazine, they invited hauntcon to co-locate so they want us there right or wrong. Why this message then...

    The Halloween & Party Expo is a wholesale order-writing show and NOT a cash-and-carry show. HAuNTcon attendees who enter the Halloween & Party Expo show floor must respect both buyers' and exhibitors' time. When a buyer is with an exhibitor, please do not interrupt or disturb the business transaction. All HAuNTcon attendees will be badged differently from the qualified wholesale buyers registered for the Halloween & Party Expo; please wear your badge so that exhibitors and show personnel can easily see it as you are walking the show floor. You are a guest and are welcome at the Halloween & Party Expo, but please understand that H&P Expo exhibitors’ primary priority is to meet and work with wholesale buyers. In that regard, their catalogs and price sheets will not be available to visitors who are not registered and qualified Halloween & Party Expo buyers. We appreciate your respect and compliance of Halloween & Party Expo policies.
    Larry Kirchner
    President
    www.HalloweenProductions.com
    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

  • #2
    They are saying we are not qualified for their time.
    We are beneath them...
    Our badges will give them a heads up not to speak or waste their time with us.
    Stew
    Last edited by Darksidestew; 01-05-2014, 08:17 AM.

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    • #3
      This is like the Chicago show back in the 90's
      Glad the Haunt Show broke away from these people when we did!

      Comment


      • #4
        WOW, that puts a knot in the works doesn't it?
        They do have a right to keep the buyers separate.
        They really should.
        I am sorry but the fact is, retailers have a right to buy at wholesale because they resale whereas most haunters don't. Some do because they resale in their merch booths. But if you are buying props to display in your attraction and they are not for resale you should not be receiving a wholesale price. It is a fact. Our auditor would tell you that. As a matter of fact you could get audited if you engaged in this kind of practice.

        But this announcement really does hearken back to old times
        Kevin R. Alvey
        info at gore-galore.com
        www.gore-galore.com
        www.halloweenmusicgalore.com
        www.youtube.com/goregalore13
        www.facebook.com/goregalore


        sigpic

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        • #5
          Treating haunters like second class citizens, and Leonard ran back with open arms to them. SMH


          Jake

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          • #6
            As I mentioned I was recently in Atlanta and yes I stopped by to see Ben Armstrong at Netherworld and he was kind enough to give myself and family the full tour. I took a picture of his retail store, yes I said retail store. I was surprised to see some Halloween retail items not just your standard junk like t-shirts with Netherworlds name on it. From what I was told they do EXTREME levels of business in this shop. In addition I know the guys from Headless Horseman do a big business with retail at their place. Inside The Darkness we sub out our store and they put in a retail store as well and we are making plans to move our shop to a different location and once we do we will have a giant 6000 square foot retail shop. All in the works. Haunted Houses have the audience to sell Halloween retail and these are new customers for the retailers these guys are idiots if you ask me... and I'm going to call them out on this.

            Their show is not doing what it did in the old days not even close... they wanted haunters OUT now they claim they want them BACK but then they make these comments. Why have a haunt show co-locate if you don't actually want haunt owners as new potential customers, or for that matter bring new excitement to an otherwise dull tradeshow. These guys can't be this stupid that they don't now realize that ONLY haunts are on TV each October, only haunts are getting all the PRESS not retail... its an attraction based holiday now pumpkin patches, events, parties, haunts, corn mazes, amusement parks doesn't matter... retail is now the byproduct of amusement side.

            These guys should see haunters as new potential customers because our industry has changed since they last dealt with us... if they hadn't already seen the 100 plus TV specials on our industry they would know by now. This is beyond a disappointment and more than another slap in the face I can assure you of that. I want to support Hauntcon, I want to support the haunts who are doing tours, but how do you support these morons?

            Larry


            20140103_132219.JPG
            Larry Kirchner
            President
            www.HalloweenProductions.com
            www.BlacklightAttractions.com
            www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
            www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Most haunts probably do less than 10,000 people though unlike Netherworld, so more often than not its probably not worth doing retail at their haunt.


