The spooky season is upon us. Homes are lit with jack-o-lanterns and kids are excitedly preparing for trick-or-treat. Yes, it’s Halloween.
Whether you’re a fan or not, the Halloween spirit is hard to resist. According to Investopedia, about 70% of consumers participate in Halloween celebrations. It also happens to be one of the highest-spending events of the year.
In 2023, about $4.1 billion was spent on costumes alone. How can you get in on the action? Creating an online store is the fastest way to earn your piece of the Halloween pie.
Need further motivation? Retail Dive says U.S. eCommerce sales are forecast to reach $1.2 trillion by the end of the year. What are you waiting for?
Below, we’ll discuss ways to launch your Halloween costume eCommerce store just in time for All Hallows’ Eve.
Build Your Online Store
Running an online store requires careful planning and a strategic approach to presenting your business.
Think about design aesthetics, usability and functionality. What brand message do you want to convey? These are key factors to consider when building your professional website.
An AI website builder can help you achieve your goals by spending little to no money. Free website hosting and access to a support team are some of the features on offer. You can customize every feature and function. AI tools enable website creation, from portfolios to blogs.
For instance, an AI logo generator can design a logo specific to your business and increase your brand visibility. Website visuals are integrated with an AI image completion tool.
Hocoos suggests utilizing the AI website content generator to cut out the middleman. The tool kicks out text recommendations and product descriptions.
Social Media
Don’t ever discount the power of social media. Your brand strategy must be built on this business model. Approximately 5 billion people worldwide use social media. Despite what Gen-Z believes, Facebook leads in the popularity stakes. It boasts 2.9 billion monthly active users.
Social media marketing creates leads and increases brand awareness, notes Sprout Social. You must know your target audience before penning a post or creating content.
Halloween is a fun holiday targeted at kids and their parents. Keep this in mind when it comes to brand tone and voice. TikTok and Instagram are visually stimulating platforms. They are perfect for Halloween-themed posts and videos.
Metricool has some fun ad campaign ideas. Leverage TikTok by sharing costume ideas featured in your online store. Gift your followers with a discount code they can use at checkout.
Choose Your Products
Social media provides a wealth of information in terms of Halloween costume trends. Jump on the trends wagon and feature products based on what the “cool kids” are into.
Variety notes pop culture will always be in fashion. We’ll be seeing a whole lot of Chappell Roan clones this year. The breakout pop star is a favorite among tweens. One of her most memorable stage outfits was the Statue of Liberty at Gov Ball.
Fans are lapping up viral pygmy hippo Moo Den. The four-legged star became an instant online success when clips of her circulated on social media.
Born at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, the newborn attracts visitors from all over Thailand. Our take is that hippo onesies will be selling like hotcakes in the lead-up to Halloween. That’s your cue to stock up on hippo-inspired everything.
Engage Your Customers
Customer engagement is the pinnacle of every thriving business. It doesn’t mean you should ignore them because you run an e-commerce store.
There are several avenues to ensure you provide proper customer service and take their complaints on board. A satisfied customer means better engagement and customer retention. If you’re not listening to their concerns, they won’t feel valued and will spend their dollars elsewhere.
Use your social media platforms as communications channels. Engagement-driven campaigns encourage interaction and create a sense of community. If you are able, respond to every customer individually.
Loyalty incentives are your customer’s best friend. Loyalty programs drive sales and your customer base. Rewarding buyers for supporting your small business will keep them coming back.
Parting Words
Launching your online store requires hard work and a leap of faith, but Halloween is the ideal time to test the waters.
Create an online store that stands out in the crowd. Make it as unique as you can. Leverage social media for increased brand awareness. Feature products based on viral moments and trending topics.
Always engage your customers. If they’re happy, so are you.
