Survey: Economy to impact Halloween spend; top shopping destinations are ….

Halloween has become a major event, with 87% of consumers planning to celebrate the holiday this year.  

That’s according to a survey by PowerReviews, which found that while 30% of consumers plan to spend $250 or more this year, 73% say their Halloween shopping will be impacted by economic challenges. Nearly one in four (24%) will be reusing/recycling existing costumes and 34% will be buying cheaper Halloween candy.

The 2023 Halloween Spending Trends report is based on a survey of 18,906 U.S.consumers fielded in August 2023. It examines shoppers’ attitudes towards Halloween, how much they plan to spend celebrating this year and more. 

Consumers plan to shop both online and in-store for Halloween items. The top shopping destination for costumes is Amazon (61%), followed by specialty Halloween/costume stores (48%) and big-box stores such as Target and Walmart (39%).  Twenty-one percent will shop at a thrift store.

The top shopping destinations for Halloween candy are grocery/supermarkets (66%) and big-box stores such as Target and Walmart (63%). Thirty-two percent plan to shop at Amazon, and 28%  will buy candy from big-box store website.

The top shopping destination for Halloween décor is big box stores such as Target and Walmart (54%). Twenty-two percent will buy décor from a home & garden / hardware retailer such as Home Depot or Lowes.

Other survey findings are below. 

•Thirty-eight percent of consumers consider Halloween to be a significant shopping event for their households.

•Thirty-four percent say they’ll forgo buying Halloween decorations this year due to the economy. But 31% plan to spend the same or more on Halloween décor as they do on Christmas/holiday decorations.

•Forty-four percent will be looking for bargains and coupons for Halloween shopping. 

•In alignment with rising consumer expectations for fulfillment turnaround, 24% expect to receive their Halloween purchases in two days or less.

 •Twenty-two percent say it’s never too early for Halloween items to be showcased online and in stores, 35% say July is too early.