Halloween emails: Examples, templates, & strategies

According to studies, 49% of shoppers (almost half the market) say they will begin shopping for Halloween before October. So, as an e-commerce owner, it's high time you reached out to them with a Halloween email.

If you’ve asked yourself:

• What kind of email should I send for Halloween to truly stand out in a crowded inbox?
• Where can I find high-converting Halloween email designs and copy?
• How do I automate my Halloween email campaign?
• Which Halloween email subject lines (and puns!) will guarantee the highest open rates?

In this article, we've shared the definitive blueprint for a successful Halloween email campaign, including:

• Halloween email examples and a proven campaign strategy.
• Copy and paste Halloween email templates
• Automation to send Halloween email blast.
• Killer spooky email subject lines and salutations.
• Advanced tips to design your Halloween emails for maximum clicks and revenue.

Why e-commerce brands should send Halloween emails?

Emails are best suited for storytelling content and creating a brand impression. With Halloween right before BFCM, it is the best chance to acquire customers through email campaigns.

Here are the top 6 benefits of sending Halloween emails:

1. Tap into the $13.1 billion Halloween market: Consumers are projected to spend over $13.1 billion on Halloween in 2025. A well-timed Halloween email can help your brand grab a share of that massive spending.
2. Seasonal emails outperform generic promotions: Holiday-themed campaigns see higher open rate and CTR. Halloween’s playful theme makes it perfect for creating story-driven discount emails that stand out.
3. Re-engage shoppers and build social proof before BFCM: Use Halloween emails to re-engage subscribers and create UGC. This builds trust and engagement right before the BFCM sales.
4. Promote limited-time spooky offers or themed products: Launch exclusive Halloween discount emails or limited-edition products. The scarcity factor (“only until Oct 31!”) adds urgency and drives immediate sales.
5. Gather customer data for BFCM email campaigns: Run small A/B tests on Halloween subject lines, offers, and visuals. The insights you gain will optimize your BFCM emails for maximum ROI.
6. Strengthen brand personality and engagement: A Halloween email gives your brand a chance to show personality, helping you stand out and stay memorable.

10 Best Halloween email examples for spooky inspiration

Finding Halloween inspos from the internet is overwhelming. Surfing through Pinterest and 100 other websites is tedious. We did the heavy lifting for you.

Here is a curated list of the 10 best Halloween email examples for your inspiration:

1. Polaroid - Capture Ghostly Shots
2. Rebel Rabbit - Don’t Ghost Yourself: Order by Tomorrow!
3. Modcloth - Don't let Halloween sneak upon you!
4. Zillow - Haunted houses: How much do you know?
5. Lifesum - 🎃 50% Off: Treat yourself to a health boo-st!
6. Halloween email newsletter from Litmus
7. Email on Acid - Nightmare at Email Camp (Halloween-themed event registration email)
8. Alice - A WICKEDLY DELICIOUS HALLOWEEN TREAT
9. Pipcorn - Halloween email with product bundles
10. Post-Halloween email example from BluDot

Related reading: Crack $13.1 Billion with Halloween marketing (Campaign case studies + ideas)

1. Polaroid - Capture Ghostly Shots

The Polaroid Halloween email example performs best in four key areas:

• Branding & Halloween vibe
• Frictionless responsive email design
• Feature promotion
• Upselling.

Key takeaways:

• Subtle Halloween theme: Used candlelight and spooky imagery without overdoing it.
• Product positioning tied to the occasion: Positioned the camera as perfect for “spooky season shots.”
• Emotion-driven headline: “Capture This Spooky Season” connects product + mood.
• Interactive element: Added a “Spooky Times App Challenge” to boost engagement.
• Community involvement: Encouraged users to share photos (UGC strategy).
• Product bundling: Promoted Halloween-themed sets (camera + film) for easy upsells.

Related reading: 10 Email Design Best Practices for 2025

2. Rebel Rabbit - Don’t Ghost Yourself: Order by Tomorrow!

Rebel Rabbit nails the Halloween spirit with a fun, urgency-driven email that ties perfectly into seasonal shopping behavior.

This campaign blends FOMO, themed visuals, and strong CTAs to drive last-minute conversions.

Key takeaways:

• Use urgency to drive purchases: The “Last day to order” reminder creates immediate FOMO.
• Keep the theme simple but strong: Subtle cobwebs and dark tones convey Halloween without overwhelming visuals.
• Clear, seasonal headline: “Make Halloween” instantly connects the brand to the occasion.
• Feature relevant products: Highlights drinks perfect for Halloween parties, directly linking products to the event.
• Multiple CTAs, one goal: “Order now for Halloween” and “Stock up now” reinforce conversion intent throughout.
• Smart timing strategy: Encourages early shopping before Halloween (Oct 18 cutoff).
• Community inclusion: The “Sober October” mention personalizes the email for their audience while staying on theme.

Related reading: 19 Halloween Gift Ideas to Boost E-commerce Sales (2025)

3. Modcloth - Don't let Halloween sneak upon you!

ModCloth’s “Witch, Please” campaign blends Halloween charm with everyday fashion.

The brand cleverly uses playful witch-inspired visuals to promote fall collections while staying festive and stylish.

Key takeaways:

• Seasonal storytelling sells: Use a light-hearted Halloween theme to rebrand regular products as festive must-haves.
• Visual continuity matters: Consistent color palettes (black, beige, gold) create a premium yet spooky vibe.
• Smart product pairing: Group themed items (dress, cardigan, shoes) into mini collections for easy browsing and higher AOV.
• Catchy taglines: Fun puns like “Witch, Please” boost memorability and shareability.
• Subtle CTAs: “Shop the Boo-tique” and “Shop Bewitching Dresses” make buying feel playful, not pushy.

Related reading: 100 Best Halloween email subject lines for 2025 (AI Prompts+sign-off ideas)

4. Zillow - Haunted houses: How much do you know?

Zillow cleverly uses a seasonal quiz to increase engagement. Moreover, it seamlessly blends the quiz with key content about home design trends and financing options.

Key takeaway:

• Halloween-themed hook: The headline “Are you an eerie expert?” instantly grabs attention with a playful Halloween quiz.
• Blends Value with Theme: Combines Halloween fun with useful, evergreen topics (like design and financing).
• Smart Personalization: The “Trick or Treat” choices help collect user preferences for future targeted emails.
• Playful CTAs: Buttons like “Open if you dare” make the email interactive and increase click rates.

5. Lifesum - 🎃 50% Off: Treat yourself to a health boo-st!

Lifesum effectively uses Halloween to promote a significant discount on their premium membership, framing their health features as "treats."

Key takeaways:

• Clear offer: Starts strong with “Get 50% off” — the deal is easy to spot and understand.
• Fun themed copy: Uses Halloween puns like “eerie-sistible treats” and “spook-tacular meal plans” to keep it festive and on-brand.
• Benefit-focused details: Lists features of the premium plan with creative names that show real value.
• Eye-catching design: Dark background with bright product images and neon green CTAs makes the email visually stand out.

Related reading: 10 Best Discount Email Templates + Examples

6. Halloween email newsletter from Litmus

This extensive Halloween email from Litmus serves as both a spooky holiday greeting and a deep-dive educational resource as a newsletter.

Key takeaways:

• Adds real value: Offers email templates, tips, and a contest — not just a holiday greeting.
• Unique color palette: Uses deep purple, green, and rust orange for a classy, gothic vibe.
• Visual showcase: Displays multiple Halloween email examples for different industries.
• Highlights interactivity: Promotes features like animated buttons and countdown timers.
• Boosts engagement: Includes a “Spookiest Email Contest” to encourage participation.

7. Email on Acid - Nightmare at Email Camp (Halloween-themed event registration email)

This email promotes a free educational event for marketers using a highly effective Halloween theme. It leverages common email marketing mistakes (nightmares) to create immediate relevance and excitement.

Key takeaways:

• Relatable start: Opens with a marketer’s “nightmare” story, instantly connecting with real audience struggles.
• Strong Halloween theme: Clever event name “Nightmare at Email Camp” and CTA “We See Dead Emails” make it fun and memorable.
• Easy signup: It’s a free event with an option to get the recording later, zero pressure to attend live.
• Eye-catching design: Uses bold orange-black colors and playful Halloween-style illustrations.
• Clear targeting: Directly speaks to marketers, developers, and product leaders, no confusion about who it’s for.

