The item I want is marked "out of stock" - when will it be available?

We strive to keep a wide selection of costumes available throughout the year, not just at Halloween. Some of our costumes will be restocked throughout the year, and others we stock for Halloween and cannot restock until the following Halloween season. It's not that we don't want to - the manufacturers are out of many items, too, and won't be ready to ship again until the next year.

We restock popular items like flappers, 50's costumes, 60's costumes, 80's costumes, accessories, and hosiery year-round. We will begin receiving our Halloween stock in the spring and summer, so expect to see a lot of updates throughout those months, too.

If you're interested in a specific item or size that's out of stock and you would like to check when it will be available, please e-mail us at kaykay@candyapplecostumes.com.

I would like to order several of a specific costume. How would I do that, and is there a volume discount?

Many of the costumes and accessories in our store can be ordered in greater quantity than we currently have in stock. We have good relationships with our manufacturers and often do special orders. If you are interested in ordering more of a costume than our website says is in stock, e-mail us at kaykay@candyapplecostumes.com. We'll call the manufacturer and found out if they have enough and if we'll be able to get them fast enough. We can offer volume discounts on quantities of 12 and over; discounts vary based on the specific costume. Special orders may take up to two to three weeks to arrive to you; we'll discuss timing with you when you contact us.

When I click on an item page, the link is broken or the wrong item shows up.

If you find a broken link or mistake, or if you have some other problem with the site, please e-mail kristin (at) candyapplecostumes.com. We will work to fix the problem as soon as possible.

How do I know if a costume will fit?

Check out our Size Charts page. There we have general size charts and size charts for individual manufacturers, since sizing often varies considerably from manufacturer to manufacturer. The general rule is costumes run a size smaller than normal clothes. We try to put the actual numbered size the costume fits in the description, or in some cases, exact measurements.

If you're on the edge between two sizes, go for the larger size. If you still aren't sure, call or e-mail us, and we'll help you.

If the costume you order doesn't fit, we accept exchanges for a different size or costume. See our exchange policy for more info.

I'm looking for something specific that I don't see on your site. Do you have more stuff than what I see in your online store?

We do have more in our brick and mortar store than we have listed on our website, especially in accessories, though we're adding more all the time. If you're looking for something similar to a costume on our site, more accessories, children's costumes, or a different type of costume, e-mail or call and we'll search our full inventory.

However, during the two weeks prior to Halloween, our inventory changes so quickly and we'll be so busy that we'll temporarily be unable to provide this service.

I need my costume for an upcoming event. Will it get here in time?

We offer several shipping options to accomodate your needs. See more information on our shipping policy page. If you need your costume by a certain day, please note that in the "Comments" section on the checkout page. In most cases, items ordered by 2 p.m. Central Standard Time will be shipped the same day on business days Monday-Friday. Orders after 2 p.m. CST will be shipped the next business day.

I ordered my costume a few days ago - where is it?

When we ship an order, you're automatically sent an e-mail with a link to tracking and shipping information. In the case of UPS shipments, you can just click on the tracking number and find out where your package is. In the case of USPS shipments, you'll need to go to the www.usps.com and enter the tracking number in their "Track and Confirm" box (currently on the righthand side of the home page). USPS will tell you if the package has been delivered to your local post office. Don't panic if it says it has been delivered, but you haven't received it yet. That usually just means it will be delivered the next day. If you shipped by Express, the shipment information will be more detailed.

Do you ship to International customers?

We ship to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Ireland only. See our shipping page for more details.

Can local customers pick up at your warehouse?

Absolutely! Our brick and mortar store is closed now, but we miss seeing all our local customers! Just choose "local pick up" at checkout, and you won't be charged for shipping. We are here every weekday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. If your order hasn't been pulled when you get here, we'll pull it right away. See our shipping page for more details.

I have a photo of myself in my costume. How do I submit it to the Customer Photos page?

E-mail photos to us, or if you're on Flickr, join our Flickr group Candy Apple Costumes Customer Photos.

Can I return a costume or other item?

Yes, in most cases. Please see our Exchange and Return Policy for more details. A 15 percent restocking fee is charged for all returned items.

Can I exchange a costume or other item?

Yes, please see our Exchange and Return Policy for more details.

Can I cancel an order?

Orders begin to be processed right away, so we can maintain our policy of same-day shipping. For this reason, on all cancelled orders, a 15 percent restocking fee will be charged. In many cases, your order has already been packed and shipped by the time we hear from you. In those cases, you are welcome to return the items for a refund of the purchase price of your items, minus the 15 percent restocking fee that applies to all returns.

What kind of payment do you accept?

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover and PayPal. We cannot accept checks or money orders because our costumes sometimes quickly sell out, and we can't hold them while we wait for a check or money order to arrive. If you don't have a credit card, signing up for PayPal is free and uses your checking account to send money.

In the case of schools, we do accept POs in many cases.

There are two charges on my PayPal account - what's up with that?

It may look like there are two charges from us to your PayPal account because the first is an authorization. It doesn't actually take money out of your account. Only the second one is an actual charge. Look closely, and you will see this is the case. In the unlikely event that there is a case of actual double charging, contact us and we'll look into the situation.

Why is the amount charged to my credit card a few dollars too much?

When you place an order, the credit card processor sometimes runs an amount a few dollars more than your order to authorize that your card is legitimate and you have enough available in your account, and to account for any minor changes that may need to be made (though we never make changes to shipping or items in your order without your permission). This is not a charge, however, only an authorization. Your card is not actually charged until we ship the item, and then the actual amount of your order will be charged. The original authorization is not a charge and will disappear once the actual charge is issued. If your order is cancelled, your card is never charged and the original authorization will disappear in a few business days.

Is my information secure on this site?

Absolutely! We use a secure server to process credit cards, and we never share your information with outside sources. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

May I use your photos on my own website?

Because most of our product photos are copyrighted by the manufacturers and the rest are copyrighted by us, we request that you do not use the photos for any commercial purpose. Photos may be used in blog posts or forum posts directing readers to this site.