The popularity of Halloween in the United States is soaring after a temporary dip caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 70% of Americans plan to participate in the festivities, while millions more will join the celebrations across Europe, Asia, and Australia.
It doesn’t take a lot of research to see why Halloween is rapidly becoming one of the most important days for international ecommerce.
Sellers offering costumes, candy, and party supplies in their online stores regularly see spikes in sales in the weeks and even months before October 31.
Sticking to last year’s marketing strategy won’t necessarily yield the same results, so fine-tuning your approach to the latest Halloween trends might be necessary to create a unique shopping experience in your online store.
Let’s check out the latest Halloween ecommerce statistics and trends that can guide your advertising and sales efforts on domestic and global markets.
Frighteningly Stunning Halloween Statistics and Trends at a Glance
- Shoppers in the US will spend approximately $103.63 per person in 2024, $4 less than the year before.
- Stats indicate that the number of shoppers buying Halloween items online before October 1 is rising.
- Retailers are expected to generate $7.6 billion from Halloween costume and decorations sales.
- Research shows that in the UK, more people search for Halloween-related items online than Christmas-related items.
- The global Halloween costume market‘s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) will be at 5% from 2024 until 2031.
- Most early Halloween online shoppers are younger than 35.
- 85% of Halloween expenditure in the UK comes from parents of kids under the age of five.
Eye-popping Halloween statistics
Halloween has become a global ecommerce shopping event. Like Black Friday, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day, it attracts hordes of online shoppers searching for a wide range of items.
However, in the days and weeks leading up to Halloween, online sales are dominated by products from the costumes, decorations, candy, and greeting card categories.
The projected expenditure for Halloween costumes and decorations is $3.8 billion each in 2024. Moreover, Americans will spend a whopping $3.5 billion on trick-or-treat candy.
These numbers indicate a worldwide spending trend and suggest that online sellers can generate substantial revenue even on international markets where Halloween isn’t as popular as in the US.
Let’s examine more eye-popping statistics you can use to predict shopper behavior and maximize your earnings during Halloween.
Nearly half of consumers start their shopping journey on Amazon
It’s no secret that ecommerce is getting more profitable by the minute, as the revenue generated by ecommerce retail is expected to reach 6.49 trillion by the end of the decade.
Nonetheless, the fact that most people turn to Amazon for online Halloween shopping might seem surprising until you look at the figures.
According to a report released in 2023, 47% of shoppers buy Halloween-related items on Amazon. What’s more, Amazon is the first stop for Halloween supplies for 58% of millennials and 56% of Gen Z consumers.
The same report reveals that just 10% of buyers search for decorations, costumes, or other Halloween necessities at specialized online stores. Hence, international sellers on Amazon are most likely to profit from this holiday.
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Online shoppers are spending slightly less on Halloween than last year
The Halloween sales numbers reached an all-time high in 2023, with an estimated revenue of $12.2 billion and an average spending budget per person of $108.24.
Early predictions indicate that the Halloween spending budget will likely drop to $103.63 in 2024, and the planned expenditure will be around $11.6 billion.
Although the statistics reveal a decrease in revenue from last year, they also reveal a continuation of the growth trend over the last ten years.
So, compared to the planned expenditure numbers in 2014, the figures for 2024 show that the revenue generated during the Halloween season has nearly doubled over the ten-year period.
Despite a slight dip in planned Halloween expenditure, online retailers should expect to generate substantial profit during the holiday.
Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to shop online for Halloween
Aside from being the biggest spenders during Halloween, Gen Z and millennials also do most of their shopping online.
Moreover, 29% of Gen Z and millennials are switching from in-person to online shopping, spending approximately $20 more on Halloween than the average consumer.
The number of adults between 25 and 34 shopping for Halloween before October has grown continuously over the last decade, from 37% in 2014 to 56% in 2024.
In-store promotions drive sales of popular Halloween items
Research conducted by Vibenomics in August 2024 explored the connections between in-store advertising and consumer behavior. The study reveals that promotions affect the buying decisions of roughly 70% of consumers.
Although the paper focuses primarily on in-store consumer behavior, its results are applicable to online shopping.
Hence, creating limited-time promotions and Halloween discounts in your online store can help attract customers and prompt them to make purchasing decisions faster.
To maximize your profits, it’s paramount to include products Halloween shoppers are looking for in your store’s offer. Eerie canvas art, vintage Halloween outfits, or papier-mâché pumpkins are only a few among countless products that might be in demand during the spooky season.
The demand for pet Halloween costumes is growing
Spiderman, princesses, or ghosts are some of the most popular Halloween costumes for children, while adults prefer to dress up as witches, vampires, and zombies.
However, an interesting trend is emerging. 75% of pet owners in the US intend to get their furbabies a Halloween costume, creating a niche market online sellers can tap into.