8. Alice - A WICKEDLY DELICIOUS HALLOWEEN TREAT

Alice uses an eerie, high-contrast, and spooky recipe to promote their chocolate products, making indulgence a wickedly delicious holiday event.

Key takeaways:

• Striking visuals: Uses a dark black-and-white palette for a bold, spooky look.
• Halloween typography: Scratchy fonts enhance the creepy theme.
• Smart product tie-in: The recipe naturally promotes their own products.
• Subtle branding: Small themed graphics (like spiderwebs and skeleton hands) add flair.
• Clear CTAs: Two buttons — one for general shopping and one for specific products — guide conversions.

9. Pipcorn - Halloween email with product bundles

This email leverages the popular "scary movie night" context of Halloween to promote a tiered discount on custom snack bundles

Key takeaways:

• Contextual storytelling: Sets a cozy Halloween scene that connects the product to movie night.
• Smart upsell: Tiered bundle discounts motivate bigger purchases.
• Easy checkout: Clear, colorful discount codes make applying offers effortless.
• Fun content tie-in: Pairs snacks with Halloween movies for engaging, shareable content.
• Festive design: Uses playful fonts, purple-orange tones, and highlights free shipping to boost conversions.

10. Post-Halloween email example from BluDot

Blu Dot uses minimalist design and a playful Halloween pun to announce the extension of their major Annual Sale, proving that even premium brands can embrace holiday fun.

Key takeaways:

• Simple yet festive: Uses one witty Halloween-themed product image to stay elegant.
• Clever hook: Turns Halloween humor into a smooth transition to the sale message.
• Clear promotion: Boldly highlights “Annual Sale Extended,” “20% OFF,” and the deadline.
• Clean layout: Uses contrasting colors to separate the fun intro from the sale info.
• On-brand design: Keeps the look modern and classy while tying in the holiday theme.

Related reading: 9 Best Post-Purchase Email Examples With Proven Retention

6 Copy & paste Halloween email templates

When it comes to email marketing, content is the king. The type of email, the design, the incentive, and the overall tone of your email are crucial.

Focusing on these key aspects, you can stand out in a crowded inbox.

Here we’ve shared a curated list of 6 unique copy-and-paste Halloween email templates:

1. Last-minute Halloween sale email
2. Product showcase during Halloween(The costume/decor guide)
3. VIP/ exclusive access Halloween email
4. Fun and engagement-driven Halloween email template
5. Halloween email for work
6. Halloween email newsletter

1. Last-minute Halloween sale email

2. Product showcase during Halloween(The costume/decor guide)

Subject line: Witch Way to the Sale? 🧙‍♀️ Your 2025 Halloween Email Ideas Guide is Here!

Preheader text: Find easy DIY costume kits, top decor picks, and spooky good deals inside.

Body copy: Need inspiration? Our design team brewed up some fantastic, easy looks using [Your Product Category].

Click below to shop the full look and create a fright that will last long after the 31st. We've included links to our most popular bundles!

Call-to-Action (CTA): SEE ALL COSTUME KITS

Secondary CTA: Shop by Category: [Link to Costumes] | [Link to Decor] | [Link to Candy]

3. VIP/ exclusive access Halloween email

Subject line: A Treat Just for You! Your VIP Halloween Email Coupon Is Inside.

Preheader text: Because you’re the sweetest: Enjoy [15% OFF] your entire purchase, just for VIPS.

Body copy: You've been selected for a special treat! Before we launch our main sale, we’re giving our loyal customers early access to our new inventory and an exclusive 15% OFF coupon.

Use code GHOULFRIEND15 at checkout. Thank you for being part of the [Your Brand] family.

Call-to-Action (CTA): UNLOCK VIP ACCESS NOW

4. Fun and engagement-driven Halloween email template

Subject line: 🦇 Witch Monster Are You? Take Our Fun Spooky Email Quiz! 🎃

Preheader text: Click one image below to find out your spooky persona—and grab a matching deal!

Body copy: The best way to prep for Halloween is to know your monster persona! Click the image that best represents your preferred Halloween activity below. Once you click, a surprise discount will appear on our site tailored to your result!

