Editor’s note: The complete NRF 2014 Halloween Consumer Spending survey can be accessed here.
Ready … set … scare! According to National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Halloween Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics shows that more Americans than ever are planning to purchase costumes. More than two-thirds (67.4 percent) of celebrants will buy Halloween costumes for the holiday, the most in the survey’s 11-year history. The average person will spend $77.52 this Halloween, compared to $75.03 last year. Total spending on Halloween this year will reach $7.4 billion.*
Halloween is currently one of the fastest-growing consumer holidays. Party-goers will splurge on spooky and fun garb to wear this year as $2.8 billion will be spent on costumes overall with $1.1 billion on 
children’s costumes and $1.4 billion on adult costumes. Costumes for furry family members will also be high on the list, with Americans planning to spend $350 million on pet costumes.
Candy and greeting cards alike will be popular items this season, as consumers will spend $2.2 billion on candy this year and 35.9 percent of people will be sending Halloween greeting cards. With Americans planning to spend $2 billion on decorations for the frightful holiday, life-size ghosts, pumpkins and festive décor will be aplenty on lawns and doorsteps throughout the country.
Consumers will celebrate the holiday in many different ways, but topping the list of planned activities is handing out candy (71.1 percent), while others will decorate their homes and yards (46.7 percent), and dress in costume (45.8 percent). One-third of Americans will throw or attend a party (33.4 percent), which is up from last year (30.9 percent).
Much like last year, consumers will hit the stores and the Internet early to get the first pick of costumes and candy. According to the survey, nearly one-third of celebrants (32.1 percent) say they will start their Halloween shopping before the first of October. And, while 43.3 percent of celebrants kick off their shopping in the first two weeks of October, 24.6 percent will wait until the last minute and shop the last two weeks of October.
More consumers turning to social media
While the bulk of Americans will look for costume inspiration online (34.2 percent), in a retail store or costume shop (33 percent), Pinterest is a growing source of inspiration this year. The survey found 11.4 percent of Americans will turn to Pinterest for costume ideas, up from 9.3 percent last year. Young adults will drive the most Pinterest traffic: 21.2 percent of 18-to 24-year-olds will turn to the popular site for ideas, as will 21 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds.
For some consumers the U.S. economy is still top-of-mind. According to the survey, 18.8 percent say the state of the U.S. economy will impact their Halloween spending plans. Specifically, nearly two in five (19.7 percent) of those impacted will utilize their creative skills and make their own costumes rather than buying a new one this Halloween.
NRF’s 2014 Halloween Consumer Spending Survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to Halloween spending. The survey was conducted for NRF by Prosper Insights & Analytics. The poll of 6,332 consumers was conducted September 2-8, 2014. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.3 percentage points.
* The total spending figure is an extrapolation of U.S. adults 18 and older.