Seasonal shopping has and always will be a big motivator for retailers and consumers alike – just think about the excitement when pumpkin spiced lattes make their debut on the menu. We wanted to understand how consumers feel about Halloween and fall retail trends, and the impact of inflation on their spooky season shopping, so we polled 1,000 U.S.-based adults and analyzed search data on our end-to-end AI search platform.
Our findings? This year, we saw the holiday calendar creep up with the emergence of Summerween which had Halloween decor hitting shelves during the heat of the summer. On Algolia’s platform, people started to lean into the spooky season after July 4th (over 5.9 million consumers searched for “Halloween” between July 4 and 31). However, their enthusiasm surged even more the following four weeks (August 1 to 28), with “Halloween” searches climbing to 14.4 million, an increase of 143% over the previous period. This early excitement is probably why 46% of survey respondents told us that they plan their Halloween costume before October.
Keep reading below to see the greatest findings from the survey and some intriguing insights from activity across our search platform.
Sticking with spooky season
We asked people to define their Halloween aesthetic, and the results are horrifying. 32% stick with spooky vibes, opting for the scarier the better. Classic orange and black ranked number two with 24% followed by natural, autumnal colors and neutrals with 20%. Being on trend is critical for 18% who decide their Halloween aesthetic based on whatever is trending in a given year. Rounding out the list is Pinkoween – all things Halloween but in pink.
Halloween costume head-turners
Some folks start researching Halloween costumes in July, but we see a big uplift come August when searches containing the term “costume” increase by 122% compared to the month prior. Despite all the searching, it’s hard to be 100% confident in your pick. If you ever regretted your Halloween costume choice, you’re in good company. Nearly half (49%) of consumers think they made the wrong pick at some point in their lives, and this is especially true for Gen Z (37%) compared to all other generations. Maybe we do become wiser with age.
For many, it can be hard to strike the right balance between being relevant and standing out in a sea of witch hats come October 31. There is a natural desire to fit in and be on trend with the masses, however, when asked if they were planning a pop culture-inspired Halloween costume this year, 35% of people said “yes” while 61% said it was important to don a unique costume.
Going green for Halloween
While most consumers still prefer to buy their costume(s) for themselves or their family, 59% would be open to renting a costume from a major retailer if given the option. Of this cohort, 26% specifically would rent to reduce waste rather than buying items they wouldn’t wear again. Another 33% would rent so they could more easily choose different costumes for different Halloween festivities.
Fall fashion favoritesÂ
The end of August and early September is when we see fall fashion search terms pick up. The term “fall fashion” was searched for more than 44,000 times from August 29 to September 11, generating a 75% increase from the previous two weeks. Looking at fall fashion more holistically, consumers have a few trends on their radar. Here are the trends consumers plan to participate in by buying new items:
Consumers call a timeout on trends
It’s not all candied apples and pumpkin pie for shoppers. Beyond just Halloween, consumers are navigating a tricky trend landscape. 30% agree trend cycles move faster today than they used to with the advent of social media, and 23% think retailers and social media influencers make up trends. It should then come as no surprise that 1 in 4 consumers think trends are hard to follow and 33% choose to follow them selectively.
Technology as a personal shopper
In addition to being overwhelmed by the pace of trends, 34% of people think they’re wasteful because they go in and out of season so quickly. The silver lining? Our survey shows there’s an appetite for technology to help alleviate the burden to keep up with the Joneses and to help find the balance between trending and timeless.
We asked consumers to select all of the scenarios they’d be interested in having an AI-trained personal shopper – one that leverages past searches and purchases from their favorite retailers – to help them on their shopping journey. Here’s what we found:
Another poignant takeaway: 43% of Gen Z respondents would use an AI personal shopper to create a sustainable fall capsule wardrobe and 43% would also leverage this tech for Halloween costume inspiration.
Looking for a solution?
The survey shows that consumers are amped up for Halloween and the fall season, but they’re overwhelmed by the speed of trend cycles. More consumers are also trying to reduce their retail waste by making more conscious purchases. Retailers can support both sides of the coin by enhancing their AI solutions to make personalized recommendations so consumers are content with their purchases.
Algolia’s AI Recommendation is one such tool that can generate relevant recommendations to match user affinities no matter where a consumer is on their journey. They’ll also be able to see trending products which helps consumers find the balance between what’s hot and what’s really on their shopping list.
Lisa Coulouris
Director of Public RelationsPowered by Algolia AI Recommendations