Whether you dressed up as a spooky ghost and hit the town or stayed in, donned a frightful wig and handed out treats to neighborhood kids, chances are you celebrated Halloween in some way last year. If so, you are among the 52 1/2 percent of Americans who planned on celebrating Halloween in 2005, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Dating back to an ancient Celtic festival, Halloween or All-Hallows Eve has been a part of different cultures for nearly 2,000 years. Most Americans know it as the day children dress up, visit neighborhood houses and eat too much candy. Lately, Halloween has morphed into an all-ages, month-long, spooktacular event that garden centers can use to scare up profits and keep consumer traffic high leading into the winter holidays.
Consumer Spending
Whether it’s candy, pumpkins or costumes, consumers are inclined to buy when Halloween approaches. NRF reported consumers spent $1.16 billion on candy, $840 million on decorations, $1.15 billion on costumes and $140 million on greeting cards for Halloween 2005. Individuals in the Northeast, Midwest, South and West spent an average of $48.52, $45.54, $48.87 and $50.58 on Halloween, respectively, stated NRF.
With these numbers, Halloween maintains its position as the second-largest decorating holiday (behind only Christmas) and sixth-largest holiday in overall spending (behind the winter holidays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day). But do not let the sixth-place ranking fool you: NRF points out that Halloween ranks lower than other annual holidays in terms of spending because it is not a gift-giving holiday.
The $3.29 billion in overall consumer Halloween spending was achieved in part because October 31 is no longer just for children; all ages are starting to join in the festivities. The two consumer age groups that spend the most are 25-34 and 35-44 years olds, with each individual in those groups spending an average of $62.46 and $57.66, respectively, according to NRF. Most consumers, especially women, celebrate Halloween by handing out candy, decorating their yards or carving pumpkins.
Stocking Spooky Products
Capitalizing on Halloween’s popularity can bring in additional traffic and sales and target all age groups, even those that may not shop at garden centers the rest of year. The first step is stocking some Halloween merchandise. From gourds, dried corn stalks and straw bales to ceramic pumpkins, spooky candles, colorful costumes and plastic skeletons — there is a wide range of products available. Some products, like the straw bales and corn stalks, can be marketed as “fall decorations” that can last through October and November, while others are more Halloween-specific.
If you do not want to make a large investment in Halloween products, look into inviting a seasonal holiday store to rent some space and set up a satellite location at your garden center. As Halloween’s popularity increases, more local, seasonal costume and decoration stores are opening each year. The stores can be independent establishments or franchises of national chains like Halloween Express or Spirit Halloween. The symbiotic relationship between the two stores can bring extra cash flow into your garden center and help the seasonal Halloween store sell more products.
Holding Hallowed Events
Further entice people to come to your garden center by holding fall events: There is no limit to the sorts of eerie fun you can put together for consumers. For little ghosts, ghouls and goblins, hold a Halloween costume parade through your neighborhood and give out prizes for the most original outfits (Extra candy can go to moms and dads who are willing to show up in costume, too.). Pumpkin-carving contests can be fun for the whole family — just be sure everyone takes precautions not to harm themselves with the carving tools.
If you have enough space, try setting up a haunted house. You can determine the fright level: Keep it cute and fun for little kids, and save the severed heads for adults. Depending on how extensive the haunted house is, you can charge extra for admission or keep it free for anyone attending your event.
Other favorite fall activities include corn mazes, apple bobbing and hay rides. Bring in a vendor to sell apple cider, candy corn, warm pie and all autumnal delights during your events, and be sure you have decorated for the season. A few well-placed scarecrows and dangling vampire bats can add to the spine-chilling fun.
Additionally, encourage employees to come to work in costume. Just be sure the outfits are appropriate and do not restrict their movements or ability to work. For a uniform approach, have all of your employees wear witch’s hats or matching orange t-shirts while on the sales floor. If consumers are happily haunted by your Halloween events, they just might be in the right frame of mind to stock up on more costumes and decorations for themselves.
Extend The Season
Perhaps the biggest advantage of celebrating Halloween at your store is that it extends the selling season through the fall and into winter. Be sure to start early: Halloween is now at least a month-long event. Retail stores, haunted houses and even amusement parks like Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags set up the spooky fun early and keep it going throughout October.
Once summer shopping traffic begins to ebb, start gradually setting up some fall decorations and products. By the time cooler weather is upon your store, you will be ready to hold fall festivals and Halloween events. On Nov. 1, you will have to pack away the tricks and treats, but it will be time to bring out the ornaments and tinsel, which will keep your customers shopping through the next holiday season.
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