Anyone feeling the pinch yet?

[Grimley]

I know it is really early in the season but I have noticed along with some other sellers that things seemed to be headed a little downhill fast this year. My company sells Halloween merchandise online and I hate to say it but the numbers are way down so far this year. By now we are usually getting a fair number of orders. So far however things are moving really slow. Worried I talked to a few other sellers and we are not alone. This does not look good with the gas prices, economy etc...etc...
I do feel that most of this industry is linked in one way or another. The haunts, vendors, online sales and so forth. Are any of you worried about the upcoming season. So far things are not looking too good. If I had to predict, this will be the worst season for a long time to come. Sorry for the negative news but I was wondering if anyone else was experiencing this?

[Epperson]

I run a closeout surplus business and times are a bit slow here too.

[Jim Warfield]

I have been concerned about the economy and gas prices and no jobs for the young people.
Halloween might be slim, influenced by factors well beyond our control...
Haunts within driving distance of large populations might have quite an edge over those of us in the "boonies".
Surprisingly we have had good summer business .
Every week we could be handling more customers than ever happen to show up here but I'm still all right and this is more typical than not.
I see customers return after 3, 6, 10 and even 15 years ("Where have you been all this time?") (I could have used you being here a little more frequently!)
This afternoon a man asked me if Sunday afternoons were always this busy?
No. Many times no body shows up on Sunday afternoons, he returned after 15 years today, bringing his wife and son.
The other 5 in another family were all first-timers.
The third family of maybe 7 people left to get themselves a drink of water and never returned (poisoned water?) Maybe the $12.00 admission dissuaded them?
I invest ALOT of my own personal time and energy into each tour, leading them through the house for usually about 90 minutes, me narrating the tour almost non-stop the entire time.
Weekend weather is a factor as far as attendence goes too.
It seems like we have alot of rainy weather near or on the weeknds this year so far.
Time will tell, it always does.
So if you are making the same money for say the last three years, how far down the economic ladder does one fall as you look at higher and higher prices we all have to pay without any more money coming in to us?
When I was 19 I worked a full-time factory job which only paid $4,000 a year, that was not good or decent money then, either.
I realised one day that of the 40 employees I was THE only guy working there who was married , whose wife didnot have a job of her own or have a second source of income , like owning a small farm or something.
After a year of working there they would give you a weeks paid vaction, almost nobody ever returned after their vacation.

[Grimley]

Glad to hear not everyone is suffering. I hope things do turn around.

[MMManiac]

Venders and such probley will feel the pinch but as far as haunt goers go I think this will be a great year of us. See with gas prices so high and the economy down people will less likely to travel and spend the big $$ on amusment parks, instead travel less and go to local entertainment spots such as haunts.
Only time will tell!

[Motograter]

Well we are hoping for a better turn out this season then last years. Last year was our first year in business and our budget was low for advertisement. We are doing much more advertising and better artwork to help stand out to the public eye this year. So we shall see.