Scare Parts?

[neffuri27]

Frightprops

Thats the first time I have heard anyone mention FRIGHTPROPS on here and I had to
interject, because I believe in letting people know the good that is done as well.
But last year we decided that we had to have a haunted mine elevator simulation
for our haunt (SCREAM FARM) and I contacted Doug Anderson and he is all business
and good business. We got our BUNKER and put it together inside the new little
building we built for it and WOW!!! ITS FANTASTIC!!! I also bought some horror
paintings from his used list and integrated them into the bunker ride. it was the STAR of the show!!!! THE BUNKER I mean.giggles We had folks coming out of the Bunker themed elevator and
trying to leave they were so scared and they thought that was the whole show. THEY LOVED IT!!!! The bunker has performed above and beyond and is still
going strong.
Frightprops is on my list of definately will buy from again.

Hugs and Screams
Kimmy

[Slain]

I hope that some of these haunters have learned that Scarefactory and ScareParts are two (2) of the worst companies to do buisness with in the industry. Why do any of these tradeshows allow them to sell their stuff at these events?
Keith from ScareParts stole (yes stole) thousands of dollars from so many haunters that I cannot believe their's not lawsuits flying. I would be glad to get into a class action suit against Keith and ScareParts, just let me know...
I would bet that all of the haunters associations will continue to welcome these companies with open arms and continue to embrace these crooks. Why allow them to attend any shows to continue to screw our fellow haunters..
Wake up people..The backbone of this industry is falling apart at the seems because of a couple of sorry companies. Who gives a @#$* if Scarefactory is doing a reaility show. Instead of taping a bunch of shit for TV, they ahould have been delivering product to customers that paid in full for their stuff..

[neffuri27]

Beardedbil chill out and take your PROZAC!!!

Mr Nightmarez said and I quote "I truly regret not buying all my stuff from
FrightProps and Unit 70 this year...truly regret it.
I was writing in answer to him, that it was the first time I saw anyone
mention them on here and I was agreeing with him they are a great
company.

Then you acted like I was lost or something. You need to read all
the posts and not just read mine and chime in like you are getting
onto me!!!!!!!!!

I thought we were allowed to say nice things about a company as well
as our gripes on here. He mentioned that they were who he wished
he had purchased from and I was echoing what he said that Frightprops
has good products. Just thought I would share!!!

so chastise someone else in big letters.hahaha

Kimmy

[drfrightner]

Oh no here we go again I guess...

I've talked to both companies within recent days. In fact I talked to Scarefactory today. If you ask me these days haunted house owners are FLUSH WITH CASH doing more business than ever before, with ticket prices at all time highs.

Haunters are ordering lots of products and unfortunatly we have a trade show that is just not in line with our industry. The haunted house industry needs the show to happen in January I think. There just is not enough time to build all the product all you people want in so few months.

We need either MORE VENDORS to take some business from some of these people, or we need more time to build the products. A good example of this is Hauntcon, which happens in May. I don't mean it from the standpoint of you having fun at Hauntcon but that a tradeshow in MAY for VENDORS is a NOT WORTH IT. This is one of the reasons vendors are not supporting shows like this with booths and more. I will predict even LESS, or actually an ALL TIME LOW in vendor booths at Hauntcon this year. I've heard vendor after vendor tell me they don't do the orders, or that orders are too late. I'm not picking on HC or blaming them for the industry problems, rather what is the thinking behind saying you're show is the show for the industry, but you have it in MAY. Didn't they poll the vendors? They would have heard from countless vendors they need MORE TIME TO FILL ORDERS NOT LESS. I'm just using this as an example of how everything is backwards in our industry for ordering products.

I think if HC or say MHC focus is on touring haunts, and seminars, great that is better in the summer because most haunts would be hard to tour in the dead of winter. Seminars are better in the summer when you're getting in the frame of mind to open at the end of the summer. But as for buying products MAY, or for that matter MARCH is no longer any good when considering just how much product we 're now ordering, and considering how few vendors we have now.

You just can't take orders that late after TW has already filled vendors to the brink with orders. I'm not and I repeat NOT beating on Hauntcon or any other show, merely pointing out that one of the solutions would be to have a tradeshow two months sooner. That would help I can assure you.

Another thing that would help is if vendors just simply said...

