American consumers' enthusiasm for Halloween remains undiminished this year.

The latest survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) projects that U.S. Halloween spending will reach $13.5 billion in 2026, surpassing the record $13.1 billion set in 2025; 74% of consumers plan to celebrate, with an estimated average spend of $115.14 per person. Of particular note to sellers is that approximately half of consumers (49%) have already begun purchasing Halloween merchandise in September or earlier.

For cross-border sellers, this means Halloween is no longer merely a one-day event centered on October 31st; it is evolving into a seasonal sales opportunity that kicks off well in advance.

So, what should sellers do to capitalize on this demand?

With Halloween shopping starting early, sellers must also shift into peak-season mode early

The fact that 49% of consumers start shopping in September or earlier is a trend that has remained consistently high over the past decade. The NRF notes that consumers are planning for Halloween sooner, effectively transforming the holiday into a prolonged shopping season.

For cross-border sellers, the immediate takeaway is clear: do not wait until October to launch your Halloween strategy. If your products have strong holiday appeal, you should already be monitoring search trends, advertising performance, and consumer feedback, adjusting your product selection and inventory levels based on early data.

Based on this year's spending plans, candy, decorations, and costumes remain the primary product categories. Projected spending stands at approximately $4.4 billion for costumes, $4.3 billion for decorations, and $4.1 billion for candy.

Beyond traditional costumes, sellers can find opportunities by focusing on specific holiday use-cases—such as party supplies, home décor, pet costumes, and various Halloween-themed accessories. Rather than waiting for a sudden surge in demand, it is better to position your products early so they are part of the consumer's decision-making process.

Consumers are willing to spend, but they prioritize value

The projected average Halloween spend of $115.14 per person is essentially on par with the $114.45 recorded in 2025. This indicates that while consumers remain willing to spend on Halloween, price sensitivity cannot be ignored. An NRF survey reveals that when faced with higher-than-expected prices, 31% of consumers compare prices, 26% look for coupons or promotions, and 34% prefer purchasing items that can be reused or utilized in other contexts.

Therefore, when crafting Halloween marketing strategies, sellers should go beyond simply emphasizing the "festive atmosphere" and address a key question for consumers: "Why should I buy your product?"

Product selling points, page presentation, pricing offers, and usage scenarios can all serve as entry points to boost conversions. This is especially true for independent online store sellers; a consumer's final decision to place an order often hinges not just on the product itself, but on the entire shopping experience—from browsing and purchasing to delivery and potential returns.

As peak season orders roll in, sellers must also plan ahead for how to handle returns.

Halloween is a quintessential seasonal shopping event. While a surge in orders during the peak season is certainly welcome for sellers of apparel, footwear, accessories, and decorations, a lack of advance planning for returns can lead to new challenges:

Cross-border return shipping is costly, and items may sit idle for extended periods, delaying inspection; damaged packaging or labels on some items can hinder resale; and by the time the seller processes the return, the Halloween sales window may have already closed.

Thus, peak season preparation shouldn't focus solely on sales; it must also account for the post-return process.

Cross-border sellers targeting the U.S. market can establish local return processing capabilities in advance. For instance, they can utilize U.S.-based return warehouses to receive consumer returns and perform tasks such as quality inspections, photo reporting, repairs and refurbishment, repackaging, and re-labeling. Eligible items can even be resold, thereby minimizing the loss of value associated with returned goods.

U-Speed’s US return warehouses offer precisely these types of return processing services. For sellers with large inventories of seasonal goods, establishing a streamlined return process beforehand helps prevent a massive backlog of returns from piling up after the peak season ends.

Seize the $13.5 billion consumer opportunity: Preparation must come before sales.

U.S. Halloween spending is projected to hit a new record in 2026, demonstrating that the holiday continues to drive steady consumer demand. For cross-border sellers, however, the real focus shouldn't just be on the total market size for the year; it should be on the fact that consumers are shopping earlier and paying closer attention to price and product value.

Therefore, you can take proactive steps ahead of this year's Halloween peak season: plan your product selection, test marketing strategies, organize inventory, and prepare for returns.

Sellers targeting the U.S. market, in particular, should review their returns process now. If order volumes surge, who will handle the incoming returns? Who will inspect them? Can they be resold?

Thinking these issues through in advance allows you to focus fully on driving sales when the peak season actually arrives.

With $13.5 billion in Halloween spending on the horizon, sellers should aim to capture not just the orders themselves, but the entire business ecosystem behind them.