Now that they have picked out their costumes and mapped out which house is most likely to have full-sized candy bars, the most pressing question left on trick-or-treaters’ minds is: Will the weather cooperate this Halloween? But it’s not just kids keeping an eye on the forecast. Retailers are too. After all, weather volatility can significantly impact what, when and how consumers shop leading up to Halloween.
While everyone might be hoping for clear skies and crisp temperatures, it’s always good to be prepared on Oct. 31. For retailers looking to plan ahead of any sudden shifts in the forecast, here are a few ways the weather might impact consumers’ Halloween habits:
The weather is actually shaping Halloween shopping well ahead of Oct. 31. The top reason consumers’ give for starting their Halloween shopping early is that they are “looking forward to fall.”
“Whether consumers realized it or not, the forecast definitely helped usher in this year’s spooky season,” according to Planalytics Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships and Alliances Evan Gold. “This was the coolest August in eight years and the coolest September in five years. The shift in seasons certainly helped get consumers in the mood for fall and lifted demand in categories like seasonal apparel, outdoor decorations, firewood and hot drinks.”
Retail WeatherIQ™ provides weekly weather impact outlooks for select product categories or retail segments compared with the prior year. Explore the insights.
This October is already proving cooler compared with last year, which could be good news not just for Halloween items but even for other things associated with fall like salty snacks or chocolate.
And Halloween isn’t the only shopping event affected by the weather. Check out NRF’s Retail WeatherIQ, powered by Planalytics, for a week-by-week update on how the weather is shifting consumers’ behavior — not just through Halloween but into the winter holidays.