              Jake

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              • #8
                I have to say that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I am glad I did not plan on going. I told Lenard that if he was going to do Texas again I would not be there and now I feel I made the right choice. I will have to see how the feed back is with the show to determine if I am going next year.
                Phatman

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                • #9
                  I've got to say many of you may know my past on these forums many of you don't. Maybe 2 years ago I would've thought Leonard to be like a God amongst men (haunted industry wise of course) but after experience very minor workings with him and reading posts about from you guys who have been in the industry WAAYYY longer than I have... I have definitely reallocated my allegiance. Obviously I was naive to think he knew everything under the sun about how to run a haunted house but now I think I may know better.

                  So just so I know for personal history knowledge of the Halloween industry here is how I understand it:
                  • Transworld and the Halloween Costume and Stuff expo were together
                  • Then the Costume and Stuff expo shunned the haunted house side of the industry
                  • then transworld and many others left and started our own haunted house ONLY convention
                  • transworld became wildly popular and lucrative
                  • then halloween costume and stuff expo people wanted to be back with us
                  • transworld, ben armstrong, and larry said hell no!
                  • then leonard pickle and company joined forces with halloween costume and stuff expo people to form the Hauntcon thing


                  Please forgive any misunderstandings and fill in the blanks or correct me where I'm confused. You know its fascinating to learn how deep and personal this industry gets the more you learn about people. Hopefully I haven't insulted anybody.


                  OOOH! PS. I'm excited to inform you all that the Transworld show of 2016 will be my first show(because I graduate 2015) and Larry I hope you will have me and my wife because we will be buying any of the tour tickets you make available. I can't wait to see the Darkness finally!!!! WOOOHOOO!
                  Its A Verbal Orgy on Steroids!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Oak hill,

                    Just curious, what did Leonard ever do for you to think of him as a God amongst Men in the haunted house business? For the life of me I cannot see why anyone would come to that conclusion. I think what Leonard has working for him is that he's old, he's been around and has seen the industry grow. But in terms of REAL, hands on experience and success I've seen guys with 5 years of experience that I would pay to hear their thoughts. To me, you must first prove you can operate a SUCCESSFUL haunted attraction to earn credibility. Just merely open ending one only to have it fail is not cutting it.

                    They say those that can't do teach. When it comes to Leonard that seems to be the case. I think he loves this industry and has a lot of knowledge but there are others who know much more.

                    DA

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                    • #11
                      I thinks thats literally it. There was nothing that he did or said to make me believe that its just I looked at him, ben armstrong, larry, and a couple of other names. I just always thought he was successful like ben and larry. But from what you guys have posted and what I'm sort of getting the feeling of is that his "consulting" is based on a cookie cutter formula one size fits all kind of thing. It wasn't that he was special I just took every word he said to the golden letter if you know what I mean.

                      Now I'm just hoping to learn as much as I can from people who can, like you said, prove they know what it takes to be successful in any market. Not just give me some rinse and repeat recipe. That to me is a real fast way to lose a ton of money and a one way ticket out of the haunted house industry.



                      PS. I remember a time when I thought "I" knew it all but we all know how much of a smartass I made myself look. Now I understand it takes time to learn and gather experience. I have high hopes I'll get there someday I just don't want to have misplaced trust in someone who claims to know what they are talking about and get steered off course.
                      Its A Verbal Orgy on Steroids!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Haunt Owners Are NOT Wholesale Buyers

                        Everyone wants to buy stuff at a discount, and haunters are no exception. I shop for the cheapest prices before I buy just like anyone else. However, just because I own a business does not qualify me to buy at wholesale pricing.

                        If a haunt is buying items to RESALE in their retail store then they have every right to buy that mask or costume at a wholesale price - no sales tax is collected. If that same haunt buys that same mask to put on his actor to use inside the attraction, that makes the haunt a retail buyer. As an "end user," the buyer is required to pay sales tax, and the haunt has no legal right to buy that mask at wholesale pricing.

                        Unless the haunt is buying for their haunt retail store, Haunters are not be qualified to purchase items from some of the companies at the Halloween & Party Expo, mostly because of minimums. (Stores buy 12 or 100 of each item number, haunts buy only one or two.) However, there are some companies at the Halloween & Party Show who will sell to haunters.

                        The Halloween & Party Expo has invited haunters to attend their tradeshow during the HAuNTcon conference this January! They want us to be there. They want us to see what is new and cool coming to the retail stores next October, and they want to see what is new and cool coming to the haunt industry at the HAuNTcon show floor.

