Here’s where Halloween shoppers are heading

A new survey reveals where consumers intend to make Halloween purchases, and what they will buy.

According to the survey of roughly 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 13 and up from Vibenomics, a Mood Media company, more than half (53%) of respondents intend to perform their Halloween shopping in physical stores. Another 30% plan to combine in-store and online shopping, while 15% will shop online and have products to delivered to their home and 2% will shop online and pick their items up curbside.

In terms of what types of retailers consumers intend to visit this Halloween season, the survey reveals that the leading choice for respondents to shop for holiday items is big box retailers (82%). Following are online retailers (45%), grocery stores (37%), dollar/discount stores (36%), drugstores (21%), and home improvement stores (15%).

The survey also examined what products Halloween shoppers will be purchasing. Almost nine in 10 (88%) intend to buy candy, while more than eight in 10 (82%) will obtain seasonal food and snacks. Six in 10 (59%) will purchase Halloween decorations for their home and yard, while half (51%) will buy costumes 51%. Other popular holiday items for purchase include seasonally flavored beverages (48%).

When considering their purchase decisions, in-store promotion (71%) and the availability of coupons (64%) are the top factors influencing respondents. Other top influencers on seasonal purchases revealed by the survey include:

• Recommendations (34%).
• In-store printed signage (32%).
• Promotional emails (22%).
• In-store digital display ad or TV/streaming ad (19% each).
• In-store audio ads (15%).
• Retailer’s mobile app suggestions (9%).

Halloween spending to hit new record high

Total Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $12.2 billion, topping last year’s record of $10.6 billion and also exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.  A record number of people (73%) will participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022. 

Per-person spending is also up as consumers plan to spend a record $108.24 each, up from the previous record of $102.74 in 2021., according to NRF data. The greatest increase in spending came from costumes, which are more popular than ever. Sixty-nine percent of those celebrating Halloween plan to buy costumes, up from 67% last year and the highest in the survey’s history.