Raphael

Halloween marks the new kickoff of the holiday shopping season for retailers. According to multiple surveys, more Americans will celebrate the holiday then ever before. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that "more costumes than ever will be flying off the shelves" this year. Seventy-six percent of consumers plan to purchase a costume for Halloween festivities, a dramatic increase from last year's 65 percent. Collectively, total sales for retailers this Halloween are estimated to be around $7.4 billion. So, what's driving this growth?