Spooky season officially begins next week, so we've tapped into our spectral senses and compiled 5 chilling suggestions to help you visually merchandise your shop this coming Halloween.

1. Ghost Sculptures

York BID to stage Ghosts in the Gardens this autumn | York Press


This might sound a little too obvious, but if you look at the ghosts that have returned to York City Centre this year, you can really appreciate how otherworldly and enchanting the effect is that these mesh sculptures have on an environment, whether they are blending into a garden or wavering on the fringe of the real world that could be somewhere inside or outside of your shop. If you shroud the community around you in a veil of intrigue, then you are sure to stir up some soft tension and curiosity this Halloween as you'll have an added incentive for people to want to visit your shop.

2. Lighting

Lighting sets the tone and creates a mood which enables your customers to feel like they are going on a journey when they are browsing through your shop. Think about how fancy restaurants use ambience as a device, and then look at how this can potentially help your retail business when considering the customer journey from the moment that they enter your shop, until the moment that they leave.

empty street with red and white houses during daytime

A combination of organic and man-made light is the best way to go about lighting your shop for those doing Halloween on a slightly more restricted budget. Turn normal lightbulbs into coloured lightbulbs, or use dimmer lighting to cast shadows. Look on websites like Pinterest for recommendations, or use the explore features on your social media channels to search for more outside-the-box ideas.

3. Renewable Props

Why not turn ordinary candles into extraordinary floating candles, or gather and pile together some old tea-stained books, possibly even turn unsuspecting objects into incriminating murder weapons that can be left around your shop like a Hansel and Gretel trail? Have fun as you weave a mysterious, insidious narrative that lingers around your shop aisles. And remember, props don't have to be bought especially just for decorative purposes. They can be everyday household items - you might just have to start looking at things through a spookier lens! On a side note it's good for helping out the planet, too.

4. Think of a Sub-theme

Yes, it's Halloween. But your unique take on that could be so much more! A creepy carnival? A sinister apothecary? A neglected gas station? You can find lots of Halloween-themed sub-categories that will make sense for the kind of shop that you are. If you specialise in certain types of products then you can base your theme from that. All it really takes is a short stretch of the imagination!

5. Technology

black crt tv on brown wooden table

There's nothing more eerie than a grainy TV blaring static, or speakers playing scratchy classical music that has a habit of cutting in and out of earshot. You can use technology to help you tailor the atmosphere in your shop to your liking, and it is up to you how far you want to take it. Be mindful of going a bit too overboard and getting carried away, sometimes less is more, so never underestimate your audience!

Have you ordered your Halloween stock yet?

If you haven't then not to worry. The My Ameego Halloween selection is available to view and order right here so that your shop is stocked and ready for the first week of October.