Halloween decorations are out in Capital Region stores

It’s an issue that gets a lot of people fired up.

Yes, Halloween, while still more than two-and-a-half months away, is getting a big preview in Capital Region stores.

A posting on the CBS 6 Facebook page set off a flurry of responses -- a few in favor or ambivalent on the decorations, but most asking where the summer had gone.

“Halloween decorations is stretching it as if you don't get your costumes when they first come out you will be out of luck if you wait,” said Todd Britton. “I wish people would slow down a bit and enjoy life as life goes by too quickly.”

Jeannette Miller agreed.

“Our lives can get hectic and crazy enough without seeing the holidays pushed so quickly in retail,” she said. “You turn around blink and the next holiday is already on clearance and they are pushing the following one already.”

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Our Fact Finders wanted to know who’s in charge of deciding when the decorations go out, so we did some digging.

At the Lowe’s in Colonie, manager Al Giddings said the decorations and displays come from a regional distribution center and they go out when the stores have room. Giddings said this year the first displays went out about two weeks earlier than last.

A manager at the Target in Clifton Park said there are some Halloween T-shirts out, but the full displays still aren’t out and they won’t be any earlier than in 2009.

Many candy producers have already gone to Halloween colors, according to Price Chopper spokeswoman Mona Golub.

She said Price Chopper stores are still focused on back-to-school sales, though they are selling Autumn decor.

Candy, however, is what Golub called a highly impulsive expandable consumable -- essentially someone buys a bag now, eats it soon and later buys another bag before the holiday.

Golub said having decor ahead of a holiday also sets a feeling with customers to let them know a store will have the products they need when they need them.

Why so early?

Ted Potrikus, executive vice president and director of government relations for the Retail Council of New York State said Halloween is like any other holiday.

"It's a perception that‘s crafted a little by reality in that the competition is starting earlier,” he said.

The main reason is to get a jump on non-brick-and-mortar stores like websites and catalogs.

Stores respond to consumers. For every one person who complains about the products being there too early, there are many more who respond positively.

“They might get mad, but they’ll respond,” Potrikus said. “Far more will respond affirmatively.”

The fact is people like to decorate for Halloween, he said.

Big money

Spending on the holiday nation-wide was $4.75 billion last year, when consumers were expected to spend an average of $56.31, down from $66.54 in 2008, according to the National Retail Federation.

If you’re wondering what’s popular when it comes to Halloween shopping, the group said vampires, princesses, police officers and pirates were in, while politicians, nurses and Batman were out for 2009.

Witches were, once again, the most popular costume last year, followed by vampire costumes.