Many Nemsome students and families have seen it. Although it is only September, Halloween decorations are already set up and on showcase in many stores across America. These early displays lead many to wonder just why stores would decide to put on displays of ghouls and ghosts up to three months early.
As consumers encounter these early Halloween decorations, one question becomes more prominent: why start the season so soon? The answers are layered and varied, but can be boiled down to money, subliminal messaging, and Christmas.
The first and most simple reason is money. Stores want to be able to sell the most products to the greatest amount of people in a timely fashion. By putting out decorations at the beginning of many schools’ fall semester, which are perceived by many as the end of summer and start of fall, they can get a head start on sales, especially from Halloween and fall fanatics.
The second and slightly more complicated reason is similar to why many see Coca-Cola advertisements during the super bowl. The point of an advertisement is to sell a new product, right? Well, that is only part of the story. The human brain latches on to key details in ads and becomes more likely to purchase certain objects based on familiarity rather than on quality. So, when stores display and sell Halloween decorations early, it is similar in that consumers see a product in a commercial and take an interest in the product. Their brains will subconsciously know which store to go to, even if the consumer forgets about the product between then and Halloween.
The third and strangest reason is actually caused by Christmas, a holiday even farther away than Halloween. Although it may seem unexpected, Christmas and December holidays in general play a large part in how companies handle their fall holidays. Because winter time holidays make up an incredibly large portion of large corporation stores’ annual revenue, in some cases up to 30% for the entire year, stores want to be able to spread out and capitalize on all holidays.By having Halloween products available two months early, shoppers have time to acclimate to the end of year holiday feeling. So, when Halloween begins to come to an end, stores can roll out their Christmas and Hanukkah apparel, also two months early.
As the world, especially America, becomes more driven by commerce and profit, it is no surprise that Halloween in stores is a direct reflection of the relationship that large and even small businesses have with their customers. As the world rolls into the Halloween season, albeit two months premature, early Halloween becomes a surprising testament to how consumerism affects everyday life in America.