GOBLINS, GHOSTS AND SPOOKS ALREADY HITTING STORES
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Retailers are getting into the holiday mood unusually early this year by putting up Halloween displays while temperatures are still in the high 80-degree range.
Decorating stores with ghosts, goblins, witches and pumpkins is a blatant attempt to get the jump on the competition, says James Lowry, a Ball State University retail marketing expert.
"Retailers are playing a game of 'gotcha' with their competition," said Lowry, who teaches marketing. "They are trying anything they can to sell more merchandise in a heavily competitive market."
At the same time, retailers know that in a strong economy, people have more discretionary money. Stores simply move up the season and it puts people in the mood a little quicker. They buy things they'll need in the coming weeks, he said.
Many national retail chains began their Halloween marketing in mid to late August after the back-to-school sales subsided. Retailers have expanded the Halloween season by nearly a month as a result of billions in sales.
Lowry said Halloween has become a more adult-oriented holiday in the last decade. Adults have increased sales of costumes, candy, lawn decorations and other scary merchandise.
Sales nationally are projected to grow a whopping 15 to 20 percent this year to more than $5 billion, according to several retail organizations.
"Halloween is a good time to get out the costumes and candy earlier," Lowry said. "It may be warm in early September, but with school starting, people are thinking about cooler fall days and all the fun they'll be having."
Most of Halloween's retail growth is based on costume sales and rentals, which is estimated at between $1 and $1.5 billion annually and growing.
The National Retail Federation's recent national survey found that 82 percent of children plan to dress up to attend parties or to go trick-or-treating. About 73 percent of adults also plan to participate in a Halloween activity, up from 65 percent in 1998.
"Halloween is a good time to dress up and be someone else for awhile," Lowry said. "Adults now have more money to put into elaborate decorations and outfits."
(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Lowry by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (765) 285-5180. For more stories visit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news on the World Wide Web.)
Marc Ransford
[email protected]
9/10/99
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