Scarefactory: We have 10 pumpkin kings, we have 25 blah, blah, we have 10 cars, we have 5 hearses and when they're sold they're sold. From there companies like SF should consider building up inventory don't wait around until March and stock up.

But some vendors don't have shops big enough to shit on thousands of square feet of stock...so maybe they should just sell it all to Morris in the winter. I don't know... but I can tell you Haunters are spending lots and lots of money and vendors must stop themselves from taking the orders that they can not fill.

Vendors are the only ones to blame, for taking more orders than they can fill but haunters might consider ordering before TW, demanding a new show for January, and or vendors must put limits on what they can sell.

This seems to be a huge problem in 2007.

I think we could also do with a few more vendors selling these things, the time is ripe for more vendors. More vendors need to step up.

We need to get Distortions back to making more stuff, we need to get the money spread around a bit more. Even as I say this I know the money that would still go to the companies you're ripping on would still be huge but help them fill the orders instead of leaving bad feelings on the table.

If you ever thought about being a vendor maybe this is your year!

Step up to the plate!

Your other option is to go back to what you used to do and that is make it yourself. You have every sort of vendor out there that sells molding equippment to control systems. If you don't like it make it yourself!!! It is an option!

No matter something has to change!

Larry

[Barry]

Larry,

There are only a few vendors that would benefit from an earlier show and those are the ones with the long lead times. People are willing to spend money later. Just ask any of the vendors that have been to MHC.

You will never see an earlier show until TW decides whether they want to be part of the haunt industry or not. We could easily move into January or February but we would also fall flat on our faces. The majority of the vendors would not come because they are getting ready for TW.

I think you are correct about vendors needing to know their limitations. Gore Galore was a vendor at MHC last year and was NOT taking any orders for the upcoming season. He was sold out and booked up. But he was willing to take orders for after the season. That is the perfect way to handle it.

[Gore Galore]

Larry is reiterating a point I made in an earlier post. I really do think orders were up this past year for us and everyone else.

And as I stated, we are preparing for this problem this year by building an inventory, but this is hard to do with a lack or storage space. We will have to solve this problem in some way.

So much to do and so little time.

Many companies, such as ourselves, do offer big discounts this time of year. So if you are interested in ordering this year. Go ahead and do it now. You will get some great deals and have your orders in early.

We already have about 10 costumes on order. The funny thing is 4 of the orders are for a piece we are still designing. This helps the vendors jump start into the new season, and guarantees you will get your orders. Call most vendors and I bet you will get a good discount.

Barry also said we didn't accept any orders at MHC and that was mostly the case but we did accept orders without a guarantee. We accepted the orders with the understanding we would do our best to fill the orders this season, but if we could not we would extend a 15% discount for their inconvenience. However we filled every order on time and they were so very happy we were able to get it done for them.
This is another instance of how being direct with a customer both paid off for us and the customer.


But don't forget, your seasons have just ended and your pocketbooks are full so make your investments now and save some money. Well, I am not saying you have lots of money to burn or anything.

Gethca Some Gore!
I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming conventions.

[neffuri27]

Thanks Larry

Very well spoken and explained Larry. That makes perfect sense, Thanks so much.
We really do need more vendors for several reason's. It would also help so many
haunted houses not have the same props so we do not look like cookie cutter haunted houses.giggles
That is also why I was searching for other vendors on the net to see if there were
any hidden gems out there and I had never heard of Lafond Fx.
They have some really cool looking stuff and I think I have a wish list from
them now for next year.giggles

Blessings to everyone

Kimmy

[xxxdirk]

I guess I never really thought about the Vendors at MWHC. If That convention takes place in June, how do they get their orders filled?!! Oh well, 2008 is going to be an interesting year, and 2009, should be VERY interesting!

[Barry]

Ron,

Our vendors do a huge cash-and-carry business at our show. That was the original reasoning behind the timing of MHC. In the summer people actually have firm ideas of what they will be doing that year, rooms laid out, etc... So they come to MHC with needs to fill. While this strategy does not work as well for some of the larger vendors they still do good business here but the smaller vendors do great.

[xxxdirk]

No Barry, I was talking about like Unit 70 and Distortions and the animatronics. Course I know that the cash and carry are popular, I spent WAY too much on that stuff last year. I should have a real good idea if I can make your convention in the next 30 days. This is when I book my performances during the summer at county fairs all over the country. I have your weekend as one to try to block out.....Hopefully I book enough work that I can turn down any gigs that weekend....

