Supply chain issues disappoint shoppers seeking popular Halloween costumes, including those inspired by 'Squid Game'
- Global supply chain issues have made sourcing a Halloween costume harder for some shoppers.
- Outfits inspired by recent TV shows, including "Squid Game," were among those in short supply.
The ongoing supply chain crisis has hindered shoppers in their search for wildly popular Halloween costumes, including those inspired by "Squid Game" characters.
While Amazon, for example, did have plenty of costumes inspired by the hit Netflix show, many would not arrive until mid-November, its shopping app showed.
And as The New York Times reported, in mid-October, customers would have had to pay $60 in shipping costs for a $26 "Squid Game" outfit that would arrive in time for Halloween.
More traditional costumes, however, were in fairly high supply. Halloween-costume enthusiast John Shea told the outlet he visited a Spirit Halloween store and was able to find some of the classics, including cowboys, doctors, and "sexy nurses."
In pre-pandemic times, people still had difficulties sourcing a costume that was completely on-trend, due to the pace of manufacturing, but supply chain troubles have made the task even harder, per The Times.
Normally, topical costumes would take a minimum of three months to arrive in time, but under current conditions, consumers would need to have ordered their attire six to nine months in advance, the report added.
"Squid Game" became Netflix's most-watched show after it premiered in September. It follows a group of people who compete in a series of deadly children's games to win enough money to pay off their debts.
The series is expected to generate nearly $900 million for the streaming platform - despite costing only $21 million to make.
It has also influenced countless Halloween costumes, with DIY tutorials flooding the internet. Hashtags related to "Squid Game" Halloween costumes nearly reached a million views on TikTok, where users created guides on how to assemble the outfits cheaply, Insider's Heather Schiltz reported.
A stretched global supply chain has been making everything from chicken wings, diapers, and toilet paper to homes, furniture, computer chips, and cars, Insider's Grace Kay reported.
The shortages come at a time when there is pent-up demand for festivities after last year's holiday was dampened by COVID-19 restrictions.
According to the National Retail Federation, consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach a record of $10.4 billion.
It's not just the spookiest season of the year that has been impacted by supply chain woes; a litany of festive goods, including Christmas trees, may also be harder to source this year.