Halloween Ghosts, Goblins, Stats and Sales — Oh My!
Americans love a good party, and according to RetailWire, Halloween is the third largest party day in the US behind New Year’s and Super Bowl Sunday!
And leading market research firm IBISWorld ranks Halloween as the sixth largest retail sales holiday, behind Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. Any way you look at it, the approximately $6 billion a year spent at Halloween is frighteningly relevant for retailers, with many considering Halloween spending a predictor of sales for the upcoming holiday season.
The good news is, as shown in the chart below from the National Retail Federation, average Halloween spending per person has been on the rise since 2009.
So what does this mean for retailers? If you are not positioning your retail business as a key supplier of Halloween items, you are missing out – and that’s a terrifying thought! Don’t let missed sales haunt you; here are some ideas to help ensure you scare up your share of this year’s Halloween sales.
Product Add-Ons
Even if your core business is in a completely unrelated retail segment, consider bringing in seasonal items customers can add on to their regular purchases – or that may entice customers to stop in who otherwise might not. Pet supply store - why not sell those cute little pet costumes? Trendy apparel store? Add some of this season’s hottest Halloween accessories to your offerings this month. And for virtually any business, a temporary candy display at the register is a sure winner.
Popping Up Sales
If you really want to get ambitious, you can always consider a Halloween pop-up store or kiosk. Last year the Chicago Tribune reported that the number of temporary stores dedicated to Halloween merchandise rose an estimated 8 percent in 2011 from 2010. If you are already a retailer, it may be worth the extra effort to open a seasonal location to really stake your claim on Halloween.
Shout It From the Rooftop
Or the window, or walls, or display windows – wherever potential Halloween shoppers are likely to get their first impression of you!
Whether you are launching a pop-up store or just decorating your main location for the season, Signs By Tomorrow has custom signage and graphics to get you noticed. From creative three-dimensional custom promotional displays to oversized fabric banners, your local Signs By Tomorrow signage center can help you generate the curb appeal you need to capture your share of seasonal sales.
And don’t forget your store’s interior: indoor custom signs and graphics can be an affordable and effective way of directing shoppers to seasonal displays or encouraging additional sales at point-of-purchase.
Regardless of your strategy this Halloween season, we wish you lots of treats, no tricks, and spooky good sales to kick off your holiday season!
