How Retailers Can Cash In on a Record Halloween Season
Halloween used to be a one-night event for retailers: a week of costume sales, a few bags of candy, then done. Now shoppers are starting earlier, spending more, and showing up in stores in a way that gives retailers a real opportunity, if they're set up to capture it. At Old City Media, we spend the fall helping retailers and brands do exactly that.
The Numbers Behind the Costumes and Candy
Halloween spending is projected to hit $13.5 billion in 2026*, a record, and up sharply from $11.6 billion just two years ago. The average shopper is expected to spend $115, also a jump from last year. And 74% of consumers say they plan to celebrate.
Discount stores are the top shopping destination for Halloween purchases, capturing 39% of shoppers, more than specialty costume shops or online retailers. That much traffic is an opportunity on its own, and a bigger one when brand partners are part of the mix.
Brand Partners Can Make the Traffic Pay Off
A busy store on its own creates opportunity. A busy store with the right brand partners creates something bigger.
Retailers don't have to fund a better Halloween experience out of their own marketing budget. Plenty of brands already have dollars set aside for exactly this kind of access, shoppers who are already walking through the door. Bringing those brands in means more energy in the store: activations, giveaways, sweepstakes, and experiences a retailer wouldn't typically build on its own.
It can support the retailer's own marketing directly, too. A brand-funded $25 or $50 gift card gives a shopper a reason to stick around and spend more while they're already there, on top of whatever they came in for.
That's the model our In-Store Partners program is built around: connecting retailers with brands that want the traffic, and building experiences that benefit both sides.
Why In-Store Matters More This Year
Here's the stat that should get retailers' attention: physical stores are now the second biggest source of costume inspiration, at 26%, and gaining ground on online browsing. Shoppers are coming in early to browse and get costume ideas. That gives retailers a real window to influence the sale while it's happening, right there in the aisle.
Price sensitivity is part of the picture too. Nearly a third of shoppers (31%) say they'll comparison shop if prices spike this season. Clear value messaging at the point of sale matters as much as the product itself.
Turning Halloween Traffic Into Something That Lasts
The retailers who win this season treat Halloween as the start of Q4, and they keep following up well past November 1st. A few ways to do that:
Capture the traffic. A staffed activation or a simple QR code at the register turns a one-time Halloween shopper into a contact for the rest of the holiday season.
Use the data right away. Every sign-up or scan from October becomes part of the list that fuels a Thanksgiving or Black Friday push weeks later.
Let the incentive do double duty. A gift card or giveaway funded by a brand partner creates a fun moment and gives the shopper a reason to spend more before they leave.
What About AI?
47% of shoppers say they're using AI tools somewhere in their holiday shopping process this year. That includes gift ideas, price comparisons, and product research. A real conversation with a shopper standing in the aisle is still the best source of the kind of information an AI system needs to make a good recommendation later. Halloween is a low-pressure, high-traffic season to start capturing that kind of data before the bigger holiday rush hits.
Let's Talk
Want to make sure your Halloween traffic doesn't disappear on November 1st? Connect with our team to talk through an activation that captures the moment and feeds your holiday pipeline.
*Source: National Retail Federation, 2026 Halloween Consumer Spending Survey.