Nearly Half of Shoppers Now Use AI to Plan Their Halloween Costumes, NRF Survey Finds
Nearly half of US consumers, 47%, are using AI platforms or tools to support their Halloween shopping this year, according to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics among 7,889 consumers. The top uses are brainstorming costume ideas while planning, cited by 34% of respondents, and asking for recommendations during product research, cited by 32%. Meanwhile, traditional online searches, long the top source of costume inspiration, fell to 32% this year, down from 37% in 2025 and the lowest share in a decade.
The shift comes as overall Halloween spending is projected to hit a record $13.5 billion this year, up 3.82% from 2025, with shoppers spending an average of $115.14 per person. Despite rising costs, 71% of consumers still plan to buy a costume, accounting for $4.4 billion in spending, while many shoppers say they're looking for ways to reuse items or find deals to stretch their budgets further this season.
The case for:
AI tools cut down on the time and decision fatigue of planning a costume from scratch, which matters more as shoppers increasingly start their Halloween planning in September to beat rising prices.
Using AI for brainstorming still leaves the final creative choices, shopping and execution to the person, making it just one more research tool alongside online searches and social media.
The case against:
Critics argue leaning on AI for costume ideas outsources the creative, personal part of the holiday that many people say is the actual fun of Halloween.
The drop in organic inspiration sources like online searches, now at their lowest share in a decade, suggests a holiday tradition is becoming more automated and less personal.
What's your take?
Is using AI to plan your Halloween costume a good thing? Yes 
No 
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Sources:
#Halloween #AI #ConsumerTrends #Shopping
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