NRF Spooky Stats
The total projected U.S. consumer spending on Halloween according to the NRF report.
What is $13.5 Billion?
This chocolate and peanut butter favorite regularly ranks as America's #1 favorite Halloween candy.
What is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?
The top category of pet costumes sold every single year according to NRF survey data.
What is a Pumpkin?
This 1982 Michael Jackson hit features a famous horror-movie voiceover by Vincent Price and an iconic zombie dance routine.
What is "Thriller"?
Information gathered from an outside existing source—like the NRF report—is known as this type of research.
What is Secondary Research?
The category where consumers spend the most total money, beating out candy at $4.1B and costumes at $3.8B.
What are Decorations ($4.3 Billion)?
Originally called "Chicken Feed" when invented in the 1880s, this tri-colored candy is one of Halloween's most debated treats.
What is Candy Corn?
The #1 place shoppers go to search for costume inspiration, beating out in-store browsing.
What is Online Search / Social Media (Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram)?
The catchy 1984 movie theme song that asks the famous question, "Who ya gonna call?"
What is "Ghostbusters" (by Ray Parker Jr.)?
Placing bags of Halloween candy right next to the checkout register at grocery stores captures this type of unplanned consumer purchase.
What is an Impulse Buy?
The percentage of consumers who begin their Halloween shopping in August or September before October even starts.
What is 49% (Nearly half!)
This fruity, chewy candy's famous marketing tagline invites consumers to "Taste the Rainbow."
What are Skittles?
For children's costumes, this classic caped comic book hero consistently ranks in the NRF top 3 alongside Spider-Man and Witches.
What is Batman?
Bobby "Boris" Pickett sang this 1962 novelty song where a graveyard party becomes a "catch in a flash."
What is "Monster Mash"?
Dividing all Halloween shoppers into distinct sub-groups based on age, lifestyle, or budget is called this.
What is Market Segmentation?
The #1 retail destination choice for Halloween shoppers driven by price consciousness and inflation (39% shop here).
What are Discount / Dollar Stores?
This candy brand created the famous "You're Not You When You're Hungry" Super Bowl and Halloween ad campaigns.
What is Snickers?
This pop-up retailer leases vacant big-box store locations starting in July to dominate seasonal costume sales.
What is Spirit Halloween?
This spooky instrumental track by Danny Elfman serves as the main opening theme to Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas.
What is "This Is Halloween"?
The strategic risk a business runs if they ignore data showing 49% of consumers shop before October.
What are Lost Sales / Losing Customers to Early Competitors?
The percentage of Gen Z and Millennial consumers using AI tools (like ChatGPT or image generators) for costume and party inspiration.
What is 47%?
The year that the iconic "Fun Size" candy bars were first introduced to help parents give out smaller treats to trick-or-treaters (Hint: It was during the 1960s).
What is 1968?
This term describes costumes based on current viral news, memes, or pop-culture events that marketers must predict months in advance.
What is a Trending / Pop-Culture Costume?
The rock band Rockwell had a 1984 hit song featuring Michael Jackson on the chorus titled "I Always Feel Like..." doing this.
What is "Somebody's Watching Me"?
Offering a $5 discount when a customer buys a costume, trick-or-treat bucket, and makeup kit together uses this pricing strategy.
What is Product Bundling (or Cross-Selling)?