[Slain]

ScareParts and Scarefactory

I guess in all of these great ideas of when they should have shows and what suggestions are made to these companies, we are still forgetting all of the epople who have been taken advantage of this past year.
Read the post, all of our fellow haunters including myself have given thousands of dollars to these companies and either (1) didn't get products or when they got them they fell apart after one night of operation..
Why let them into any show? I assure you that Keith at Scareparts is gone forever along with all of these people's money..
When you enter the dark zone this year look at the crap that Scarefactory puts out..
Most of their stuff is already broke as the show goes on. What a bunch of crap.. I see that some of the post are talking about how great it is that David Fualkman is doing a reality show.. He's not a haunter and certainly not an American Chopper.
How sad that someone who takes advantage of other haunters in this industry is put on a platform and glorified as an industry leader.. What a joke....

[lurker]

...But some vendors don't have shops big enough to shit on thousands of square feet of stock..

I see a phone ringing in an office somewhere. No one is answering it. The office is covered with Taco Bell wrappers. The camera pans out of the office into a large prop shop to find several men squatting over top large animatronic props. The lead man yells out, "Keep pushing boys, we got a lot of square feet to cover"

[drfrightner]

Barry/Whole Industry,

I think your show has been marketed very correctly in that you're offering people a great time, seminars, and an incredible social experience. You have not said your show is the end all be all show for our industry to put vendors and buyers together. Hauntcon on the other hand has done interviews and make statements claiming they're ARE the haunted house show for buyers and vendors. My only point here is if anyone was actually trying to the be quote unquote hauntshow for this industry they wouldn't have their show in May, and if they did I would question how much they really know about this industry.

This industry has changed a lot and when I say alot I mean a lot.

Some of the shows are so big now they take months to prep for the season. Even small haunts are experiencing attendance they never knew was possible meaning it was easy for them to handle say 5,000 people but now they're getting 12,000 and have a harder time. For the small haunt to the giant haunts everyone is experiencing a break through these days.

For the small haunts doing 10k or whatever those are big numbers for them and they probably have very low overhead, so in essence they have almost the same amount of money to spend on props as the guy doing 30,000 people with high overhead.

Do you see what I'm saying? The guy with 10k attendance in a small town with almost no marketing costs, cheap rent, blah, blah is making a killing, and has money to spend and they're SPENDING IT!

EVERYONE IS SPENDING MONEY!

There are lots of reasons why... first off I'd say about half of all haunts have gone under, making the number still in business right about where it should be. With such high ticket costs, people do not go to multiple haunts anymore or should I say all the haunts in the area. So now with fewer haunts you're getting more of the business that was available.

Secondly, haunts are just getting better!!! People appreciate a good movie, a great meal, and a great haunted house. When you have a good product word spreads. Thanks to things like this very website, all the DVD's that have been produced, seminars at tradeshows, and most important all the websites you can visit and look at photos, and more we're growing so fast.

Thirdly, people are coming to haunts from farther away than ever before thanks to sites like Hauntworld, HauntedHouse.com, and a handfull of others. People are using these sites to find haunts 1, 2 or even 5 hours away. You're now getting business from people you never knew existed.

Lastly, thanks to the PR efforts, national press, television shows, blah, blah people have just opened their eyes to our industry.

Anyway... the point is we lost probably 40% of our vendors within the past 5 years. We need more vendors for all the haunts making money now. Or we need a show moved back to January, or haunts need to order as soon as their haunts close. If you know what you want, what you need order it now.

Here is the bottom line okay...

The bottom line is Scareparts made you upset, Scarefactory got you mad, other vendors didn't return your phone calls, whatever... I'm not making excuses I'm only saying there is just too much business for any of these people to handle in such a short period of time. Is it their fault they didn't deliver to you??? YES!

I think everyone just gets caught up in trying to make everyone happy!

We all have to change not just Scarefactory, not just Scareparts! Do you understand what I'm saying???

Thanks
Larry

[mindtumor]

I think vending in May and July causes problems in getting people their stuff on time. I placed two orders in July with two reputable vendors and was told personally I would get those orders before my show opened and guess what? I got them in November. Sure I realize that was close to the season and all that, but I asked first and was assured. Bottom line is I didn't get them on time. I agree that maybe we should have a convention in January or something. I also agree maybe vendors should only sell so much of something. I am sure there will probably be changes this year.