Fifty-Three Percent of Shoppers Will Spend $50 or Less on a Halloween Costume in 2011, According to PriceGrabber® Survey

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The season of jack-o'-lanterns and ghosts is almost upon us, and savvy consumers are gearing up to make the most out of Halloween 2011. PriceGrabber®, a part of Experian, just released the results of its Halloween shopping survey, revealing that 53 percent of consumers will spend $50 or less on a costume this year. Twenty percent indicated that they will spend $50 or more, and 17 percent said they will not spend anything on a costume. Conducted from Aug. 30 to Sept. 7, 2011, the survey includes responses from 2,030 U.S. online consumers who indicated that they celebrate Halloween.

PriceGrabber has also launched its Halloween Shopping Guide, including everything consumers need to have a goulish good time on any budget. Visit www.pricegrabber.com/halloween to browse, compare, and purchase costumes for kids, adults, and pets, as well as crafts, accessories, decorations, candy, and more.

Latest costumes and decorations are still a must for consumers

Despite an increasingly tumultuous economic climate, consumers' fervor for a show-stopping Halloween has not waned. PriceGrabber's survey found that 48 percent of respondents with children will purchase their child a brand-new costume this year. Twenty-four percent said they planned to make a costume, and 11 percent plan to borrow or recycle an outfit. Even pets will partake in the festivities this year, as 18 percent plan to dress up their furry friends.

Of the overwhelming 72 percent of respondents who said they planned to decorate their homes this year, 70 percent will purchase their festive decor, compared with 30 percent who will make it themselves. However, they plan to stay on budget, with 73 percent indicating that they will spend $50 or less and only 27 percent planning to spend $50 or more.

Consumers will buy Halloween items both in brick-and-mortar stores and online

When asked whether they plan to shop in stores or online for Halloween costumes and/or decorations, 55 percent of consumers indicated that they will shop at a combination of brick-and-mortar and online retailers. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they will only shop in stores, and 11 percent plan to shop online.

"According to our survey data, consumers still want what's hot for Halloween and are willing to employ some sensible strategies to get the best deal out there," stated Graham Jones, general manager of PriceGrabber. "Shopping both online and in brick-and-mortar stores increases consumers' chances of finding what they want for the best price. For example, shoppers can take advantage of PriceGrabber's mobile shopping app to find the lowest prices on a costume nearby, or they might try on a costume at the local mall and comparison-shop online later to find a deal."

Entertainment- and pop culture–related costumes are likely to fly off shelves this year

Gone are the days of traditional witches, ghosts and monsters. According to PriceGrabber internal Web analytics based on keyword searches from Sept. 7–12, 2011, Halloween shoppers are once again smitten with Lady Gaga™, Snooki™ and Disney™. The top costume themes so far this year fall into the category of movies, television and entertainment and include clothing and accessories related to Lady Gaga™, Jersey Shore™, Harry Potter™, Star Wars™, Tangled™, Toy Story™, Mickey and Minnie Mouse™, Pirates of the Caribbean™, Captain America™, Batman™, Hannah Montana™ and the Smurfs™, among others.

"Consistent with the findings of our internal analytics research from the PriceGrabber Website, our survey data found that 14 percent of consumers already plan to dress their child in a celebrity or movie-themed costume, 13 percent will purchase a superhero costume, and another 13 percent will buy a princess costume," said Jones. "Only 11 percent of shoppers indicated that they will dress their child as something scary. In our 24-7 pop culture–focused society, it comes as no surprise that consumers are aligning their costumes with what they see at the movies and on TV."

To find this year's hottest Halloween essentials including costumes, crafts, decorations and more at the best prices, visit PriceGrabber's 2011 Halloween Shopping Guide at http://www.pricegrabber.com/halloween.

About PriceGrabber.com

PriceGrabber, a part of Experian, is a leading online shopping site with more than 23 million unique shoppers monthly. At PriceGrabber, savvy shoppers can instantly find and compare millions of unique products and services across 25 categories with more than 11,000 merchants. Compare products side by side to find the right retailers at the best prices within popular categories, such as Digital Cameras, Electronics, Computers, Clothing, Books, TVs and more. PriceGrabber provides shoppers with the right product from the right merchant at the best price anytime, anywhere. Visit us at http://www.pricegrabber.com.

About Experian

Experian® is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 80 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2011 was US$4.2 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 41 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners

SOURCE PriceGrabber