Halloween's Not Just For The Kids
Candy, yes. Costumes on Halloween, it's never been my thing. It likely has something to do with the 10 years of clown costumes I was subjected to as a child. Nonetheless, I've been told I'm in the minority, because dressing up on Halloween is a Very Big Deal as an adult.
And retailers know, like many holidays on the calendar are, that this is an opportunity to sell. It can't be that significant, right? Well, no, actually last year Americans spent $8.4 billion on Halloween, and the NRF reports that it's expected to increase to $9.1 billion this year. That's an average of $86.13 per household. Okay, now we're paying attention.
So aside from spending on the decorations and cavities candy, that leaves the costumes. So we checked to see what the costume assortment looked like this year.
Superhero, creature or critter, kid's costumes averaged $22, and nope, you're not getting it on sale pre-Halloween, at least not in the mass channel, (only 1% are on discount). We suggest moving fast if you want to avoid a kiddie meltdown and not capturing that perfect Insta story. Need some inspiration? These should do the trick.
But what about the adults? Ok, you have one night a year to impress your friends (and yes, let your inner freak flag fly.)
If you're looking to buy something off the rack, the average prices are clocking in very similarly to kid's, with adult costumes averaging $23. Discounts are low pre-holiday, with only 5% of the assortment on markdown. What are people most likely to be dressed as in 2017? Google search data revealed that Wonder Woman is at the top of the list - see the rest of the top picks here.
So be safe, have fun, and know when to say no to one more fun-size Snickers.