Witch way to the costume aisle? Some shoppers are asking AI.

Answer:

47%. Top uses included brainstorming ideas while planning and asking for recommendations during product research.

Questions:

• How would you decide whether to trust a product recommendation from an AI tool before buying it?
• How might using AI to brainstorm Halloween ideas change how much someone ends up spending?
• Which parts of a shopping decision would you hand off to AI, and which would you keep for yourself?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the Numbers: (National Retail Federation)

NRF's annual Halloween survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, polled 7,889 consumers from Sept. 1 to 9, 2026. It found that "nearly half (47%) of consumers are using AI platforms and tools" for their Halloween shopping this year, most often to brainstorm ideas while planning (34%) or to get recommendations during product research (32%). Online searches are still the top source of costume ideas at 32%, but that share fell from 37% last year to its lowest level in a decade."

About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.

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