Halloween is a HUGE retail holiday, and it’s just around the corner. You need start right now, stirring your Halloween cauldron and conjuring up big sales!
According to the National Retail Federation 2006 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey:
* 63.8 percent of consumers will celebrate Halloween this year, compared to 52.5 percent that celebrated last year.
* The average consumer celebrating Halloween will spend $59.06 on Halloween, compared to $48.48 last year.
* With Halloween falling on a Tuesday this year, some expect to participate in Halloween activities the weekend before. Young adults, in particular, may spend several days celebrating.
* 31.8 percent plan to take children trick-or-treating in 2006.
* 29.7 percent of those responding are planning to throw or attend a Halloween party.
* Haunted house visits are planned by 17.2 percent of Halloween consumers.
* Halloween continues as one of the biggest decorating holidays of the year, second only to Christmas. 67.0 percent of consumers plan to purchase Halloween decor and 48.6 percent plan to decorate their home or yard. Consumers will spend approximately $1.31 billion on decorations, an average of $15.63 for those planning purchases.
* $1.57 billion will be spent on candy, with 95.7 percent of consumers buying. The average consumer plans to spend $18.72, and 73.4 percent plan on handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and others.
* Costumes are expected to increase in popularity this year with consumers spending $21.57 on average and 34 percent plan to dress in costume. Total spending on costumes, including children's, is expected to reach $1.81 billion.
Here are 13 Spooky Ideas to help you get started:
1. Halloween Party Open House. Hold the event in early October and provide demonstrations of how to make party invitations, decorations, and more. Customers who wear a costume get a discount on purchases.
2. Bob for Discounts. Set up a traditional apple bobbing station, but attach different colored ribbons to apple stems. Each color represents a different discount.
3. Trick-or-Treat Street. Parents are looking for alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating. Provide a safe environment by partnering with the other stores in your area with games, crafts, and, of course, candy.
4. Scarecrow Contest. Get your staff in the holiday mood by having each department create a scarecrow with just items from their section of the store. Set them out for customer judging.
5. Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Give away a limited number of pumpkins in the week leading up to Halloween. (You can set a requirement for receiving a free pumpkin. Buy a class, get a pumpkin. Any purchase over $25 gets a free pumpkin, etc.) Set a deadline for customers to return their creations, and let other customers vote for their favorites.
6. Bag Decorating Contest. Invite customers to make a creative trick-or-treat bag.
7. Guessing Jar. Place plastic spiders, eyeball marbles, or other creepy items in a jar. Let customers guess how many are inside.
8. Halloween Safety Seminar. Check with your local police department for trick-or-treating rules and safety tips, then hold a free seminar in your store. Be sure to talk about all your glow-in-the dark products that can add to costume safety.
9. Costume Contest. Hold a costume contest, but get creative with it. Categories for judging could include Best Costume on a Pet (or incorporating a pet); Best Costume on a Child (do this in varying age brackets) Best Costume on an Adult; Best Homemade Costume; Best Use of Beads, Sequins, and other Sparkles; Best Use of...
10. Mask Seminar. Invite a make-up artist to show how to make a creative mask with face paints – an option that is safer than plastic masks. Make it like a Mary Kay Cosmetics party – everyone gets their own mirror and make-up tray.
11. Needle in the Haystack. Toss hay in your parking lot. Fill with inexpensive toys for kids or discount coupons for adults.
12. Adults-only Costume-making Open House. Halloween is enjoyed by adults just as much as kids. Host an event to show off a variety of costumes they can make with items from your store.
13. Pre-Halloween Class. This will vary depending on the product you sell. Scrapbook & Craft Retailers: help your customers’ get their pages all set up for those costume photos by creating their pages in advance. Hardware Retailers: help your customers’ get their yards in the Halloween spirit. Create Your Own Pottery Studios: there are lots of homes that need decorating. Apparel & Fabric Retailers: there are plenty of costumes to be made. There is a Halloween tie-in for every retailer!
Regardless of which kind of store you have, you can always hold a costume contest and take photos of your guests in costume. Give them a bounce back coupon to bring with them when they pick up their photo – that way they are likely to stay and shop some more!
According to the National Retail Federation 2006 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey:
* 63.8 percent of consumers will celebrate Halloween this year, compared to 52.5 percent that celebrated last year.
* The average consumer celebrating Halloween will spend $59.06 on Halloween, compared to $48.48 last year.
* With Halloween falling on a Tuesday this year, some expect to participate in Halloween activities the weekend before. Young adults, in particular, may spend several days celebrating.
* 31.8 percent plan to take children trick-or-treating in 2006.
* 29.7 percent of those responding are planning to throw or attend a Halloween party.
* Haunted house visits are planned by 17.2 percent of Halloween consumers.
* Halloween continues as one of the biggest decorating holidays of the year, second only to Christmas. 67.0 percent of consumers plan to purchase Halloween decor and 48.6 percent plan to decorate their home or yard. Consumers will spend approximately $1.31 billion on decorations, an average of $15.63 for those planning purchases.
* $1.57 billion will be spent on candy, with 95.7 percent of consumers buying. The average consumer plans to spend $18.72, and 73.4 percent plan on handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and others.
* Costumes are expected to increase in popularity this year with consumers spending $21.57 on average and 34 percent plan to dress in costume. Total spending on costumes, including children's, is expected to reach $1.81 billion.
Here are 13 Spooky Ideas to help you get started:
1. Halloween Party Open House. Hold the event in early October and provide demonstrations of how to make party invitations, decorations, and more. Customers who wear a costume get a discount on purchases.
2. Bob for Discounts. Set up a traditional apple bobbing station, but attach different colored ribbons to apple stems. Each color represents a different discount.
3. Trick-or-Treat Street. Parents are looking for alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating. Provide a safe environment by partnering with the other stores in your area with games, crafts, and, of course, candy.
4. Scarecrow Contest. Get your staff in the holiday mood by having each department create a scarecrow with just items from their section of the store. Set them out for customer judging.
5. Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Give away a limited number of pumpkins in the week leading up to Halloween. (You can set a requirement for receiving a free pumpkin. Buy a class, get a pumpkin. Any purchase over $25 gets a free pumpkin, etc.) Set a deadline for customers to return their creations, and let other customers vote for their favorites.
6. Bag Decorating Contest. Invite customers to make a creative trick-or-treat bag.
7. Guessing Jar. Place plastic spiders, eyeball marbles, or other creepy items in a jar. Let customers guess how many are inside.
8. Halloween Safety Seminar. Check with your local police department for trick-or-treating rules and safety tips, then hold a free seminar in your store. Be sure to talk about all your glow-in-the dark products that can add to costume safety.
9. Costume Contest. Hold a costume contest, but get creative with it. Categories for judging could include Best Costume on a Pet (or incorporating a pet); Best Costume on a Child (do this in varying age brackets) Best Costume on an Adult; Best Homemade Costume; Best Use of Beads, Sequins, and other Sparkles; Best Use of...
10. Mask Seminar. Invite a make-up artist to show how to make a creative mask with face paints – an option that is safer than plastic masks. Make it like a Mary Kay Cosmetics party – everyone gets their own mirror and make-up tray.
11. Needle in the Haystack. Toss hay in your parking lot. Fill with inexpensive toys for kids or discount coupons for adults.
12. Adults-only Costume-making Open House. Halloween is enjoyed by adults just as much as kids. Host an event to show off a variety of costumes they can make with items from your store.
13. Pre-Halloween Class. This will vary depending on the product you sell. Scrapbook & Craft Retailers: help your customers’ get their pages all set up for those costume photos by creating their pages in advance. Hardware Retailers: help your customers’ get their yards in the Halloween spirit. Create Your Own Pottery Studios: there are lots of homes that need decorating. Apparel & Fabric Retailers: there are plenty of costumes to be made. There is a Halloween tie-in for every retailer!
Regardless of which kind of store you have, you can always hold a costume contest and take photos of your guests in costume. Give them a bounce back coupon to bring with them when they pick up their photo – that way they are likely to stay and shop some more!