In 2023, Americans spent 700 million on dressing up their pets, with pumpkins, hot dogs, and bumblebees being the most popular Halloween costume options. A year later, these costumes are still immensely popular.
Interestingly, ghosts and witches, which are common costumes for children and adults, are also popular choices for pets.
Over 90% of people celebrate Halloween by buying candy
Trick-or-treating is primarily a North American tradition commonly associated with Halloween celebrations in Canada and the United States.
Welcoming trick-or-treaters is one of the oldest Halloween traditions, so it’s hardly surprising that 97% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween in 2024 by giving out candy, generating a projected $3.5 billion expenditure.
What’s more, the latest statistics show that in 2024, 48% of consumers in the US shop for candy online, indicating that online retailers can create a substantial profit by including candy in their Halloween offers.
It’s worth noting that trick-or-treating isn’t as popular in other parts of the world as it is in the US or Canada, so listing items from this category may not be immensely profitable for international sellers.
Hair-raising Halloween trends
Predicting seasonal ecommerce trends is tricky as consumer behavior shifts depending on a broad spectrum of factors ranging from their current purchasing power to trending pop-culture influences.
Let’s look at some of the Halloween trends that can guide your online store’s advertising approach in 2024.
Sustainability sells
12,500 tons of Halloween costumes end up in landfills every year.
So, it’s easy to see why environmental awareness is rapidly becoming one of the key factors online shoppers consider when choosing a Halloween costume or other items they want to purchase.
58% of people who celebrate Halloween don’t mind spending extra on sustainable costumes. Moreover, Gen X consumers are prepared to pay an additional 10% for sustainable items.
These statistics signal the growing demand for recyclable or reusable Halloween products. Consequently, online retailers can profit from adding sustainable items to their Halloween offers.
Online shoppers love DIY Halloween decorations
52% of people prefer staying home on Hallows Eve and decorating their homes with their families, while only 29% plan to attend a party or have guests.
Ready-to-use Halloween decorations are going out of fashion, making way for DIY home decor that offers a more engaging experience for the entire family.
Kits containing worms, skeletons, haunted houses, mason jars with Halloween art supplies, or pumpkin carving tools are popular among all age groups.
Following this DIY Halloween trend presents digital retailers with a variety of options to boost customer loyalty, attract new customers, and encourage repeated purchases.
Halloween comes early for most consumers
Data released by the National Retail Federation shows that 47% of people who participated in the survey start shopping for Halloween before October.
According to the same survey, the number of early Halloween shoppers has increased by 15% over the past decade, and this trend is likely to continue in the next few years.
In addition, most consumers who look for Halloween supplies before October are between 25 and 34 years old and are the most likely to attend parties on Halloween night.
These figures suggest retailers shouldn’t wait until October to launch advertising campaigns or offer Halloween discounts in their online stores.
Social media is a source of inspiration
Social media provides an easy way to find a popular theme you can use to decorate your online store or choose products that attract shoppers. Most people turn to TikTok and Instagram for inspiration for their signature-style Halloween costumes and decorations.
Keeping an eye on trending searches and watching Halloween-themed content on TikTok can be a great indicator of rising trends because it affects 59% of the users’ costume-buying decisions.
Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook can also offer valuable insights into emerging Halloween trends and help online sellers understand the products consumers seek.
Pop culture references attract visitors
Cruella De Vill, Morticia Adams, and Beetlejuice are just a few of the countless Halloween costumes inspired by pop culture.
However, these iconic characters aren’t as popular in 2024 as they once were. So, listing items Halloween shoppers can use to create costumes based on old horror movies may not attract much attention.
On the other hand, Ray-Gun, Paul Atreides from Dune, Emily in Paris, and Bella Baxter from Poor Things are among the most popular costumes in 2024.
Listing items in your online store that allow Halloween shoppers to dress up as their favorite television series or movie characters will surely spark their interest and potentially boost your sales.
Getting ready for a terrifyingly good Halloween
It’s never too early for Halloween.
That’s what the latest data suggests as more consumers start shopping for the holiday weeks and months in advance.
The figures also show that online Halloween purchases are on the rise, indicating that digital retailers can generate massive profits by adding popular Halloween items to their stores.
As a result, Amazon or eBay sellers and all other online retailers can benefit from updating their inventories to include in-demand costumes and launching advertising campaigns early to maximize the opportunity for increased sales.
So, don’t waste a moment. Get ready for a scary good Halloween.
About Webinterpret
Webinterpret supports merchants selling on big, international ecommerce platforms, such as eBay and Amazon.
Our AI-based solution enables more effective selling through automated listing localization, advertising, and logistics (shipping and returns).
By giving your international customers a complete end-to-end local shopping experience, Webinterpret improves your conversion and helps establish your business globally.