Costumes, decorations and props. A short selling season, so stock, list and ship on a tight calendar.
The kit our builder picks for a typical Halloween and seasonal seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
Phone mount
A tall stand for showing clothing or sneakers head on.
Lighting
Large, soft light for clothing and full-body shots.
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Order wholesale stock by early August so it's photographed and listed before buyers start searching. Late stock arriving in mid-October misses most of the season.
Buy deep in a few popular costumes and sizes, and shallow in novelty lines. Leftover classic costumes sell again next year; this year's viral character may not.
New children's costumes need a Children's Product Certificate and tracking labels, and should meet the flammability rules for clothing. Ask your supplier for the certificate and test report, and don't stock costumes without them.
Plug-in light-up decorations should carry a UL or ETL listing mark. Any toy with a button or coin battery needs a compartment secured with a screw or a similar lock under federal rules.
Show costumes worn, or on a mannequin, plus a flat lay of every piece in the set. Give chest, waist and length measurements in inches, as costume sizing runs small.
Shoot light-up decor twice: once in daylight to show the item and once in a dark room so buyers can see the glow.
Whatnot and TikTok Shop buyers enjoy themed shows with decorations behind you and props on camera. Mystery bags of decor and candy sell well in the last two weeks.
Tell viewers the last order date for delivery before October 31 at the start of every show. It prompts late buyers and saves complaints.
Fold costumes into a clear bag, then a poly mailer. Keep masks and hats in a box so they hold their shape.
Wrap ceramic pumpkins, glass lanterns and resin skulls in bubble wrap and box them with paper fill on every side. Test light-up items before sealing the box.
Kit for this step
Switch to Priority Mail or another faster service for orders placed in the final week, and state the cutoff date in every listing. A costume that arrives on November 1 usually turns into a refund request.
Schedule a free USPS Package Pickup or drop off daily during the peak, so packages don't pile up in the spare room.
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
What most orders like these ship by, at today’s published rates. Rates checked October 7, 2026.
USPS Ground Advantage, under 1 lbUsual$6.93 to $8.95
Clothing, cards in a mailer and other small items under 1 lb. Tracked, with $100 insurance included.
USPS Ground Advantage, 1 to 2 lb$7.61 to $13.42
Shoes, jeans and boxed items up to 2 lb, tracked with $100 insurance.
UPS Ground, up to 5 lb$12.00 to $25.00
Tracked UPS Ground for boxed items up to 5 lb, for when it costs less than USPS.
Latex masks in a mailer. They crease and lose their shape.
One roll covers a couple of hundred small packages.
Light boxes for boxed toys and beauty sets.
Step-by-step help for the jobs that come next.
Halloween sells in a narrow window. Buyers start browsing in September, the rush peaks in the first three weeks of October, and demand drops on November 1.
Costumes and decor are bulky but light, so the size of the box drives your shipping cost as much as the weight. Children's costumes count as children's products, so they must meet the federal flammability rules for clothing and toy rules for any toy parts.
The same approach works for Christmas sweaters, Easter decorations and Fourth of July gear. Plan stock around the date, list early, and clear what's left at a discount when the day passes.
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
List from late August or early September. Buyers who order costumes for parties plan weeks ahead, and the last week of October brings late orders that need fast shipping.
Yes. Children's costumes are children's products under CPSC rules, so new ones need testing to the applicable standards and a Children's Product Certificate from the maker or importer. Ask your supplier for it before you buy wholesale stock.
No. In the US, decorative contact lenses are medical devices and need a valid prescription, even with no vision correction. Leave them out.
Soft foam props in bright colors are fine on most platforms. Toy guns need a blaze orange tip under federal law, realistic replicas are restricted by platforms and some states, and blades bring age checks, so leave them out.
Used adult costumes sell well on Poshmark, Mercari and Depop if they're washed and complete. Photograph every piece of the set laid out together, since missing hats and gloves are the most common complaint.
Run a clearance show or bundle sale in the first week of November, then store the rest dry and flat for next year. Decorations keep well; latex masks can perish.
