Halloween has become a lucrative season for retailers, with shops eager to cash in on the festivities even earlier each year. What was once a children-focused event, marked by homemade costumes and simple decorations, is now a highly commercialised holiday with elaborate store displays and an ever-expanding array of merchandise lining shelves as early as summer.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts Halloween spending in the United States to reach $11.6 billion this year, following last year’s record $12.2 billion. Popular chains are capitalising on the holiday’s growing appeal, with Spirit Halloween, known for its seasonal stores and meme-worthy merchandise, opening a record-breaking 1,525 locations across the country this season.
Big-name home improvement stores have also joined in, with Home Depot establishing itself as a favourite Halloween destination after the introduction of Skelly, the now-iconic 12-foot lawn skeleton that went viral in 2020. Not to be outdone, Lowe’s has launched its own Halloween line, the “Haunted Harbor” collection, featuring large, eye-catching decorations like an inflatable octopus and a zombie fisherman to rival Home Depot’s selection. Costco responded with its own product, the “Giant Ground Breaking Skeleton,” which includes light-up eyes and sound effects, although it hasn’t matched the viral fame of Skelly.
Retailers are also introducing Halloween products in summer, adding spooky decor alongside items for the Fourth of July. This trend, dubbed “Summerween,” sees stores like Michaels unveiling Halloween goods as early as June. This year, Michaels rolled out Halloween decorations on June 27, two weeks ahead of its usual schedule, while stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Costco followed suit by debuting Halloween items in July. According to an NRF survey, this early start caters to customer enthusiasm, with a record 47% of consumers indicating last year that they intended to complete their Halloween shopping before October.
Halloween has transformed into a massive retail opportunity, and early displays indicate just how popular the holiday has become. With demand showing no sign of slowing, the trend of “Summerween” is likely to continue, giving shoppers months to enjoy the spooky spirit.
itim Group plc (LON:ITIM) is a SaaS-based technology company that enables store-based retailers to optimise their businesses to improve financial performance and effectively compete with online competitors. Itim adds retail value by helping multi-channel retailers optimise their business and their stores to improve financial performance and compete more effectively with the “Amazons”.
