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For many army/navy retailers, Halloween offers greater sales and profit potential than the December holiday season. It helps that Halloween spending and participation in Halloween-related events in general has grown rapidly in the past decade, especially within the adult demographic.
It is the upswing in adult participation in Halloween that has notably provided army/navy retailers with sales increases that bump up in the night.
“More and more, Halloween is about adults. Not that the army/navy retailer shouldn’t also merchandise to children, but competition is fiercer,” said John Ottaviano of Rothco (Ronkonoma, New York).
For selling to both the young and the less younger, Ottaviano noted that army/navy retailers can compete with Halloween specialty retailers by offering daily utility.
“If an army/navy retailers cannot compete on price, they can offer items that can be worn year-long. BDUs, overalls, headwear and many other military-themed apparel items are relevant for Halloween use and also for everyday wear,” said Ottaviano.
WHAT’S HOT AND NOT
Ottaviano described a few costume ideas that are both culturally in demand and can be cobbled together in an army/navy store.
“Lara Croft, soldiers and police and SWAT, costumes are popular right now. The pirate look is a monster, too,” Ottaviano stated.
We’re not sure if the monster look is a monster, though. And the pirate look applies to the Pirates of The Caribbean vintage - the current generation of African coast cargo ship raiders, not so much.
As a former apparel retailer himself, Ottaviano understands seasonal merchandising and stresses the importance of offering ready-made, no-brainer Halloween costume kits that take the heavy mental lifting out of the customers’ craniums.
“Customers want easy and fast. Put together and display complete costume ensembles that include head-to-toe apparel and accessories that will not only make the outfit unique and more authentic but will also generate greater profits for the retailer,” Ottaviano advised.
Assembling complete Halloween-ready outfits also helps retailers compete against price-driven stores.