                        A haunter can't buy lumber and paint for his haunt at wholesale pricing either, (maybe at contractor discount due to VOLUME," but not at the same wholesale price Home Depot buys it), and a haunter cannot buy masks or costumes at wholesale. So until you have the same disdain for Home Depot that you have manufactured up for H&PE you should welcome the wholesalers gesture and stop bashing something that has not even happened yet.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Leonard,

                          I give you all the credit for starting your own show and sticking with it ... I realize it was a lot of work and continues to be just that. I'm confused! These guys want us to come to that event but we can't get a brochure, we can't bother those guys, like we are second class. What gives... I think its insulting.

                          If I was you I wouldn't have co-located with them if these are their rules I would stand up and fight for haunt owners. The confusion as I see it is that they think haunters are people in their garage plunking along wanting to skip buying a 5 year old costume from Spirits or something. As I showed with the photo from Ben's place look at that awesome retail store!!! Furthermore how are they to know who is or who isn't going to open the next big retail store... I don't want an armband that says I can't talk to someone.

                          Haunt owners are now more successful on every level than the old guard retail industry... most of those guys are GONE since the industry has consolidated so much. Morris now owns 90% I think of Halloween Express, Spirits, Target, Walmart, Party City are really the only MAJOR players now.

                          When I started in this business Walmart carried NO Halloween retail... now well we know whats what the small ma and pa's who use to really complain about us are GONE!

                          Haunted houses should consider a retail store if they have the space with the crowds they have they should... but they can't pick up a catalog?

                          Really!

                          Lastly... let me say this I support Hauntcon and again I give Leonard MAX credit for sticking with this and putting on these shows and showcasing all these haunts in all these cities but these guys in Houston need to change their policy!

                          Larry
                          Larry Kirchner
                          President
                          www.HalloweenProductions.com
                          www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                          www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                          www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Okay so I talked to the main guy in charge he agrees the wording isn't the best and says it was never intended to read that way... he's changing it. He wants haunters to come and all haunters will be allowed into the show however it is a business to business show and its not a cash and carry all things I agree with. However the statement should have been what does it take to get the right badge which most haunts can get very easy... you just need some documents.

                            Once he sends over the newer disclaimer I'm going to post it. They do want haunts especially ones with retail stores to come and become new customers so we'll see.

                            Larry
                            Larry Kirchner
                            President
                            www.HalloweenProductions.com
                            www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                            www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                            www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Really?

                              Larry how many times have you been in a booth at a show and had some guy come up to you and start talking about what he does and you don't even know his name but he thinks he's your best friend. And you are seeing people that you NEED to talk to make your business successful walking by your booth and you can't get away from this guy to talk to talk to them. More times than you can count.

                              When a company goes to a convention, they spend thousands of dollars on travel, shipping, hotels, booth, electrical, internet, and a high gloss catalog showing their wares to people who might buy something from them. That 10x10 space you are standing in is VERY expensive dirt. Of course you want to be nice to everyone, of course you want to say hello to your fans, but you are there to do business. Business that could make or break your season.

                              The Halloween wholesale companies are no different. They have spent a great deal of money for their dirt and they need to do business in that space. As I described above, a haunter is NOT a wholesale buyer. As much as we all would like to get stuff at wholesale prices, we are not qualified to buy wholesale, because we are not reselling it. Some haunts do have great retail stores and everyone of them can fill out a form with the Halloween & Party Expo and be qualified to buy at wholesale. Then they can pick up all the catalogs they want.

                              At every show exhibitors hand out thousands of catalogs to people who will never buy from them, but at least there is a chance that they will. If you are a wholesale company that does not sell to end users, then why should they be required to hand out a catalog to an end user that cannot buy from you anyway.

                              And who pays for the cost of those catalogs? WE DO! Companies have to increase their price to cover the cost. We pay it when we buy the product at whatever level we buy it at.

                              Even though most of us cannot buy wholesale, the Haunt Industry has invited anyone who attend HAuNTcon to come check out the Halloween & Party Expo while you are in Houston. The reason to come to Houston is the 50 hours of education, 26 some odd haunt tours, and haunter tradeshow at HAuNTcon. Taking a peek at the wholesale show is just a bonus.

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