BuyCostumes.com
 | |
| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | New Berlin, Wisconsin |
Key people | Rick Barton CEO |
| Products | Costumes, party supplies, Halloween décor, Halloween costumes |
| Parent | BuySeasons Inc. (Rubie's) |
| Website | www |
BuyCostumes.com operates as an American costume retailer headquartered in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Functioning primarily as an e-commerce platform, it offers a wide range of costumes and related accessories catering to children, adults, and pets. The company also markets party essentials for celebrations throughout the year along with seasonal decorations suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It belongs to a portfolio of costume and party brands managed by BuySeasons Inc., which also owns CostumeExpress.com and BirthdayExpress.com. BuySeasons Inc. functions as a subsidiary under the Rubie's Costume Company umbrella.
Claiming the title "The Online Leader in Halloween Costumes since 1999," BuyCostumes.com boasts an inventory featuring more than 10 billion possible costume and accessory combinations.
1999–2009
Founded in 1999 by Jalem Getz and Jon Majdoch, BuyCostumes.com along with its parent company BuySeasons Inc. began as an online vendor specializing in costumes and seasonal merchandise. Initially based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the company relocated its headquarters and distribution operations to New Berlin, Wisconsin during its growth phase, where it remains currently.
In August 2006, Liberty Media Corporation acquired BuySeasons Inc., making it a wholly owned Liberty Media subsidiary. Subsequently, in 2008, Liberty Media expanded its holdings by purchasing Celebrate Express—the owner of BirthdayExpress.com—and merged it with BuySeasons Inc.
2010s
December 2010 marked the departure of founder Jalem Getz from the firm, with leadership transitioning to Dan Haight who assumed the roles of President and CEO. The following year, Getz initiated legal action against BuySeasons Inc., alleging breaches in compensation agreements.
In October 2011, BuyCostumes.com achieved a Guinness World Record by assembling 425 employees dressed as video game characters—the largest such gathering ever recorded. All costumes worn during this attempt received prior approval from Guinness World Records officials.
Dev Mukherjee, formerly Senior Vice President and President of Sears Holdings’ Home Appliances division for both physical stores and online channels, was appointed CEO of BuySeasons Inc. in 2013. The subsequent year saw another leadership change when Rick Barton, previously CEO of Leisure Arts, took over the position—marking the third CEO transition within four years.
In 2014, Liberty Interactive executed a spin-off creating Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings by separating BuySeasons Inc. along with its shareholdings in TripAdvisor. Later in 2017, Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings divested BuySeasons Inc., selling it to Rubie's Costume Company—a manufacturer specializing in costumes.
Facilities
As a division of its parent company BuySeasons Inc., BuyCostumes.com operates from a sprawling 472,000 square foot corporate headquarters located in New Berlin, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. Additionally, the company maintains a satellite office in Bothell, Washington, where a dedicated product development team is based. The New Berlin site serves as the hub for the company’s main administrative offices, call center, and also accommodates its warehouse along with distribution and manufacturing operations. During the Halloween season, the employee count at this location expands to nearly four times its usual size to manage the surge in seasonal demand.
In Media
BuyCostumes.com was featured on the Season 2 episode titled "To LARP or Not to LARP" of the TBS reality competition show King of the Nerds, where it supplied costumes for a cosplay and LARP challenge. Contestants were tasked with creating and performing a brief LARP scenario portraying four original characters, which was then evaluated by a celebrity judging panel. The company also appeared in a similar challenge on Season 3’s episode "And Now For Something Completely Different," providing costumes and awarding prizes to the victorious team members.
Orange Tuesday
In 2013, BuySeasons Inc. registered the trademark "Orange Tuesday" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for use on BuyCostumes.com. This term refers to the Tuesday following Labor Day and marks the official start of the Halloween shopping season according to the retailer. CEO Dev Mukherjee explained that this initiative was designed to lead the seasonal shopping period alongside other retailers, including physical stores like Target and competitors such as Party City. Several Wisconsin-based businesses, including Mills Fleet Farm and Lakefront Brewery, have also adopted color-themed names to define different shopping seasons.
Response
The media's reaction to Orange Tuesday has been varied. Certain commentators, including Nedra Rhone from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Adam Tschorn of the Los Angeles Times, raised concerns about the appropriateness of a Halloween-themed promotion taking place in September. Conversely, Rieva Lesonsky of SmallBizDaily.com suggested that this timing could be a strategic decision, given the increasing enthusiasm surrounding Halloween.[1][2][3]
References
- ↑ Tschorn, Adam (2013-08-28). "Weigh in: Should 'Orange Tuesday' be Halloween's 'Black Friday'? - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
- ↑ "In shopping, orange wants to be new black | Atlanta Bargain Hunter". www.ajc.com. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
- ↑ "Are You Ready for Orange Tuesday?". Small Biz Daily. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-27.