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This industry has always welcomed October with open cash registers - cold weather sales begin to ramp up, students hit the stores for additional scholastic and apparel necessities - but most of all, the month ends with the best holiday of the year for the army/navy retailer; Halloween.

As we get all pumped for pumpkin season, let's get a fix on what customers are looking for in costumery and sleight-of-face. After all, the army/navy store is still a great source for Halloween revelers looking for that temporary identity crisis.

According to the NRF, the ten most popular adult get-ups this Halloween will be; Witch, Pirate (not a Pittsburgh Pirate, however), Vampire, Cat, Princess, Fairy, Wench/Tart (not quite sure how they're differentiated), Clown, Angel and Nurse. Dressing up pets is, for better or worse, becoming the latest Halloween trend. Top five pet costumes are Devil, Pumpkin, Witch, Princess and Angel.

Switching back to bipeds, kids will seek to be outfitted as (in top ten order) a Princess, Spiderman, a Pirate, a Witch, Fairy, Disney princess, Star Wars character, Pumpkin, Ghost and Power Ranger.

The army/navy store can have a role in creating many of these alter egos. And of course the military look, complete from head to toe with a world of accessories and the appropriate face paint is the specialty of the house.

Pre-planning, promotional efforts, suggestive selling via store displays and signage, and a vivid imagination will be the keys to Halloween sales success.