Happy Halloween!
If you’re in retail then October is dominated by just one event, Halloween. Shops are already brimming with costumes, candles and sugary treats, there is orange, purple and black everywhere you look, and pumpkins are arriving in supermarkets by the pallet load. And if you need convincing that taking the time and effort to devise a Halloween display is worth the trouble, it is estimated that a total of £687 million will be spent on Halloween in the UK this year.
So how do you get a slice of that (pumpkin) pie?
Set the scene
Grab your customer's attention with bright orange pumpkins in all sizes set against a glorious seasonal backdrop of faux and dried materials. Don’t forget to price everything up and remember that if whatever you put outside has to come in at night, make sure your displays are easy to dismantle and re-assemble.
Boo!
There’s nothing like a skeleton popping out of a pumpkin to catch the eye. Just be aware that if you deal with funerals as part of your daily business you don’t want to offend or upset anyone, but if that isn’t an issue, then go ahead and have fun.
Get Carried Away with your Window Display
If you’ve got the space, why not create your very own Addams family-style tablescape? Pick up some Halloween accessories, add fresh flowers, a drop or two of fake blood and you have a window display to die for.
Glow in the dark
Using light is a really effective way to draw customers in. Battery-controlled lights are inexpensive and look great in a window at night. Obviously, if you are using real candles then caution is needed, for a safer alternative choose flameless LEDs instead.
A suitably spooky centrepiece which could be simply to show off your floral skills or why not for sale? After all, it’s not just children that like to dress up, adults like to join in as well!
Freaky Halloween Facts…
Between 10 – 15 million pumpkins are grown in the UK every year.
Jack o’ Lanterns are named after the phenomenon of ghostly lights which hover over peat bogs, believed to guide lost travellers to their homes.
99% of all pumpkins sold are carved to be used as Jack o’ lanterns.
Halloween is short for All Hallows Eve, the evening before All Saint’s or All Hallows Day on 1st November. It is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back over 2,000 years.
For inspiration for every season, check out our other Visual Merchandising features:
