Halloween Promises Sales Treat

Seven in 10 Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, according to Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation’s 2012 Halloween consumer spending survey conducted by BIGinsight. That represents the most in NRF’s 10-year survey history and will lead to more sales with the average person expected to spend $79.82 on decorations, costumes and candy, up from $72.31 last year.

“By the time Halloween rolls around each year it’s safe to say Americans have already spent two months preparing for one of the fastest-growing and most widely-loved holidays of the year,” says NRF president and ceo Matthew Shay. “We expect retailers to stock their shelves well ahead of time to capture the attention of eager holiday shoppers.”

So where do the happily haunted shop? More than one-third say they’ll look for new ideas in a store while nearly one-quarter will turn to their friends and family. Online searches will also be popular with 33 percent of celebrants saying they’ll get their inspiration online.

Of those buying or making costumes, the average person will spend $28.65 on costumes this year, up slightly from $26.52 in 2011. Yet, despite record-spending figures for this year’s Halloween holiday, 25 percent of U.S. consumers say the state of the economy will impact their Halloween spending, with most saying they’ll spend less overall, while others will make a costume instead of buying one.