Business1 min read

The rise of the 15-foot skeleton—how a viral novelty became a Halloween staple

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The marketplace momentum began after Home Depot launched a 12-foot figure that consistently sold out and triggered high secondary-market prices. In response, competing retailers like Lowe's and Sam's Club introduced their own towering animatronics, undead creatures, and app-controlled statues to capture early shoppers. Total domestic Halloween spending is anticipated to reach a record $13.5 billion, with outlays dedicated exclusively to decorations climbing to $4.3 billion. Furthermore, shifting consumer habits mean that nearly half of all customers now purchase seasonal merchandise by September or earlier.

Key points

  • Giant outdoor decorations have transitioned from an internet novelty into a major commerc…: Giant outdoor decorations have transitioned from an internet novelty into a major commercial retail category.
  • Retailers are adjusting operational timelines because roughly half of shoppers now buy ho…: Retailers are adjusting operational timelines because roughly half of shoppers now buy holiday items by September.
  • Sustained high consumer demand has prompted companies to quadruple manufacturing and inco…: Sustained high consumer demand has prompted companies to quadruple manufacturing and incorporate advanced technical features into seasonal merchandise.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

If it feels like there are a lot more giant skeletons around these days, you're not imagining it.

What began as a viral novelty just six years ago has become a Halloween staple, and a growing line of business, as big-box retailers have responded to demand with an expanding array of towering monsters each fall.

"In 2020, Skelly's debut really was … the genesis of these fully molded structures that people could put in their yards," said Tyler Pelfrey, a manager of brand communications at Home Depot.

What followed was a retail arms race of increasingly elaborate creatures — undead horses, zombie velociraptors — with shoppers hauling home 85-pound boxes of oversized bones that might not fit in the trunks of their cars.

The decorations aren't the only thing expanding. As shoppers spend more on Halloween, retailers are giving the holiday more room, with seasonal displays arriving earlier and occupying larger sections of stores.

Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, up from $8.8 billion in 2019, according to the National Retail Federation. Spending…

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