From jack-o-lantern decorations to elaborate costumes, Halloween shopping is a seasonal ritual that holds significant potential for marketers.
It’s clear that the holiday is not just for kids—rather, Halloween is a major event for shoppers of all ages. In a lot of ways, it’s a marketer's dream: Halloween celebrations draw a broad demographic, and people across the board can all rally behind spooky season. NRF expects Halloween spending to reach a record of $12.2 billion, in comparison to last year’s record of $10.6 billion.
To better understand how shoppers are planning to buy for this Halloween season, Epsilon surveyed consumers to see when they plan to start stocking up, what they’re buying, and where (and how) they’re shopping. Here are four findings from that survey to help plan your Halloween marketing and make shifts as needed throughout the season.
1. People start shopping for Halloween earlier than you’d expect
Our survey shows that 63% of consumers believe September is the ideal month for brands to begin their Halloween promotions, but Halloween enthusiasts are a proactive bunch and some start as early as July and August to get everything they want.
That said, there’s still a lot of variance in when people start shopping for the holiday, with most doing their primary shopping in September and October (as you would expect).
Some highlights from the survey:
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17% of respondents had already begun their Halloween shopping by mid-August.
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71% of these early shoppers started their search during the summer months of July and August.
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For those who have yet to begin, 35% plan to start in September.
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50% will wait until October to start their shopping.
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Notably, 15% leave their purchases to the last two weeks before Halloween.
There’s still time this Halloween season to make an impact from a marketing perspective as shoppers are actively shopping and many are still looking for items up until October 31.
2. Larger retailers are where people go for their Halloween shopping
Generational differences in purchasing preferences can be seen in the vast range of likes and dislikes that each group has about online (Amazon) versus in-store shopping. Mass merchandisers were the top option by 25% of the consumer survey. Here's a closer look at the methods used by each generation to shop for Halloween:
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Gen Z: Gen Z shop at mass merchandisers (64%), Amazon (53%) and Halloween/costume specialty stores (46%) primarily for Halloween. They’re the second largest group to shop on Amazon (aside from millennials), but they clearly also appreciate the in-person experience.
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Millennials: Millennials find themselves also shopping at mass merchandisers (75%), Amazon (57%), and Halloween/costume specialty stores (51%). Like Gen Z, Millennials are seen as the highest-ranking group to shop on Amazon, but it looks like the convenience and wider range of options while in person shopping draws them in.
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Gen X: Gen X leads the industry with 78% preferring mass merchandisers, alongside discount stores (51%), with Amazon (45%) and Halloween/costume stores (45%) coming in with the same percentage. They also like to enjoy that hands-on engagement.
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Boomers: Boomers are seen to Halloween shop at mass merchandisers (69%), discount stores (51%) and grocery stores (47%). In comparison to other generations, they are seen to favor in-person shopping over experiences like Amazon.
Despite these differences among generations, there is still a considerable preference for in-store shopping notwithstanding this inclination. For example, mass merchandisers are the most preferred type of retailer for Halloween shopping, coming in at 73%.
This generational divide emphasizes how crucial a personalization strategy is so that retailers can direct people online or in-store depending on what they like to buy and where. Retailers may efficiently respond to a varied range of customer preferences and improve overall satisfaction by providing a seamless online and in-store purchasing experience.
3. Millennials plan to spend the most
Our survey also showed Gen Z, and millennials are leading the charge in Halloween spending, making it a prime opportunity for marketers to target this demographic:
The total average expenditure on Halloween this year is projected to be around $170 per household. Millennials and Gen Z lead the charge with the highest spending expectations, particularly on decorations and entertaining, in addition to candy and costumes. Millennials are expected to spend the most, averaging $262, compared to Boomers who will spend the least at about $118. This trend aligns with millennials’ higher expendable income and their focus on creating memorable experiences through elaborate decorations and festive gathering. This shift underscores a significant opportunity for brands to engage with younger customers who are eager to invest in making Halloween a multifaceted celebration.
4. Social media influences spending and trends across generations
Our survey showed that Halloween inspiration is predominantly driven by social media (and children’s input, which is no surprise), but can vary based on the generation:
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Gen Z: TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest
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Millennials: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, children
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Gen X: Facebook, Pinterest, children
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Boomers: Facebook, Pinterest (with a significant portion not using any sources)
Overall, 52% of consumers use social media for Halloween inspiration, with Facebook and Pinterest leading as popular sources. Younger generations also say they’re more influenced by social media and online ads, with social platforms being their primary source of Halloween inspiration. In contrast, Gen X and Boomers still favor traditional media like TV and radio for Halloween-related content.
A recent study we did on how people are using TikTok found that Gen Zers are 23% more likely to make a daily or weekly purchase after viewing an ad on TikTok, and they’re 30% more likely to make a purchase after viewing an individual's or influencer's post on TikTok. Given Gen Z’s tendency to be driven by social trends and influencers, it’s no surprise that TikTok’s platform is particularly effective in driving Halloween purchases among this demographic.
So, what does this mean for marketers?
By understanding how people are shopping for the Halloween season and tailoring their marketing strategies accordingly, marketers can effectively reach their target audience and capitalize on the Halloween market. Here’s a few tips for how to think about your Halloween marketing strategy and how to make the most of the September-October season:
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Early engagement: Brands need to think about launching their campaigns well in advance of the “prime time” to capture attention. We’re heading into a busier-than-normal fall season—another recent research piece from Epsilon highlights the upcoming presidential election and a shortened holiday season shift how consumers operate and spend their money—which makes early-season shopping that much more important.
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Knowing how to reach Halloween spenders no matter their preference: Spend is influenced from different channels— social versus traditional- so know how to reach heavy spenders.
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Being able to optimize a consumer's journey: Based on the survey, people are shopping in store quite a bit but there is still a significant part online with the mass merchandisers, so being able to optimize their messaging path based on their purchase history is relevant.
With these insights, you’re ready to carve out a winning strategy for Halloween, ensuring you understand your best customers, their spending behaviors, and how to engage them with timely, relevant ads when they’re ready to make Halloween purchases.
Ready to make some magic? Let’s turn these insights into your next big win.