Americans Are Getting a Jump on Halloween Shopping

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Although Halloween falls on the last day of October, more Americans are starting their shopping even before September ends, and Youngstown is a hot spot for the spooky season.

While the majority of Halloween online shopping takes place in October, nearly 30% occurs from July through September, according to a new study by Upgraded Points.

In Ohio, 31.4% of Halloween online shopping takes place between July and September, while 60.1% occurs in October. And Youngstown leads the state with the most interest in Halloween, the study found.

Halloween is a substantial economic driver for U.S. retail, ranking among the foremost shopping events of the year. According to data from the National Retail Federation, 73% of Americans plan to participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022.

Shoppers are expected to spend more than $12 billion this year on costumes, decorations and other Halloween-related items. Sales have risen significantly over the past several years, even after adjusting for inflation. In 2005, Americans spent $3.3 billion on Halloween.

So what are Americans spending their money on? Costumes, decorations, candy and greeting cards lead the way. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $4.1 billion on costumes, 34% of total sales. Decorations will account for $3.9 billion (32% of total), with $3.6 billion (30% of total) spent on candy and $500 million (4% of total) spent on greeting cards.

Americans typically spend more on costumes for adults than on costumes for kids. According to data, adult costumes account for nearly half of costume spending, while costumes for children and pets represent just 34% and 17%, respectively.

Pictured at top: Photo courtesy of pexels.com.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.