Jeffrey Dahmer-Inspired Halloween Costumes Banned at eBay Amid Netflix Series Backlash

The online retailer declared the costumes in violation of its violence and violent crimes policy.

By Sam Silverman Oct 21, 2022
Photo by Marny Malin/Sygma via Getty Images

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If you’re a true crime fan looking for a Jeffrey Dahmer Halloween costume this Halloween, there’s one site you can skip: eBay.

The online retailer banned the sale of costumes inspired by the serial killer following a surge of interest thanks to the hit Netflix true crime series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

The site found that the costumes — which include orange jumpsuits, masks, and his signature glasses — are in violation of its policy on violence and violent crimes. The policy prohibits selling items that “promote or glorify violence” or are inspired by notorious events or people.

“These items are prohibited for sale on our site and we are removing them,” an eBay spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. As of this writing, eBay shows zero results for Jeffrey Dahmer costumes.

The decision followed a slew of online criticism towards anyone considering trick or treating as Dahmer.

The costume’s popularity follows the renewed curiosity around Dahmer and Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix series.

The serial killer murdered 17 people (that we know of) and engaged in necrophilia, cannibalism, and dismemberment of his victims’ bodies. Since the show’s release on Sept. 21, it’s ranked as one of the most streamed show’s ever with 701.37 million hours viewed in the first 28 days of its release, per Forbes.

If you’re a true crime fan looking for a Jeffrey Dahmer Halloween costume this Halloween, there’s one site you can skip: eBay.

The online retailer banned the sale of costumes inspired by the serial killer following a surge of interest thanks to the hit Netflix true crime series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

The site found that the costumes — which include orange jumpsuits, masks, and his signature glasses — are in violation of its policy on violence and violent crimes. The policy prohibits selling items that “promote or glorify violence” or are inspired by notorious events or people.

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Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor
Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at Entrepreneur Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from...

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