Witches, vampires, princesses and pumpkins will roam the streets in larger-than-usual numbers this Halloween, as experts say more shoppers will favor these costumes over ghouls.
Shoppers are expected to spend an average of $66.54 on their Halloween festivities, with just more than $23 expected to go toward costumes, according to a National Retail Federation study, which includes a list of the top Halloween costumes for 2010. The top costume for adults will be a "bewitching" one, while kids will opt for superheroes and princesses.
"Americans young and old love celebrating Halloween, especially given the variety of costumes and decorations that are available," notes Phil Rist, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives at BIGresearch, which conducted the research on behalf of the NRF. "Creativity will reign as parents look for ways to save money while making sure their families' costumes are the talk of the town."
Second-most popular among adults will be vampire costumes, with more than 2 million people expected to don this garb. About 1.9 million adults will go piratey.
Children will go in more of a fantasy direction, with princess and Spider-Man costumes expected to be the two favorites, according to the NRF's list. But some kids will get a little darker and opt for witch and ghost costumes. These ranked third and seventh, respectively. More than 600,000 children are expected to go "to infinity and beyond," dressed as Buzz Lightyear.
And four-legged friends will also have their fun. Their owners will doll them up in a variety of costumes, including pumpkin (the top choice), devil (No. 2), witch (No.3) and hot dog (No. 4).
"In recent years, Halloween has provided a welcome break from reality, allowing many Americans a chance to escape from the stress the economy has put on their family and income," notes Matthew Shay, the National Retail Federation's president and CEO. "This year, people are expected to embrace Halloween with even more enthusiasm and will have an entire weekend to celebrate, since the holiday falls on a Sunday."
Costumes will go quickly, though, he adds, so partygoers shouldn't wait until last minute to buy costumes.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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