Spooky Season has Arrived, Earlier than Ever

By late September, Halloween decorations had been up for a while in many neighborhoods. If you think Halloween, like some other holidays (looking at you, Christmas), is starting earlier each year, you’re not wrong. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, early Halloween shopping is on the rise, with 47% of survey participants beginning their shopping before October. The figure is up from 37% five years ago and compares with just 32% in 2014. Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $11.6 billion after last year’s record-setting $12.2 billion.  

Spirit Halloween stores open in August, and License Global saw deals on décor, collectibles and, of course, costumes, as early as July. 

“Halloween marks the official transition to the fall season for many Americans, and consumers are eager to get a jump start on purchasing new seasonal décor and other autumnal items,” says Katherine Cullen, vice president, industry and consumer insights, NRF. “Retailers are prepared to meet this early demand by offering shoppers all the holiday essentials to make this year’s celebrations memorable.” 

Early demand for ghouls, ghosts and other Halloween items continues to grow. The top reasons shared by early shoppers include looking forward to the fall season (48%), avoiding the stress of last-minute shopping (38%) or because Halloween is one of their favorite holidays (37%). 

Related:10 Minutes With ... Warner Bros. Discovery on ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

“Interest in early Halloween shopping continues to be dominated by the 25-34 age group, with 56% of shoppers in this group kicking off their shopping before October,” says Phil Rist, executive vice president, strategy, Prosper. “Their love of the holiday is a key factor in this trend, with nearly half of this segment sharing that they plan to shop early because Halloween is their favorite holiday.” 

Seventy-two percent of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this year, consistent with last year’s record of 73%. Top holiday activities include handing out candy (67%), decorating the home or yard (52%), dressing up in costume (49%), carving a pumpkin (43%) and throwing or attending a party (29%). 

Those taking part in the spooky season plan to spend an average of $103.63, about $4.62 less than last year’s record of $108.24.  

Halloween décor seems to get more elaborate every year – it’s so much more than jack-o-lanterns and gourds. And when spooking around the neighborhood, folks are likely to see plenty of licensed décor. In August, Gemmy announced a collection of Peanuts Halloween decorations, available exclusively at Lowe’s. And for anime fans, Gemmy has a new BT21 Airblown Inflatable scene this Halloween. Featuring the characters from Line Friends’ UNIVERSTAR BT21: Koya, RJ, Shooky, Mang, Chimmy, Tata and Cooky, this Halloween inflatable is available exclusively at Walmart.  

Spirit Halloween has an impressive collection of Halloween animatronics, including Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride,” Ghostface and Michael Myers. 

“Halloween enthusiasts are upping their game when it comes to décor, and they’re starting their quest for their favorite animatronics earlier than ever,” says Kym Sarkos, executive vice president, Spirit Halloween. “We are thrilled to introduce this year’s lineup, featuring fan-favorite characters equipped with innovative technology, and we can’t wait to see them come to life at incredible home haunts this fall.” 

Playing Dress up 

The NRF reports that, much like last year, total spending on adult costumes is expected to reach $1.8 billion, while spending on children’s costumes is anticipated to hit $1.3 billion.  

The leading sources of inspiration continue to be online searches (38%), within a retail store or costume shop (28%) and friends and family (20%). 

This Halloween, 2.6 million children plan on dressing up as Spider-Man, 1.8 million as a ghost, 1.7 million as a princess, 1.6 million as a witch and 1.5 million as their favorite superhero. 

Seventy-six percent of adults already know their costume, in line with 75% last year. Among adults, 5.8 million plan on dressing up as a witch, 3 million as a vampire, 1.6 million as a cat, 1.5 million as Batman and 1.4 million as a pirate.  

Costume inspiration often comes from Hollywood, so you can expect to have plenty of Wolverines and Deadpools knocking on your door. Rubie Masquerade released a Deadpool and Wolverine collection on the heels of the launch of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Another box office hit, “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” is also generating buzz; Spirit Halloween, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, unveiled officially licensed costumes ahead of the Sept. 6 premiere of the long-awaited sequel to the original “Beetlejuice.” 

