SALES of Halloween products have doubled in 10 years according to Bestway Wholesale and its sales director Tony Holmes says independent retailers can make sure they secure a share of the growing market by stocking seasonal editions of popular brands.
He said: “Independents do impulse novelties extremely well at Christmas and Easter and the potential is there for them to match this at Halloween.
“However to have a ghost of a chance retailers have to get the seasonal range right by developing theatre in store.”
Research has shown that over half of all adults will purchase a Halloween-related product, he said, and 21% of shoppers would visit more often if their local c-store supported events such as Halloween. And that all means that visibility of promotional lines is a must, he argued.
Bestway has created a Halloween novelties kit featuring 98 units.
Holmes explained: “Independents need to look at linking products together to get the maximum return from the event.
“The multiple convenience chains and discounters will all have a decent Halloween offer across the board so the trick is for independents to stock a range that makes a visit to these stores unnecessary.”
He stressed that location and convenience are major strengths of independents and said as well as thinking about themed products, retailers should link complementary categories to increase basket spend and profit.
He said: “Halloween is a time when families and friends come together so there are incremental sales to be had across other categories such as soft drinks, beers and ciders, wine and snacks and crisps which will all be in high demand.”
Bestway and Batleys depots will have a range of Halloween novelties available including masks, face paints, fun accessories and sweets on sale in the lead up to October 31, he said.
