Purim is upon us and many parents are still looking for Purim costumes for their children. From the inspection of the Consumer Council, it appears that there are significant price differences between the various websites
Purim is around the corner and parents who have not yet purchased costumes, as well as adults who intend to celebrate, are now rushing to find and purchase the desired costume in time.
The Consumer Council's inspection shows that there are significant price differences for the same costumes, even if there are differences in quality or visibility between the costumes. The Consumer Council suggests: "You can compromise on a discounted costume."
On the Israeli trade websites, which have become very popular also for purchasing costumes, you can find a wide variety of costumes. The Consumer Council's inspection of trade websites shows that there are very significant price differences for the same figure, even if there are differences in visibility or quality between the manufacturers and brands.
The test was conducted on 22.2.2024 at 7 shopping sites: Terminal X, Niños, Toys R Us, Green Toys, H&M, Moran Toys, and Sport & Toy, and six popular costumes were tested: Cinderella, Mickey Crown, Spider-Man, Sammy the fireman, Kach PJ Blue Cat, and Wonder Woman. The prices of the costumes ranged from NIS 99 to NIS 199.
The results of the test show (see table) that no site is leading in all categories and that the costume you are interested in must be specifically checked in order to get it at the best price.
The differences between the stores reach tens of percent and in terms of monetary difference between NIS 20 and NIS 100 difference between a costume of the same character (as mentioned there can be quality differences, accessory differences, etc.).
The Toys R Us chain stands out negatively with the highest price on three of the six costumes tested, and with the highest price on the Cinderella, Fireman Sammy and Mickey Crown costume. The rest of the tested networks are expensive in some costumes and cheap in others without absolute significance.
"As with the food products, also with the costume manufacturers, you can compromise on a lesser-known brand and purchase a discounted costume, it is not necessary to always look for the expensive brand. Since the costume is only worn for one or a few days, it will be easier to purchase a discounted costume of the same character, depending for your budget.
The Consumer Council recommends that the consumer public check carefully before choosing a costume and apply the purchase rules for each product that are also true for costumes: compare prices, examine the product's integrity before choosing it, find out in advance what the product's return policy is, what the product's quality and safety are, Is there any warranty on the costume and of course is it in the right sizes for your child.
When purchasing in a store, if the costume consists of several parts and accessories - make sure that no part is missing. Costumes that are measured in the store do not always return to their original packaging. If you bought the costume, left the store and only after you got home did you discover that a part or item was missing - it will be difficult to prove that the item was indeed missing. If the product was purchased in a store, the transaction can only be canceled if the product was packed in an unopened original package, and the costume was not used in any way.
A critical point, especially on Purim: if you ordered a costume through a remote sales transaction on a trade website, Purim only happens once a year, so make sure you do receive the costume on time. If you wish to cancel a transaction and receive your money back, for example due to a delay in delivery, it must be stated in a written message and explicitly that the reason for the cancellation is the delay in delivering the product on time and in this case you are entitled to a full refund without cancellation fees."
There may be quality differences between costumes from site to site, an attempt will be made to find the most similar one. It is possible that not all possible sites for the specific products have been reviewed, limited to this review only. Tel. You see, the differences between the costumes are significant and reach tens of shekels.
As mentioned, it is important to note: there may be differences in quality and accompanying accessories, but the figure is the same figure.