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CostumeUniverse.com Reports Strong September Costume Sales

Wonder Woman is fighting to win the honor of highest sales and reign as the Queen of Halloween.

Internet retailer CostumeUniverse.com reports strong September sales leading in to the Halloween sales season. At CostumeUniverse.com, sales increased by 27 percent over the same period of Sept. 1 through Sept. 25, 2004.

Thus far, the Wonder Woman costume has been the superhero seller, second only to the Star Wars Clone Trooper costume. "Wonder Woman appeared out of nowhere to let it be known that she is throwing her golden lasso in the hat for the fight to rein as the Queen of Halloween," said Robert LeRoux, president of CostumeUniverse.com.

It is still early to crown the Queen or King of Halloween, but regardless of who is the most popular costume this season, one thing is certain--not since Lynda Carter donned the Wonder Woman costume on television has Wonder Woman been in any fight. More incredibly, Wonder Woman is competing with heavy-weight characters from blockbuster movies such as Star Wars, Spiderman, Batman and even Napoleon Dynamite.

"I am cheering for Wonder Woman in the competition of top-selling costume because I grew up watching her. Lynda Carter made the Wonder Woman costume look fantastic," said LeRoux.

Superhero costumes are doing well in general, but the Wonder Woman costume is selling better than all the other superhero costumes with blockbuster movies or hit television shows boosting their visibility. Wonder Woman costumes are selling faster because they are attracting the adults who watched the Wonder Woman television series as kids.

Although overall sales proved strong during September, activity slowed after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Costume sales are expected to be strong during October, with a projected 30 percent increase over October 2004.

"The aftermath of the hurricanes slowed soaring September costume sales, however, October is expected to be an excellent month for Halloween purchases because consumers will be looking for an escape from the problems currently facing the nation," said LeRoux. "Americans have historically dealt with difficult times by seeking avenues to take them away from everyday realities. Halloween parties and costumes are the right remedy at the right time. These external conditions, coupled with signs of early robust sales during September, put the Halloween costume industry in an excellent position to see strong growth this October."

CostumeUniverse.com has been selling costumes, accessories and decorations over the Internet since 2001. Internet sales continue to play an increasingly important role in the Halloween empire, which has grown into an industry worth over seven billion dollars. Consumers are more comfortable than ever with the security of high-end online retailers such as CostumeUniverse.com due to improving security technology. CostumeUniverse.com contracts outside security companies to monitor the site and post daily real-time information certifying the safety of consumers' identities.

With rising gas prices, online retailers are benefiting, as Internet shopping eliminates the need for consumers to leave the house. As Americans grow busier and have less free time, Internet shopping grows in popularity.

"People don't have time to search around town for specific products, especially for unique seasonal products like Halloween costumes and accessories. Someone may have to call several stores to find a particular item and still be unable to get it. Retail stores attempt to offer Halloween products, but they are unable to offer the thousands of costumes that are available through the Internet where a consumer can find everything in one stop," says LeRoux.

     
   President Branding & Marketing
   LEROUX
   Duluth,    GA,    30097
   USA
   6784755400 (phone)
   6784755400 (fax)
   robert.leroux@lerouxcorp.com
   www.lerouxcorp.com