With villainous masks, spider decorations, and candy corn proving to be a $7 billion industry, many companies are cashing in on Halloween.
As Halloween approaches, costumes and haunted houses will pop up in an effort to cash in on the $7 billion industry. The ghoulish holiday falls second in sales only to the holiday that keeps on giving, Christmas. Interestingly enough, despite its success in opening the wallets of consumers, it is ranked as the fourth most popular holiday overall. With candy, decorations, and superhero outfits flying off the shelves quicker than you can say “trick or treat,” aficionados are proving that this holiday is no longer just for little kids with a sweet tooth. It’s become just as fun for the adults. Now, parents and cool aunts and uncles are able to join in on the festivities with their dark side displayed in a villainous mask. They are sure to be the life of the Halloween party regardless of whether it's at school or at home. In hand, they can bring fun homemade treats reminiscent of witch brooms. To maintain the mystery and haunt, tiny spiders trail from spider webs strewn from every corner of the house. Halloween might be like a sheet of smoke—everywhere one minute and non-existent the next—but it’s still a profitable business with soaring sales.
One of the biggest lures of Halloween is that it’s an opportunity to be a kid again. With each passing birthday, the ability to imagine has become less and less a priority. But through costumes, consumers are able to once again relive their long-forgotten dream of becoming an astronaut or the Man of Steel. It’s those fictitious characters along with the knife-wielding scoundrels in slasher movies that drive the holiday, as well as the sales. According to a recent survey, Americans spend approximately $2.6 billion on costumes. Costumes for kids account for $1.04 billion in sales, adult costumes account for $1.22 billion. Perhaps not so surprising, with the rise of costumes for animals, approximately $350 million went to furry friends last year. Purchasing costumes account for almost 40 percent of Halloween sales.
While costumes are a sure way to get amped for one night of mischief, decorations are a must to set the ambiance. Regardless of whether you buy something as extravagant as mutilated limbs hanging from ceilings or just mice decals for the staircase, that adds to the growing sales each year. According to the National Retail Federation, decorations account for 27 percent of U.S Halloween spending. Also, in case you were wondering, those legs and arms can cost anywhere from $60 to $100 for one night. That is the going price for Dapper Cadaver, a Hollywood-based company that specializes in horror props for movies and television, as well as for Halloween enthusiasts. Last year, Dapper Cadaver started making a line of body parts they call danglers, which are made with ropes inside, making them easier to hang. This is a perfect visual effect in houses just looking for some good old fun, but they're especially great in haunted houses, where they can be sure to scare the unsuspecting guest as they walk through, unsure of what lurks around the next corner.
One thing is for sure, those frights that come to life for fifteen minutes at a time are scaring up big bucks. It is estimated that there are about 2,500 haunted attractions worldwide, but mostly in the United States. That includes haunted houses, as well as corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and even haunted hayrides. Haunted houses themselves have morphed from something that was just among friends and Halloween enthusiasts into a legit industry. It’s a $300 million industry to be exact. A haunted house producer estimated that popular haunted attractions can earn at least $2 million each season. Smaller haunted attractions can even earn upwards of $50,000. “Haunted houses seem like the holiday brought to life,” said Joseph Szemiot, a New Jersey resident, in an interview with CNBC. “As Halloween becomes more popular and more commercialized, I guess it paid off for them to make the haunted houses better and better.” Just because haunted houses are improved each year doesn’t mean that it’s going to guarantee more screams. It’s a little known industry fact that it’s not as easy to scare mature adults. That is especially true for those who wait for Halloween like kids wait for Christmas in hopes of catching a glimpse of Santa Clause. In the nineties, it was common for haunted houses to charge as little as $13, playing up the magic number. Nowadays, that price has increased to as much as $25 depending for the experience. For extended attractions that take guests on a trip through multiple venues, that price can double.
Even if consumers don’t buy costumes or attend any events during the season, candy sales will always be a major driving force for the holiday. A survey conducted by the National Retail Federation states that 9 in 10 Halloween shoppers will buy candy, spending a total of $2.6 billion. That accounts for 30 percent of sales, falling second only to costumes. Though chocolate bars will always be a major treat among trick-or-treaters, one of the most popular candies around this time of year is candy corn. In 1880, the owner of a Philadelphia-based candy company created the sweet corn kernels. The National Confectioners Association estimates that stores sell 25 million pounds of it annually. This year, confectionery sales will rise, despite research suggesting people are making conscious decisions when it comes to celebrating the holiday. “People understand that candy is a treat, and this year’s survey tells us that they are celebrating Halloween in more ways than ever and practicing moderation,” said Alison Bodor, executive vice president of the National Confectioners Association, in a press release. “Parents, including me, are embracing Halloween celebrations and traditions, but we’re also using the holiday as an opportunity to teach our children how to enjoy candy as a fun part of a balanced lifestyle.” That means that they are being mindful about handing out pieces of candy to the kiddie ghosts instead of letting them dig in the bowl. While Halloween might be sweet with candy, the numbers show the industry is definitely not child’s play.
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