Posts Tagged ‘halloween’
Company Spotlight: Halloween Costume Wholesalers
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
Last month, the National Retail Federation found that more than a third of Halloween consumers still planned to buy a costume, while spending an average of $39.31. Based on their observations, the organization theorized that consumers were still looking for a way to escape life’s daily stresses – and, perhaps, that Halloween was the answer.
This Halloween retail season will last longer than last year’s, with Halloween on a Friday rather than a Wednesday. This could mean for retailers that “their strongest sale days are yet to come,” said Howard Beige, executive vice-president of Rubie’s Costume Company.
As for costume wholesalers, they can still sell easily what they have either deemed the “classics” or the “perennials”: witches, pirates, vampires. And more than ever, they are selling to online retailers and temporary stores, ones that stay open solely for the Halloween season. This year, costume wholesalers have been as busy as ever, to bring the new and exciting costumes to storefronts across the U.S.:
- Spotlight Costumes
“We are small but mighty,” said owner Kim Brown. Spotlight Costumes mainly supplies full ensembles for theatrical productions and themed weddings.However, for Halloween it also ships out to 350 brick and mortar costume shops, with most concentrated in the east coast. The former National Costumers Association president also designs each costume, the most popular ones of the wholesale line being the flapper, the pimp, the Tin Man, and Marie Antoinette. - Franco American Novelty Company
Franco American Novelty Company has been distributing to an increasing amount of temporary stores, said Jay Dinhofer, one of the company’s account executives. He added to any number of their 4,000 total retail store fronts, they have shipped thousands of its Cleopatra women’s costumes. That being the company’s best seller is a testament to consumers’ growing appreciation of the industry.
“Instead of going sexy and short – as the trend may be – this has more to do with the sophistication today that is available at reasonable prices,” Dinhofer said. - Disguise
Disguise claims itself to be the second largest costume manufacturer in the U.S. This San Diego wholesaler has sent out about a million costumes this year, said Bernice Nesbit, senior marketing manager. Disguise’s biggest sellers this year stem from their movie and television licenses. Boys will likely be seen as either Iron Man or Transformers characters, while girls will probably transform into either Hannah Montana or Disney princesses. The company also offers an easy, timely idea for adults, with their Obama and McCain masks. - Rubie’s Costume Company
This New York-based wholesaler has distributed over 25 million costumes to retail store fronts this year, Beige said. And if any manufacturer/distributor could prove that movies drive the Halloween costume business, it is this one. (After all, it is the largest of its kind in the world. Rubie’s has offices in Europe and Asia, in addition to those all over North America.) Key licenses Rubie’s obtained include “The Dark Knight,” Indiana Jones and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” But of course, the boys cannot be allowed to have all the fun. Popular girls’ costumes this year include Sharpay and Gabriella from “High School Musical.”
Tags: Bernice Nesbit, christina lee, Company Spotlight, Disguise, Franco American Novelty Company, halloween, holiday shopping, Howard Beige, Jay Dinhofer, Kim Brown, national retail federation, Rubie's Costume Company, Spotlight Costumes
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NRF: Economy Fails to Spook Halloween Consumers
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Bleak economic news cannot scare consumers faithful to Halloween, a recent survey shows. In fact, the average person plans to spend $66.54 to celebrate – an amount that has continued to increase over the past eight years.
“Consumers – who have been anxious and uncertain for the past several months – may be looking at Halloween as an opportunity to forget the stresses of daily life,” said National Retail Federation President Tracy Mullin in a statement.
The trade group’s survey, conducted last month by BIGresearch, revealed consumer behavior similar to that of 2002, another recession year. Back then, the average person spent $44.20, only 30 cents less than the year before.
Of more than 8,000 respondents, 64.5 percent said they planned to celebrate Halloween this year. Of these consumers, more than 50 percent said they plan to decorate their homes. Steve Rose, marketing coordinator of balloon and holiday gift wholesaler Burton and Burton, said in an e-mail that the company feels optimistic about this season, despite the state of the nation’s economy. “Consumers may be putting off major purchases like homes, cars and electronics, but they will still spend money to celebrate holidays and annual events.”
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers ages 18 to 34 still plan to spend the most of any other age group this Halloween. In 2002, they spent an average of $67 on holiday-related goods, including costumes, candy and decorations. This year, they anticipate spending an average of $83.
Retailers have also been using Halloween products as a way to market an entire season, “opening the promotional window through much of September and October,” said Tom Holliday, president of the trade group division Retail Advertising and Marketing Association.
“Much of [Burton and Burton’s] product line is treated more like ‘fall décor’ than just Halloween,” Rose said. “Things like decorative pumpkins, scarecrows, and harvest-themed products can be used all the way up until Thanksgiving.”
The holiday also still inspires at least a third of this year’s consumers to either dress in costume, take children trick-or-treating, or both.
“Parents just can’t ignore their children’s wants when it comes to dressing up,” said Kathy Grannis, National Retail Federation spokesperson. “Halloween is one of their favorite times of the year.”
The trade group also examined data from six years ago for a 2008 winter holiday sales forecast – though the outlook is not as good. Two weeks ago it estimated that sales will only rise by 2.2 percent, the slowest growth since the 1.3 percent rise in 2002.
Tags: Burton and Burton, christina lee, halloween, halloween decor, holiday sales, national retail federation, retail advertising and marketing association
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Hot Trends: Halloween 2008 for Wholesalers
Monday, September 15th, 2008
Did you know Halloween is the second most popular holiday (after Christmas) in terms of decorating and celebrating? With so many Halloween enthusiasts young and old alike, the year long anticipation for the holiday culminates in an excellent opportunity to increase revenue through costume and party item sales.
Using statistical information, recent surveys and targeted polling as resources, Halloween-News.com predicts the following Halloween trends for 2008:
Adult Costumes
This years movie to watch for will include Batman: the Dark Night, Indiana Jones and The Terminator. Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas are always present. You’ll still see a surge of pirate costumes since Capt. Jack Sparrow is still popular. Couples costumes will be big again this year, take a look at some of them at http://www.adulthalloweencostumes.com . The usual horror film bad guys such as the new Michael Meyers costume and mask, Jason from the Friday the 13th series and Freddy from Nightmare on Elm Street are all still popular. Classic movie villains such as Dracula, the Wolfman and the Mummy are always good choices. There is a strong resurgence towards the traditional, macabre, dark and sexy. Theater quality Vampire and Witch costumes, particularly sexy ones will be to die for this year. Elvira style costumes will also be in great demand. Gothic, ghostly apparitions as couples costumes will also make an appearance.
Decorating
People are decorating for Halloween like never before! The focus is on realism for adult parties, dark and spooky with lots of realism. With the availability of low cost consumer-based fog machines, more will be sold this Halloween due to the three day week-end with Halloween falling on a Friday this year. You’ll also see more elaborate yard haunts pop-up on this special night, complete with graveyards, skeletons, ghosts and special effects.
Halloween Parties
Halloween falls on a Friday this year and that means a week-end of partying! That gives us an extended two days to celebrate and throw week-end parties, also allowing for longer times running haunted houses and Halloween charity parties. Whether its a Pack of Pirates, Den of Vampires, Zombies, or Ghostly Apparitions, theme based parties are definitely in! And those that hold these parties will pull-out all the stops when it comes to decorating and the libation.
Tags: adult costumes, adulthalloweencostumes.com, halloween, halloween-news.com, holiday, Hot Trends, party decorations, Product Sourcing, Rebecca Button, seasonal, source, trends
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