How to get the most out of Halloween in retail

Apparently Brits spent a whopping £1 billion on Halloween in 2023, positioning it as a critical retailing period, thought to rival even Christmas in terms of adding value to sales.

There are myriad ways speciality stores can up the ante through October. They could be as simple as bringing autumnal theming to an on-site cafe or restaurant, adding pumpkin cake, pie and spiced lattes to the menu…or more extravagant – from dedicating fields to PYO pumpkin patches, to transforming barns into spooky walk-throughs, and even investing in adult ‘scare’ events.

Farm shops especially are capitalising on the British appetite for ghoulishly-themed days out.

Hollow Trees Farm in Suffolk has hosted Holloween for nearly two decades, this year introducing a scary (but family-friendly) circus theme with a Big Top Barn and Mysterious Maze.

Millets Farm Centre in Oxfordshire offers pick-your-own pumpkins, hosts a Pumpkins By Night event, operates a Halloween circus, and even has a Spooktacular Disco on its calendar in 2024.

And over at the Aply Estate in County Durham the team really go to town, offering rides on the Pumpkin Express alongside pumpkin carving and pumpkin bowling.

The success of these attractions speaks for itself according to those who run them. Geoff Baron of Canalside Farm Shop in Staffordshire says they added pumpkins to their offering nearly 10 years ago. To date, October is now the business’s second best month overall annually.

“We started doing it ultimately because our year seemed to end when the kids went back to school in September, and we kicked along into Christmas, then things picked up again in spring the following year,” Geoff says. “We had space, and saw how other people had been able to extend their sales year into deep in autumn just by having this extra experience, so we gave it a go.”

The additional activity was “definitely worth it” Geoff adds. “Our 3D maize maze field has become a real family attraction. It basically takes everything that works for us in summer, and translocates that into autumn.”

Secretts of Milford in Surrey also ‘goes big’ at Halloween, with an enormous amount of effort going into planning. The retailer’s first Halloween experience was completely unplanned, though. In 2009, when a wholesale customer pulled out of an order for 1,000 pumpkins, the team needed to think quick on their feet. “Not wanting to waste them we offered free tickets to the local community to come and pick their own,” says events manager Stacey Greaves.

“It turned out to be a huge success, and we realised the potential for a family-friendly event that went beyond just picking pumpkins.”

This year Secretts has themed walkways and trails, fancy dress competitions, activities for children, and more than 200,000 pumpkins (in 12 varieties) to pick. One of the oldest handmade wooden carousels will also be on site, while visitors dining at the farm shop can tuck into pumpkin cake, soup or curry.

“It’s been a significant boost to our business,” Stacey says of Halloween. “Our customers enjoy the festive atmosphere, purchasing pumpkins and seasonal produce, and indulging in our delightful treats. It’s also a great support for our farm shop, which sees increased visitation during the week, along with all of the other independent businesses situated on site. The farm shop serves as an extension of Pumpkin Week, with big displays of pumpkins outside, and plenty of Halloween-themed treats inside.”

Secretts, says Stacey, has seen the same families return every year for more than a decade, enjoying the activities with their now-teenagers or grown-up children in tow. “It’s really rewarding to see the same faces. We love to see how important Pumpkin Week has become to people. It makes all the months of planning and hard work that comes before thoroughly worth it!”

Her advice for getting Halloween right?

1. Think about what worked in previous years and look to replicate it, but with a twist. Everything we do is about adding value while keeping that traditional Secretts charm.

2. Look to evolve, but never forget your core values. For us, it’s offering a great day out at an affordable price, with lots of activities to keep everyone entertained.

3. Think carefully about food, and make sure the offering is wide enough to cater for all tastes and dietary needs.

4. Consider sets and backdrops. Everyone is looking for that great Instagram moment. Our huge pumpkin fields and fun Halloween-themed sets are a big part of our success.

Kyle Eaton at money.co.uk says navigating busy periods such as Halloween can be overwhelming at times, adding that business owners must proactively plan for the season to tap in to what is a serious area of growth. His top tips are:

Order the right amount of stock

Get the balance right by analysing your sales and surplus from the last few years around this season. Ensure you have enough stock to meet expected demand, without ending up with a surplus.

It’s important to plan and budget for the additional expense of bulk ordering seasonal stock ahead of time.

Don’t put your stock out too late

Customers often make their seasonal plans in advance. Put your stock out too close to 31st October and you run the risk of driving your customers to competitors who were ahead of the game…potentially leaving you with a surplus of stock.

Plan your shelf arrangements and any promotions of offers as early as possible – at least a few months in advance.

Stay ahead of trends

Trends dominate seasonal events and change every year, influenced by films and popular culture. Not keeping up with these changes could have a negative impact. Before ordering stock or creating a theme for Halloween, research what’s hot to maximise the chances of resonating with your existing and potential customers.

Analyse market prices

As events become increasingly expensive, not aligning your prices with the wider market could drive customers to other stores. When creating a pricing strategy it’s important to look at competitors as well as last year’s sales. Dropping prices as Halloween approaches is also wise, encouraging last minute sales with the temptation of a bargain, helping to clear stock before it becomes redundant.

Think about product placement

One of the most significant errors in retail is failing to give seasonal stock visibility. Since the shelf-life of these items is limited, positioning displays in an area of high footfall within store is vital. When arranging stock, consider placing high-demand items at eye level or near the entrance for maximum impact.