Online shopping for Halloween is expected to grow in Canada for 2015, if last year’s statistical trends are anything to go by. We spent more than 380 million dollars on candy alone, according to Statistics Canada. You still have time to lure people to your website as consumers become nervous about US shipments arriving too late. The low Canadian dollar and Halloween landing on a Saturday this year will increase your chances of doing well even more.
Canadian Halloween Data for Retailers
“Halloween has quickly become one of the largest shopping seasons of the year, with individuals spending upwards of $60 just on their costumes,” says Jeffrey Schwartz, Executive Director of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada.
- If your target market is Canadian kids, note that 3,783,717 of them were in their trick-or-treating years (5-14) in 2014, according to Statistics Canada.
- RetailMeNot reported that almost 70% of Canadians planned to celebrate Halloween. 32% of adults intend to attend parties.
- An Angus Reid poll from last October revealed Canadians aged 18-34 spend the most, averaging $25 on Halloween costumes and $75 total. Half of Canadians buy a costume, but the majority of British Columbians prefer to make their own. Almost half of those surveyed spend more just to have the best Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters.
Last Minute Halloween Marketing Ideas
- Bloggers can get your message out fast with all kinds of creative marketing, including contests & giveaways, reviews and guest posts. Check out our list of PR3+ Canadian Blogs to get started.
- Start an Affiliate program through a network like Share-A-Sale and gain access to thousands of websites. You’ll have visitors who are ready to buy landing on your website through links all over the Internet, and that will only grow as we speed towards the holidays. Additionally, if you don’t carry Halloween-specific products, you can promote a non-competing affiliate that does and create a new revenue stream.
- Get your products into online marketplaces.
- Use your blog to bring in shoppers with suggestion lists and fun Halloween content.
- Create special Halloween landing pages to use in campaigns.
- Have a Halloween contest or giveaway featuring your products, or try a “win your purchase” angle to help convince shoppers to buy from you.
- Use social media to share your blog content, hold or promote contests, alert shoppers to truly fantastic deals/coupons, and provide customer support. Keep in mind that many Canadians are searching visual social media (such as Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube) for costume, decoration and treat ideas. For example, Value Village’s 2014 Halloween statistics for Canada show almost 60% of those who dress up for Halloween look to social media for costume ideas!
- Banner advertising on popular Canadian websites can increase exposure, especially if the banner has a theme that catches the eye of Canadian shoppers. We have some free blank Halloween banners to help you in that department.
- If you have a high enough profit margin to afford Canada Post’s insane prices, offer free shipping from now until Halloween (or take it on through the Holidays). You can also offer ExpressPost shipping for the price of Expedited to make it more affordable.
- If you’d like to get started selling online with no inventory, check out Drop Shipping / Wholesale for Canadian Sellers.
Will you be after some spooky profits this year? Please share your plans or questions in the comments below.
✔ You may also be interested in reading:
How to Use Content Marketing to Skyrocket Holiday Sales
Canadian Retailers: Low Loonie Can Lure American Online Shoppers
Top Keyword Research and Competitive Intelligence Tools
10 Hot Product Niches to Sell or Drop Ship Online in Canada
——————————————
© CanadiansInternet.com – Content on this website may not be used elsewhere without expressed permission. You are welcome to link to this post for reference, discussion, etc. Content theft will result in legal action. Thank you for respecting the effort that we have put into our original content. If you would like to have quality content created for you, please contact our writer directly.
DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website.
COMMENTS ARE MODERATED – Legitimate comments will be published after a short delay. Spam will not be published.
Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business/marketing education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.
Melody has worked with many businesses in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.
We have almost 200 kids come to our door every year in Toronto!!! Just last year I was saying there has to be money in that somewhere lol. Happy hallowe’en!!!
I write for websites and the halloween pieces always do spectacular. Content is KING!
WOW!! Awesome ideas & resources and I LOVE that it’s for Canadians!! My husband and I are just starting with ebay and amazon but we have BIG dreams!!
Halloween is the real start to the holidays in Can. By the time US Thanksgiving rolls around most shopping is well underway. Great suggestions I must say.