Each autumn we see the turning of the leaves, we smell the crispness in the chilling air, and we anticipate the annual ritual of ghoulies and ghosties gathering on our doorsteps to wheedle us for sugary fare with a "Trick or Treat!"
Cute stuff, to be sure, but is this costuming and cavorting simply kid stuff or is there opportunity here? You bet there is! Halloween has become the second-largest commercial holiday, a multi-billion dollar business that seems to grow each year. If you're not jumping onto this goodie bus, you're doing yourself and your business a sour injustice.
Halloween has become the second-largest commercial holiday, a multi-billion dollar business that seems to grow each year
Even if you're not in the business of selling lip-smacking treats or ghastly get-ups it doesn't mean you can't angle what you sell to this seasonal audience of spend-happy shoppers. Here are a few tricks you can employ to join in the All Hallows Eve sell-a-brations.
First, the sweet statistics
If you're convinced that Halloween commerce is relegated to kiddie costumers on cardboard hangers or poly bags of "fun size" yummies, think again.
According to a recent Halloween statistics 2013 infographic, as many or more adults are dropping cash to celebrate the holiday. Here's what the "big kids" have been up to on the night of the Great Pumpkin:
- 48 percent of adults (and their families) will decorate their homes and yards.
- 44 percent of adults will dress in costume.
- 44 percent will also carve a pumpkin.
- 32 percent will take their kids trick-or-treating while 30 percent will throw or attend a Halloween party.
Yes, Halloween has a huge audience and, therefore, presents a huge opportunity for businesses of all sorts to carve out a piece of the action.
Is it just about costumes?
It's not. Even if you're selling goods you think have no relevance to Halloween, you might be surprised. Consider these additional statistics that reveal what folks are buying for their revelry:
Halloween-ers spend roughly $330 million on pet costumes and goodies
- Naturally, they're buying candy—about $1.9 billion worth. But where will they keep the candy, for munching and for distributing to the doorstep beggars? If you're selling decorative bowls, containers and the like, you have an opportunity here.
- They're also buying greeting cards (even though Sally chides Charlie Brown, "What were you expecting? Pumpkin cards?") If you're selling greetings of any sort, this is another opportunity.
- Don't forget Fido! Did you know that Halloween-ers spend roughly $330 million on pet costumes and goodies? How about decor for the dog's lair?
Use your imagination and your own habits to adapt what you sell to the holiday. With a bit of cleverness, you might just surprise yourself.
Cash in on the festivities
What if you don't sell any of these good-natured ghoulish goods? That's no problem because that doesn't mean you can't provide some sort of value to your customers as they ready to partake in the playfulness.
In 2013, although about 33 percent of folks got their Halloween ideas from retail stores, another 33 percent turned to online sources for inspiration—and they could be turning to you! Here are some ways you can attract some of that traffic to your site, no matter what you sell.
Even if you're not able nor inclined to offer Halloween-related goods, that doesn't mean you can't celebrate along with your customers and followers. Simply being engaged in the celebration will help you strengthen your connection—and you'll probably have fun doing it, too.
Are you too late to the party?
No. Here's some of the sweetest information about this remarkably popular holiday: Shoppers utilize practically the whole run-up to Oct. 31 when shopping. The Halloween statistics 2013 infographic offered this startling detail:
- 44 percent of shoppers don't begin their shopping until the first two weeks of October.
- And 24 percent of shoppers wait until the final two weeks of the month to secure their goods.
Unlike the gift-giving holidays where shoppers work at break-neck paces to complete all of their shopping well before their celebration date arrives, the Halloween crowd seems to take their time, soaking up all fun right up to the end.
If you're wondering whether the bandwagon had left without you, it hasn't. You have time to get involved and get engaged with your customers. Get started, have fun with the season and show you customers that yours is a destination where they can find something to howl about.
Dennis L. Prince has been analyzing and advocating the e-commerce sector since 1996. He has published more than 12 books on the subject, including How to Sell Anything on eBay…and Make a Fortune, second edition (McGraw-Hill, 2006) and How to Make Money with MySpace (McGraw-Hill, 2008). His insight is actively sought within online, magazine, television and radio venues.
Opinions expressed here may not be shared by Auctiva Corp. and/or its principals.
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