The Green Sheet Online Edition
September 22, 2025 • 25:09:02
Helping merchants prosper during the Halloween rush
For many merchants, Halloween is no longer a one-day affair. It's a season. From pop-up costume shops to bakeries offering pumpkin-themed treats, opportunities abound, but so do challenges. As ISOs, merchant level salespeople, you're uniquely positioned to help merchants capture more business in the weeks leading up to October 31.
Challenges merchants face
Seasonal surges bring both promise and pressure. Merchants must juggle unpredictable inventory demand. Popular costumes or décor, for example, can sell out fast, while other items sit untouched. Staffing often becomes a scramble, with part-timers filling in during busy weekends.
Fraud risk rises, too, particularly with online orders for costumes, decorations and electronics. And with heightened foot traffic, merchants can't afford downtime at the POS. System glitches or long checkout lines could cost them sales.
Ways payments professionals can help
First, emphasize speed and reliability at checkout. Help merchants optimize contactless payments and mobile wallets so customers can breeze through lines. Quick, secure transactions are critical when stores are packed with families hunting for last-minute costumes.
Second, provide fraud prevention tools. Simple alerts, card-not-present verification and chargeback mitigation services can give merchants confidence when they see an uptick in online or seasonal sales.
Third, encourage gift card promotions. Halloween-themed gift cards or reloadable cards for candy and décor can boost average ticket size and bring customers back in November.
Fourth, highlight seasonal loyalty campaigns. Even a short-term program, double rewards points on Halloween items or discounts for return visits within two weeks, for instance, can drive repeat traffic during this compressed season.
Finally, remind merchants of the value of real-time reporting and analytics. With better insight into which products are moving fastest, merchants can adjust inventory or promotions on the fly rather than missing out on peak demand.
By equipping merchants with nimble, near-term tools, you help them not just survive but thrive in this busy season. Halloween is about imagination and surprise, two qualities merchants need right now. When you step in with timely support, you become a true partner in helping merchants turn seasonal spikes into lasting success.
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