When Do Halloween Costumes, Decorations and Candy Go on Sale?

Most Halloween merchandise sees small discounts in the last week or two of October, but the real markdowns start the day after Halloween. Big-box stores commonly cut remaining costumes, decorations and candy to around 50% off on November 1, then go deeper over the following days as they clear space for Christmas. If you need something for this year, buy it once you know what you want and compare prices. If you can wait, November 1 is the best day of the year to buy for next Halloween.

The Halloween price calendar

Halloween 2026 falls on a Saturday, so November 1 is a Sunday. Here is the general pattern most retailers follow, though timing varies by store and by how much stock is left:

• August to mid-September: New Halloween products arrive at full price. This is when selection is best, especially for popular costumes and large yard decorations.
• Late September to mid-October: Occasional promotions, coupons and "buy one, get one" offers on decor and costumes. Candy starts showing up in multi-packs.
• Last week of October: Some stores begin modest markdowns on decor and costumes. Couponing sites have reported Target starting Halloween clearance at around 30% off about a week before October 31 in past years.
• November 1: Clearance commonly jumps to around 50% off at big-box stores.
• November 2 to mid-November: Leftovers often move to 70% off and, at some stores, as high as 90% off for whatever remains. Selection gets thin fast.

Retailers don't publish these schedules, so treat them as patterns, not promises. The markdown steps and timing can also differ between stores in the same chain.

Costumes: when to buy

Costumes are the trickiest category, because you usually need one before the deep discounts arrive.

If you're buying for this year, the best time is early, not late. Popular kids' sizes and trending character costumes sell out, and late-October "sales" on costumes are often modest. Shopping in September or early October gives you the most choice and time to compare the same costume across stores. Many licensed costumes are sold by several retailers under the same product name, so it's worth checking whether one store is consistently cheaper.

If you're buying for next year, or for dress-up bins, school plays or themed parties, November 1 clearance is excellent. Kids will have grown, so buy a size or two up. Adult costumes and accessories like wigs, makeup kits and props are safer bets for next-year buying since sizing changes less.

Decorations: buy next year's decor now

Decorations are where post-Halloween clearance shines. Inflatables, lights, animatronics, tableware and indoor decor don't expire, and stores have strong reasons to clear them quickly. Christmas inventory is already waiting in the back.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Large items go first. Big animatronics and oversized inflatables are often the most heavily promoted in September and the first to sell out at clearance. If you want a specific showpiece, waiting is a gamble.
• Check function before you buy. Clearance items get handled a lot. Test lights and motors in the store if you can, and check whether clearance purchases can be returned under the store's current policy.
• Storage costs are real. A 12-foot skeleton at 70% off is only a deal if you have somewhere to keep it for 11 months.
• Compare against the September price, not the tag. A decoration that was marked up for the season and then "discounted" in mid-October may have been cheaper at launch than it looks.

Craft and hobby chains run their own seasonal schedules and frequently promote Halloween decor at large percentages off well before October 31. Those deals can be real, but these stores are known for running percentage-off promotions so often that the full price is rarely what anyone pays. That is exactly the situation where the price history matters more than the discount badge. Our guide to price history tracking explains how to spot it.

Candy: the unit price matters more than the sale

Halloween candy is sold in a confusing mix of bag sizes, variety packs and "fun size," "snack size" and "mini" formats. A bag that looks cheaper might simply contain fewer ounces. Two bags at the same shelf price can have very different costs per ounce, and manufacturers do change package sizes over time without big announcements.

The fix is simple: compare the unit price. Most US grocery and big-box shelf tags show a price per ounce or per count in smaller print. Use the per-ounce number to compare bags of the same candy, and the per-piece number if you're handing out one piece per trick-or-treater. Our guide on shrinkflation and unit prices goes deeper on reading those tags.

When to buy candy depends on what you need it for:

• For trick-or-treaters: Buy in the two weeks before Halloween, when stores compete on candy and run multi-buy offers. Waiting until the last day risks empty shelves, though some stores do discount candy in the final days.
• For yourself, baking or stocking up: November 1 is often the cheapest day of the year for Halloween-packaged candy, which is commonly around 50% off. Check the best-by date, since candy is the one Halloween category that does expire.
• Warehouse clubs: Bulk bags can be a good value per ounce, but not always. Compare the unit price rather than assuming bigger is cheaper.

Are pre-Halloween deals real?

Some are, many aren't. Here's how the common October promotions tend to break down.

Percentage-off sales on decor at specialty stores are often real against the list price but not special against the item's typical selling price. If a store runs 40% off Halloween decor most weekends in October, the "sale" price is the real price.

Buy-one-get-one and multi-buy candy deals can be good, but only if you'd use the extra quantity. Run the unit price on the multi-buy before assuming it beats a single larger bag.

Costume "doorbuster" pricing is usually on a limited set of basic costumes. The popular licensed characters are often excluded.

Last-weekend markdowns on decor are usually modest. If you can wait 48 hours, November 1 will typically be cheaper.

The fastest way to sort them is to look at where the price sits against the item's own recent range. Priced does that from a barcode scan or a search: it shows the street price across sellers, the unit price, and whether today's price is low, normal or high compared with recent weeks. That works well for candy and branded decor, where the same item is sold at several stores.

A simple Halloween buying plan

If you want to spend less without missing out:

1. Buy costumes for this year early, in September or early October, after comparing prices across stores.
2. Buy trick-or-treat candy in the last two weeks of October, comparing per-ounce prices.
3. Skip most decor purchases in late October unless you need a specific item now.
4. Shop clearance on November 1 for next year's decorations, costumes in bigger sizes and discounted candy for later.
5. Check back a few days later for deeper markdowns on what's left, accepting that selection will be limited.

Common questions

When does Halloween clearance start?

Many big-box stores take small markdowns in the last week of October and then move remaining Halloween items to around 50% off on November 1. Deeper cuts, sometimes 70% off or more, often follow in the first week of November. Exact timing varies by store and location.

Is Halloween candy cheaper after Halloween?

Usually, yes. Halloween-packaged candy is commonly discounted around 50% starting November 1. The trade-off is selection, and you should check best-by dates. Compare the price per ounce rather than the bag price.

Should I buy Halloween decorations in October or November?

If you need them this year, buy when you find what you want at a fair price, since popular items sell out. If you're decorating next year, November clearance is typically far cheaper than any October promotion.

Do stores restock Halloween items after clearance starts?

Generally no. Once clearance begins, stores are trying to empty the seasonal section for Christmas, so what's on the shelf is usually all there is. If you see something you want on November 1, buy it rather than waiting for a deeper markdown.