Halloween - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Chocolate Prices Are Scarily High This Halloween

October 22, 2024

For millions of Americans, Halloween is all about eating candy. And there’s no variety of candy more beloved than chocolate. According to national surveys, the average American’s favorite Halloween candy is a chocolate treat like M&Ms, Snickers, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. But this year, you may notice less chocolate in your family’s trick-or-treat stash. That’s because cocoa prices are at record highs after three years of poor crops. The price of cocoa has doubled since the start of 2024 Continue reading →

Halloween, Holidays, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Product Development, Promotions, Supply chains, Packaging, Marketing, Product Distribution, Agriculture

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Theme Parks and Retailers Get an Early Start on Halloween

September 4, 2024

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September may have just begun, but Halloween has already arrived. The late-October holiday known for costumes and lots of candy has become an increasingly lucrative occasion for businesses like theme parks and retailers. “[Halloween] has become this time of the year that’s grown in explosive ways,” said Edithann Ramey, chief marketing officer at Six Flags. “It’s become a billion-dollar industry in the last five years.” With 45 percent of consumers saying they’ll start Halloween shopping before October this year, businesses Continue reading →

Promotions, Marketing, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Product Distribution, Halloween, Holidays, Supply & Demand, Seasonal businesses

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Rising Sugar Prices Increase Halloween Candy Costs

October 18, 2023

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Last year, we looked at how rising candy prices and increased enthusiasm for spooky season led Americans to spend big on Halloween. And by all accounts, it looks like 2023 will be no different: not only are consumers expected to buy lots of costumes and candy, but they will also pay more for the privilege. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, candy and chewing gum prices jumped by 7.7 percent from Continue reading →

Supply & Demand, CPI, Pricing, Supply chains, Global, Product Distribution, Manufacturing, Halloween, Holidays, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Enthusiasm and Inflation Drive Increased Halloween Spending

October 28, 2022

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After years of unease, this year Americans are approaching holidays like Halloween with a level of enthusiasm not seen since pre-pandemic times. According to a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF), 69 percent of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this year, an amount that is on par with the stats from 2019. “As consumers continue to return to pre-pandemic behaviors, retailers are prepared to meet that demand and help make this holiday a fun and memorable one,” said NRF Continue reading →

Pricing, Global, Supply chains, Product Distribution, Halloween, Holidays, Supply & Demand, Inflation, Promotions, Marketing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

This Year’s Halloween Sales Expected to Increase after Quiet 2020

October 29, 2021

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While supply chain problems are bringing uncertainty to the upcoming Christmas season, retail analysts are optimistic that Halloween will be a vast improvement over 2020. Last year, the pandemic largely prevented kids from trick or treating and discouraged many adults from having costume parties, leading to a multi-billion dollar drop in retail sales during the spooky season. With an increasingly vaccinated population and lifted restrictions across the country, though, sales from 2021’s Halloween festivities are expected to increase by 20 Continue reading →

Retail, Supply chains, Marketing, Product Distribution, Global, Halloween, Seasonal, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Costume Shops Struggle with Low Seasonal Sales

October 6, 2020

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October is usually the month that Halloween store owners look forward to all year round. Adult customers often spend well over $100 on costumes and accessories as they prepare for parties or haunted pub crawls. But with many of these social events now canceled due to the pandemic, Halloween stores are struggling to make up this essential source of revenue. At Lorenzo Caltagirone’s Virginia costume shop, for instance, sales are down 80 percent. “I’ve never been this worried before,” said Continue reading →

Health, Marketing, Product Distribution, Entrepreneurship, Halloween, Seasonal, Supply & Demand, Coronavirus

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Hershey Prepares to Preserve Halloween Sales

September 15, 2020

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While makers of staple foods like soups and cereals have seen sales skyrocket during the pandemic, candy companies like Hershey have not been so fortunate. With foot traffic down significantly in convenience stores and other shops, consumers are not making as many impulsive treat purchases as they did last year. Still, matters could get even worse for Hershey in the coming months if the company does not have a happy Halloween.

The nearly $800 million haul that the company brings Continue reading →

Marketing, Promotions, Hershey, Halloween, Holidays, Food & Drink, Coronavirus

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Americans Spend $490 Million on Pet Costumes for Halloween

October 31, 2019

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For this year’s Halloween festivities, Americans will spend an estimated $8.8 billion on items like candy, decorations, and costumes designed for all walks of life. Along with shelling out $3.2 billion on outfits meant for kids and adults, consumers will also spend $490 million on costumes for their pets. According to a recent survey, 51 percent of dog owners plan to dress up their pups for the holiday, spending an average of about $20.

Retail experts say the popularity Continue reading →

Marketing, Social Media, Retail, Halloween, Seasonal

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Halloween Provides Retailers with a Seasonal Sales Boost

October 30, 2018

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Tomorrow night, children across the country will put on costumes and head out in search of as much candy as they can carry. And while many adults will accompany these kids on their sugary quests, plenty of others will be getting into the Halloween spirit without doing any trick-or-treating. After all, in recent years adults have become just as excited about All Hallow’s Eve as the most candy-crazed kids.

In fact, last year half of all Americans purchased a costume Continue reading →

Holidays, Marketing, Promotions, Retail, Halloween, Seasonal

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Americans Expected to Spend More than $8 Billion This Halloween

October 28, 2016

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For most people, the Halloween season is about creepy costumes and candy rather than shopping. But even though the retail sales of All Hallow’s Eve can’t compare to the December holidays, Americans still manage to spend a scary sum of money at the end of October. The National Retail Federation estimates that this year consumers will spend as much as $8.4 billion preparing for Halloween, amounting to an average of $82.93 per shopper.

Costumes account for $3.1 billion of this Continue reading →

Seasonal, Marketing, Retail, Product Distribution, Halloween, Christmas

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion