Black Friday gets most of the attention, but the weeks leading up to it can reveal when Google Shopping demand is starting to change.
For retailers, the challenge is recognising that shift early enough to respond. A quiet weekend does not always mean demand is falling, and stronger performance in one category does not mean every product needs more budget.
To understand what retailers should watch in 2026, we analysed Google Shopping performance across hundreds of UK retailers managed by Shoptimised during October and November 2025, alongside Google's EMEA Halloween insights.
The findings show that Halloween is not just about costumes, decorations or seasonal promotions. Across the retailers analysed, Halloween week delivered 7% more revenue than early October, while the week after generated 19% more revenue.
For retailers preparing for the rest of Q4, the timing of that change matters just as much as the results themselves.
Across the hundreds of retailers analysed, Halloween week (25 to 31 October 2025) generated 7% more revenue on 4% more advertising spend compared with the three weeks before it.
The daily data shows how quickly performance changed. Sunday 26 October was particularly quiet, with ROAS 21% below a typical October Sunday. However, performance recovered the following day, and Monday to Thursday delivered ROAS approximately 10% above normal October weekdays.
Halloween day itself also brought stronger returns. Despite slightly fewer clicks than the previous three Fridays, revenue increased by 12%, conversion rate improved by 15%, and ROAS was 10% higher.
The improvement continued into November. From 1 to 7 November, revenue was 19% above early October, with ROAS 7% higher.
For retailers, this highlights why Halloween should be viewed as part of the wider Q4 trading period rather than an isolated event. A quiet day does not necessarily signal falling demand, and the days following Halloween can be just as important when planning budgets.
All retailers, 1 Oct to 14 Nov 2025. 100 = the daily average for 4 to 24 October.
The timing of advertising spend was another interesting finding.
We compared retailers who increased spend by at least 15% during Halloween week with those who kept their budgets broadly flat.
Among retailers increasing spend, median revenue grew by 33%, compared with approximately 2% for those maintaining similar spending levels.
That additional growth came with a relatively small change in ROAS. Retailers increasing spend saw median ROAS decline by around 3%, while those keeping spend flat recorded an improvement of approximately 3%.
These figures do not prove that increasing budgets caused the additional revenue. Retailers experiencing stronger demand may also have been more willing to invest.
What they do show is why budget flexibility matters during seasonal trading. When demand begins to strengthen, retailers need to understand which products and campaigns are performing well enough to justify additional investment.
Retailers who raised spend 15%+ (181) vs retailers who kept spend within ±5% (106).
Budget planning also needs to account for rising advertising costs.
Across hundreds of retailers active in both October 2024 and October 2025, the median increase in October cost per click was 17.5%.
That does not mean CPCs will increase by the same amount in 2026, but it reinforces the need to review budgets, targets and product-level profitability before the busiest trading periods.
Increasing spend can help retailers respond to demand, but only when it is directed towards products and campaigns that support the wider commercial objective.
Google's EMEA Halloween research adds further context to what is happening around this period.
Its 2025 guidance highlighted two different shopping behaviours. Some consumers begin researching costumes, decorations and party ideas well before October, while others wait until the final days to compare deals and make purchases.
This creates different opportunities throughout the season, from early product discovery to last-minute searches where availability and delivery times become increasingly important.
Google's UK category data also showed how quickly seasonal interest can build. Between September and October 2025, clicks relating to Halloween and 31 October were 629% higher than during July and August. Clicks for Holiday & Seasonal Decorations were 292% higher over the same comparison period.
These are seasonal changes in clicks rather than year-on-year growth, but they show why retailers need to prepare before the final week of October.
Halloween demand is also spreading beyond traditional costumes and sweets. Google's guidance highlighted opportunities across adult costumes, make-up, themed clothing, home and garden decorations, party supplies and pet accessories.
Shoptimised's data showed differences between retail sectors too.
Clothing & Accessories generated 15% more revenue during Halloween week and 28% more in the following week. Health & Beauty saw ROAS improve by around 9% during Halloween week, despite advertising spend falling by approximately 10%.
Furniture followed a different pattern, with Halloween day revenue declining before recovering strongly in early November.
| Sector | Halloween week spend |
Halloween week revenue |
Halloween week ROAS |
Halloween day revenue |
Week after revenue |
Week after ROAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Retailers (595) | +4.3% | +6.7% | +2.4% | +11.7% | +19.1% | +6.6% |
| Clothing & Accessories (148) | +12.4% | +15.2% | +2.6% | +15.8% | +28.1% | +7.2% |
| Toys & Games (9) | +20.5% | +29.0% | +7.1% | +46.3% | +38.7% | +12.1% |
| Electronics (16) | +14.6% | +20.9% | +5.5% | +38.6% | +58.5% | +29.3% |
| Health & Beauty (25) | −10.4% | −2.1% | +9.2% | +5.0% | +20.0% | +17.7% |
| Sporting Goods (86) | +4.1% | +6.1% | +1.9% | +22.8% | +12.9% | −0.3% |
| Home & Garden (115) | +6.7% | +6.2% | −0.4% | +10.9% | +10.9% | −0.4% |
| Hardware (31) | −9.8% | −6.8% | +3.4% | −13.0% | +11.9% | +10.5% |
| Furniture (21) | +3.8% | −1.3% | −5.0% | −26.2% | +33.4% | +1.4% |
Some individual sector samples were small, so those results should be treated as indicative. However, the differences reinforce an important point: Halloween does not create the same opportunity for every retailer.
For some businesses, it is a direct seasonal sales opportunity. For others, it is an early indication that wider Q4 demand is beginning to strengthen.
That makes product-level performance particularly important. Rather than assuming an entire category needs more investment, retailers should understand which products are gaining visibility, attracting relevant traffic and contributing to revenue.
With Halloween approaching, there are several practical areas retailers should review across their Google Shopping activity.
The aim is not to build an entirely separate Halloween strategy for every retailer. It is to use the data available to make better decisions about product visibility, budget allocation and seasonal demand.
Halloween may not be the biggest retail event in Q4, but the Google Shopping data shows why it deserves attention.
Across the retailers analysed, performance improved around Halloween week and continued strengthening into early November. Retailers who increased spend during that period also saw stronger median revenue growth, although the results varied by category.
For retailers preparing for the final weeks of 2026, the priority is understanding where demand is developing and making sure product data, campaigns and budgets are ready to respond.
Halloween is one part of a much bigger Q4 picture. The value is in recognising how performance is changing before the busiest trading weeks arrive.
If you'd like to understand where your catalogue could be missing opportunities in Google Shopping, speak to the Shoptimised team.
Shoptimised analysed daily Google Shopping performance across 595 UK retailers during October and November 2025. Early October refers to 4–24 October, Halloween week to 25–31 October, and Halloween day is compared with the three preceding Fridays.
Sector results use aggregated performance, while the spending comparison uses median changes per retailer. Year-on-year CPC figures are based on 554 retailers active in October 2024 and October 2025. Smaller sector samples should be treated as indicative.
Google's EMEA Halloween Micro-Peak insights provide additional context on seasonal shopping behaviour and UK category click trends.
