Scott Morris
Scott Morris, in costume
Editor’s Note: Morris Costumes was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. Morris Costumes is involved in the costume business in three channels: They operate several retail stores; they manufacture and distribute Halloween décor products; and they distribute costumes. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, co-owner Scott Morris answers questions about the season.
Ed Avis: How are Halloween sales going at Morris Costume?
Scott Morris: Without question, the décor side of the business is going very, very well. People still want to decorate their homes and yards. And I have a number of customers talking about doing drive-by haunts. So I think the décor side of the business will end up being very good for the season.
Avis: How do you develop the décor products you manufacture?
Morris: We have a number of people internally who come up with ideas, and a lot of the guys in the haunted house business are very creative and we tweak those ideas and change them into something that is viable for the commercial side of the business. And we have a number of customers who come to us and say, “That prop was great, but what about this idea or that idea,” and sometimes the ideas are pretty good.
The key is trying to take an idea and perfect it. For example, we might see something and say, “The swinging action is pretty cool, but if you add some pumpkins….or if you add some spring metal to the motor, that will let the animated piece flop around and create some life.”
One of the biggest challenges is how to create this action and look at the right price point. You start with all the bells and whistles that you want, but back off to where it’s marketable.
I remember when Ed Edmunds from Distortions Unlimited made the electric chair (in 1995) and I think it sold for $2,500. We took orders for 300 of them, it was just crazy, they could hardly produce enough. It revolutionized the business. Before that there weren’t any animatronics – now they are a big part of the industry.
Avis: What successful décor pieces have you developed recently?
Morris: The biggest piece recently was the animated dragon. I think we made 2,500 the first year. Here’s a retail piece that retailed at $399 to $499, and we weren’t sure whether the market would accept a $400 to $500 animated piece in volume. But we took a big chance on it and it was successful. Before that the top limit for most of the animated pieces was $199.
This year we did Reaper’s Ride, which is a reaper character on a horse, and that is about $499. I think pieces like that are very important to stores, because they need something to draw a customer into the store. I had a customer two days ago email me and said they got a couple of props from us without the retail box. I said they shouldn’t stay in the box anyway! You have to create that experience for the customer. This is not Costco where you buy stuff by the case. This is where you go and experience something and really love it so you don’t mind spending $500 for a piece. Whether you put it in the air or put it in the corner, you have to create that atmosphere so that when somebody walks into your store they feel it.
Avis: Morris also distributes costumes. How is that business going?
Morris: We haven’t seen the uptick in costumes yet. I think the biggest problem is there’s not the big Hollywood movie to drive a lot of the costumes. But I do think the costume side will pick up – kids still want to be whatever they want to be, whether it’s the old-time characters of Batman and Robin, or something coming out like Mulan or Jasmine. Another thing I’m seeing is that costumes from movies from last year seem to be doing OK. They’re close enough to our memories. So I’m very positive on Halloween.
Avis: What’s the advantage for a store to buy costumes from Morris rather than directly from the manufacturer?
Morris: Our prices are pretty competitive. Obviously, if someone gets a discount from the manufacturer I can’t compete, but if someone calls up and says, “I need two of this and two of that, and I need fast delivery….” we can do that, but the manufacturers can’t.
Also we have relationships with a couple of manufacturers, such as Rasta Imposta, where we are the worldwide distributor for them. They develop the costume and have the licenses, but we do the importing and distribution. So anybody buying a Rasta product buys it from us. They just realized distribution is not their expertise.
Avis: Any final words of wisdom to NCA members?
Morris: I want to tell them that they need to have something different in their stores to be exciting to customers. Without that, the customer loses the excitement and the reason to go to the store. But most NCA members have been around for years and they know how to sell and service their customers and they’re doing a great job. I think they need positive feedback that life is continuing and Halloween is happening and don’t give up!
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