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Jokes aside, Spirit Halloween is often the last-minute go-to for many trick-or-treaters. But beware, because there’s something a little more trick than treat about many of the costumes advertised on Spirit’s website. Call it a case of what-you-see-is-not-what-you-get.
That’s because some of the items shown in Spirit costume listings don’t actually come with the costume and therefore have to be purchased separately.
For example, a $49.99 Harley Quinn costume only gets you the shirt and shorts. The featured bat, wig, fishnet stockings and boots all cost extra (just the bat and wig more than double the advertised price of the costume – more on this to come). It’s a similar story for a Daphne costume, a Morticia Addams outfit, a “Swanky Flapper” getup, and more.
And it’s possible you may not realize there are missing items until it’s too late. The only way of knowing which featured items in the costume listings are excluded is by scrolling down product pages past the “Add to Cart” button and then clicking “See More” in the description, which reveals the additional items you need to buy to finish the outfit.
Who is Daphne without her signature red hair? Or a flapper without her iconic boa?
And it may surprise you how much more you have to spend to look like the costumes in these listings.
Harley Quinn’s bat sells for $29.99 on the Spirit website and her wig costs $26.99. Spirit also sells fishnet stockings for $9.99, at which point the price of the costume has ballooned from $49.99 to $116.96, and that doesn’t include the boots, which Spirit does not sell on its website. (In fact, Spirit does not appear to sell any of the featured footwear in these listings.)
If you want to go as Daphne, the wig is going to cost you an additional $24.99, which is a little more expensive than what Spirit charges for a Chloe wig at $16.99. And if you want to dress up as the “Swanky Flapper,” just the boa and cigarette holder are going to cost you about $14 more.
Spirit did not respond to TINA.org’s request for comment.
The bottom line
There’s nothing scarier than deceptive advertising. No matter what you choose to dress up as this year, make sure to read all of the product information to know exactly what the costume comes with.
Find more of our coverage on bait and switch.
Our Ad Alerts are not just about false and deceptive marketing issues, but may also be about ads that, although not necessarily deceptive, should be viewed with caution. Ad Alerts can also be about single issues and may not include a comprehensive list of all marketing issues relating to the brand discussed.
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