Summer may still be in full force, but that hasn’t stopped retail stores from releasing their Halloween merchandise. While some people are happily enjoying the final months of the season, others are already looking ahead to autumn and snatching up new decor to display this year. One highly coveted item that has people excited? A ghost mirror! The Dollar Tree find is so popular, in fact, that few seem to be able to find it. Keep reading to learn more about the viral ghost mirror at Dollar Tree and similar dupes that may work for you.
What is the Dollar Tree ghost mirror and why is it going viral?
This festive piece has Halloween aficionados excited thanks to its special effects reminiscent of Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride. With a flick of a switch in the back of the decor item, a ghostly image appears in the mirror. The image even glows, so displaying the mirror in a dark room only accentuates the cool effect. And it only costs $1!
But it’s not just the ghostly effect—and bargain price—that has made the mirror go viral online–it’s the hunt to find it! Many eager customers have had a tough time tracking down the item at their local Dollar Tree store. One may assume that the difficulty to find it is due to the season, but many of the chain’s stores have been jumping on the Summerween trend and selling Halloween goodies alongside back-to-school merchandise.
With little explanation being provided as to why the ghost mirror isn’t available at all Dollar Tree locations, people have had to go on their own hunt to see if they might be one of the lucky customers to find it stocked on the shelves.
Shoppers react to the hard-to-find Halloween decor
Many have taken to social media to share the good news when they’ve managed to come across one of the ghost mirrors. On July 27, one Instagram user posted a video showing off the merchandise with the caption “Look what I found.” Others commented to ask both about the price and the poster’s location, likely hoping it was at a Dollar Tree in their own state.
Others haven’t fared quite as well in their hunt. TikTok user @_hey.its.sarah_ took viewers with her as she searched for the mirror in yet another Ohio location. She captioned the video: “Chasing down the Viral Dollar Tree Ghost Mirror one store at a time! Let’s see if Dollar Tree # 7 is my lucky charm! This would be the perfect addition to my Halloween Decor for this year!!”
The large collection of Halloween merchandise she encountered at the location in the video seemed promising, but she unfortunately left empty handed yet again.
Based on the comments, many other people have struggled just as much despite an active hunt.
“Nothing in the suburbs of Chicago! I have been EVERYWHERE!!” a fellow TikTok user wrote in a comment.
“I’ve been to 5 in the Pittsburgh area. No luck,” commented another.
My hunt for the Dollar Tree ghost mirror
As a fellow Midwesterner, I decided to pay a visit to my town’s Dollar Tree and see if I could track down the ghost mirror. I was surprised to find multiple aisles had already been stocked with Halloween decor, especially because there was still plenty of summer merchandise available.
There was no shortage of battery-operated, spooky merchandise, ranging from projectors to glowing pumpkin heads. I had a brief glimmer of hope when I came across a vintage-inspired frame, but it turned out to be a different piece of decor. Had they completely sold out at my location, or was it never on the shelves here to begin with?
Based on one shopper’s experience, it seems both scenarios are possible. “I’m in southern Cali and they put Halloween stuff out at the end of June/ July and the first thing was the ghost mirror,” someone commented. “There were only 3 left.”
Maybe the coveted ghost mirror has been disappearing just as fast as the illuminated ghost itself!
Dupes for the Dollar Tree ghost mirror
If you’re still on the hunt for the mirror, there are other alternatives available that might bring you just as much Halloween joy. Martha Stewart also released a larger version of a ghost mirror this year with an even larger illuminated display. Sadly, the virality of this decor item has also made it tough to find it available at a reasonable price, but you may get lucky. (Note: Michael’s also has a 24” version for sale under the Ashland brand, but it will set you back $70).
Looking to stick to a budget? I did discover that my local Dollar Tree had plenty of “motion-activated” picture frames in stock that may still capture the spooky vibe you’re looking for, though the ones I saw cost $7. At just the right angle, the face of the woman in the portrait transforms into an eerie skeleton.
Shay Trotter
The frame also lights up and plays sounds, though I admit I didn’t give it a try. If you want a piece of Halloween wall decor with a touch of Haunted Mansion-esque magic, this could be the way to go.
Is everything at Dollar Tree $1?
As shoppers flock to the Dollar Tree in search of the ghost mirror, they may be hit with an even spookier surprise: higher prices. The chain has moved away from only selling items at its $1 price tag, and in recent years expanded its offerings with an aisle or two dedicated to pricier items (often home and outdoor decor) that go for $3, $5 or $7—like my ghost mirror dupe.
But some locations have reportedly increased prices even further, leading to costs that are stunning potential customers. In an article posted on WBSM.com, the author found that there were 4-foot-tall Halloween inflatables being sold at a Fairhaven, Massachusetts, store for $20.
Even more baffling? The inflatables and many other holiday pieces were being marked even higher than what was on the box. Red price tags had been placed over the original price tags, leading to a price increase ranging anywhere from $1 to $10.
Luckily, I didn’t see any obvious signs of price gouging at the store I visited, so this may only be happening in select locations. Here’s hoping that the only scary thing you encounter at the Dollar Tree this season is the decor!