In early September, License Global spoke with Preston Kevin Lewis, head, consumer products and retail strategy, Americas, Warner Bros. Discovery, about the film.    

“Halloween and the holiday season are just around the corner, and Beetlejuice is a perfect fit for both,” says Lewis. “Our costume retailers like Spirit Halloween, Rubies and Party City are expected to see a surge in sales over the next couple of months, with Beetlejuice costumes already flying off the shelves and poised to be a crowd favorite this season.” 

Halloween costumes. Jupiterimages, The Image Bank

Spirit Halloween sees costumes trending across everything from movies to viral moments and classic horror.  

“Halloween isn’t just a holiday – it’s all about where each person’s imagination can take them, and we can’t wait to see how our fans take these trends and make them their own this year,” says Steven Silverstein, chief executive officer, Spirit Halloween. “Halloween fans visit Spirit Halloween year after year because they can find the hottest looks of the season – and our selection for 2024 will not disappoint. Whether you have a character in mind or are looking for inspiration, our assortment of costumes and accessories for the whole family offers endless combinations and a world of possibilities.” 

Television also inspires costumes, including popular kid IPs like “Bluey” and “Sesame Street.” Rubies recently announced a new adult range of deluxe costumes inspired by the Amazon Prime television series, “The Boys,” featuring two characters, Homelander and Starlight.  

Let’s not forget the popularity of food and beverage licensing. While it’s not uncommon to see licensed candy around Halloween, this year saw several licensed candy-related costumes. Spirit Halloween announced an officially licensed collection in collaboration with Butterfinger, the retailer’s official candy bar. While Chipotle Mexican Grill announced its new costume collection collaboration with Spirit Halloween inspired by popular memes on both brands’ social channels.  

Spooky Experiences 

Since the end of the pandemic, the popularity of location-based experiences has soared. Spirit Halloween jumped on the bandwagon by making a visit to its stores a themed experience. Halloween lovers are invited to celebrate the season with the retailer’s exclusive haunting in-store experience, which has become a must-see Halloween staple. This year, the brand brings back a fresh new twist on its popular “Spirit Hallows” in-store theme, boasting cemetery-inspired store design details that fans can explore. The design spotlights Spirit Halloween’s exclusive animatronics as the residents of Spirit Hallows, which comes to life for any brave souls willing to enter. 

“The Halloween fandom continues to grow, and our incredible team works year-round to create an unparalleled and unique in-store experience that will engage customers all season long,” says Silverstein. “Visiting a Spirit Halloween store is more than just a shopping trip – it’s entertainment, it’s tradition, it’s creating moments and memories with family and friends that bring the magic of Halloween to life, and we are thrilled to welcome fans back to the show.” 

Treats, Please 

According to the National Confectioners Association, the Halloween season is a key moment for the $48 billion confectionery industry and its retail partners. In 2023, Halloween drove $6.4 billion in confectionery retail sales, and that number is expected to climb 3-5% this season. Like other aspects of the spooky season, candy cravings are also starting earlier. That pandemic-era enthusiasm for seasonal celebrations has remained, pushing the Halloween season to begin earlier in 2024. 

“What would the Halloween season be without chocolate and candy,” says John Downs, president, chief executive officer, National Confectioners Association. “It is clear that Halloween candy is a bona fide retail phenomenon in 2024, with demand from consumers starting earlier in the year and extending festivities far beyond Oct. 31. No matter how consumers choose to mark the occasion, there’s no question that chocolate and candy are a fun and unique centerpiece of Americans’ Halloween celebrations.” 

The NRF reports that, across spending categories, total spending on candy is expected to reach $3.5 billion. Total spending on decorations is expected to hit $3.8 billion, along with costumes (also $3.8 billion) and greeting cards ($500 million). 

Discount stores (37%) remain the top destination to buy Halloween items, followed by specialty Halloween/costume stores (33%) and online (33%).