Nearly half of consumers—49%—plan to start their Halloween shopping before October, up from 34% a decade ago, according to the National Retail Federation's latest survey.

The earlier start reflects a season that has grown longer and more lucrative for retailers. Halloween spending nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from $7.4 billion in 2014 to $13.1 billion in 2025, and the NRF predicts spending will hit $13.5 billion this year.

Retailers are adjusting. The Hershey Company calls the extended season "Summerween," and it has already changed how the candy giant operates. Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner said the company was shipping Halloween-themed items in July and dialing up its frontline sales teams to capitalize on the longer window.

'Treatonomics' drives the trade-down

Hershey has coined another term for how consumers approach the holiday: "treatonomics." On a webpage devoted to Halloween, the company noted that while people may be pulling back on larger items, "they're leaning harder into small, joyful ones."

"People are prioritizing affordable experiences that create happiness, connection and anticipation," Stephanie Berman, VP of retail at The Hershey Company, told Retail Brew.

The value focus is already visible in decor. Jackie Lewis, market intelligence lead at Harvest Group, told Retail Brew that lower-priced items are performing stronger this year versus higher price points. "While still very early," she wrote, she will be watching to see if continued economic pressure pushes consumers toward at-home occasions and lower-priced products.

Affordability is also steering shoppers to the discount channel, which ranked as the top destination for Halloween purchases at 39%, per the NRF survey. Costume stores followed at 32% and online at 27%. Nearly half of consumers—47%—reported using AI platforms in their Halloween shopping. "As consumers prepare for Halloween, many are using these tools to brainstorm costumes and decorating themes, explore production options, and find inspiration that helps bring their celebrations to life," Prosper EVP of Strategy Phil Rist said in a statement.

'Hobbyween' and the analog swing

The pivot to lower-priced items aligns with another emerging spending habit that Michaels has labeled "Hobbyween": a growing interest in analog, hands-on Halloween activities.

"Consumers are looking for ways to make the holiday more hands-on and immersive, rather than simply buying Halloween decor and costumes," Stacey Shively, chief merchandising officer at Michaels, told Retail Brew.

Michaels shared data showing searches for Halloween crochet kits up 583% year over year, and analog hobby searches overall up 136%. "This is customers telling us they want Halloween to be something they make and experience, not just something they buy," Shively said.

The trend has a big-ticket counterpoint. The Home Depot announced in July that it was expanding its collection of 12-foot-tall creatures to give its viral skeleton, Skelly, some company.

For marketers, the takeaway is a season that now spans late summer through October, with value messaging, discount channels, and maker-oriented products positioned to capture the largest share of a $13.5 billion occasion.