Pinspiration: Social Media Plays Growing Role in Halloween Shopping

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With black and orange retail displays and jack-o-lanterns everywhere you turn this month, Halloween inspiration isn't hard to come by. And with the holiday's popularity growing every year, more and more Americans are taking their costume queries to Pinterest — further proof that social media continues to play a bigger role in marketing and sales.

This year, 67.4 percent of Americans celebrating Halloween will purchase costumes, according to the National Retail Federation's 2014 Halloween Consumer Spending Survey. That's the highest number in the survey's 11-year history. The research, conducted by business acceleration firm Prosper Insights & Analytics, also found that total Halloween spending this year will reach $7.4 billion. And where does the bulk of that billion-dollar inspiration come from? The Internet, of course.

Many Americans (34.2 percent) will turn to the Web for costume inspiration, but a growing number of celebrants are heading specifically to Pinterest to plan for the spooky festivities. This year, 11.4 percent of Americans will use the social network to find costume ideas, up 2.1 percent from last year. And the majority of these Pinterest users are, perhaps unsurprisingly, young adults. Twenty-one percent of 25- to 34-year-olds will use the social network to find costume ideas, and 21.2 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds will do the same.

This growth in Pinterest use also makes sense when you consider the cost of costumes. According to the survey, the average person will spend $77.52 this Halloween. It also found that 18.8 percent of participants said the state of the U.S. economy will affect their Halloween spending plans. As a result, 19.7 percent of those impacted said they'll use their creativity to make their own costumes — and Pinterest is a DIY project goldmine.

"Social media is a great tool for consumers to find inspiration for all of their Halloween activities, including finding tips for decorating their homes and yards, looking for personal and even family costume ideas, and even finding the best deals from retailers," said Proper Insight's principal analyst, Pam Goodfellow.

"As the popularity of Halloween continues to grow to unseen levels," Goodfellow added, "there is no doubt that Americans this year will find ways to get in the spirit, looking for affordable, fun ways to celebrate with their families."