Interactive section:
[Image 1: Scary Movie Night - Link to Home Goods]
[Image 2: Costume Party - Link to Clothing/Apparel]
[Image 3: Trick-or-Treating - Link to Candy/Small Items]

Call-to-Action (CTA): TAKE THE QUIZ (AND GET A TREAT!)

5. Halloween email for work

Subject line: 🎃 Spooky Sign-Up: Don't Miss Our Annual Office Halloween Party! 👻

Preheader text: Details on the costume contest, potluck sign-up, and [Company Name]'s official "spooky hour."

Body copy: Hi Team,
Get your costumes ready! It’s time for [Company Name]'s annual Halloween celebration. This is the perfect chance to take a fun break before the craziness of Q4 hits.

Event details:
- What: Office Halloween Party & Potluck
- When: Thursday, October 31st, from [Time] to [Time]
- Where: The [Office Location, e.g., breakroom/rooftop lounge]

We'll have music, games, and the highly anticipated Costume Contest (prizes for the funniest, scariest, and most creative!).

Please use the link below to sign up for the potluck (so we don't end up with 15 pumpkin pies!) or simply RSVP if you plan to attend.

Call-to-Action (CTA): RSVP & SIGN UP FOR THE POTLUCK HERE

Sign-off: Looking forward to celebrating with you!
The [Team Name/HR] Team (Stay Spooky!)

6. Halloween email newsletter

20 Halloween-spirited email salutations

How you greet can either trick or treat your conversions and sales. Email salutations may seem like a small detail, but they play a huge role in shaping first impressions.

Moreover, email salutations can influence how customers perceive your brand.

Here are 20 email salutations to Halloweenify your email campaign:

New customers

1. Welcome to the Coven, [Name]!
2. Hi [Name], New Treat Seeker,
3. Hello [Name], Ready to Get Spooky?
4. A New Ghoul Just Joined!
5. Welcome, Future Monster Mash Guest!

Deal hunters

1. Hey Savvy Spender,
2. Hello Deal Seeker—We’ve Got a Treat!
3. Hi Frugal Phantom,
4. Shhh… [Name], Open This for a Secret Deal.
5. Treat Alert! We See You, [Name].

Greetings to VIP customers

1. Dearest [Loyalty Tier, e.g., Ghostly] VIP,
2. Hi Exclusive Insider,
3. Hello Valued Coven Member, [Name],
4. Your VIP Treat Awaits, [Name].
5. Greetings, Frightfully Loyal Customer,

Halloween email newsletter salutations

1. Happy Haunting, Reader!
2. Hello from the Crypt (aka the Office),
3. Greetings, fellow Pumpkin Carver,
4. Hey Thrill Seeker,
5. Happy October from the [Your Brand] Team!

Related reading: 100 Best Halloween email subject lines for 2025 (AI Prompts+sign-off ideas)

Top 5 tips to design your Halloween emails

An absolute email design is an immersive experience, not just a communication tool.

Its purpose is to convey the desired atmosphere and clear message, while ensuring maximum ease for the customer to complete their purchase.

Here are 5 must-have tips to design your Halloween email:

1. Color palette: Move beyond basic orange & black
2. Typography: Set a spooky mood
3. Imagery & visuals: Focus on motion and texture
4. Interactive elements: driving urgency and fun
5. Themed icons & dividers: Subtle branding

1. Color palette: Move beyond basic orange & black

While the classic palette is fine, a modern Halloween email design requires depth and contrast to look premium, not cheap.

• Foundation: Use Deep Black (#000000) for your background or primary text. This instantly creates drama and makes everything else "pop."
• Themed tints: Introduce Rich Purple (e.g., #5D3FD3) or Slime Green (e.g., #7CFC00) as accent colors instead of just orange. Purple is associated with magic and mystery, while green signals monsters and toxic sludge.
• Contrast pop: Use Ghostly White (or light gray) for text against a dark background. This inverts the typical email design, drawing immediate attention and improving readability in a dark theme.
• Action color: Reserve your brightest color (often orange, like #FF6600, or a neon green) exclusively for your CTA. This ensures the most important element has the highest possible contrast.

2. Typography: Set a spooky mood

• Don't use decorative fonts for the main body copy, but heavily leverage them for headlines and subheadings to build atmosphere.
• Headline font: Use a custom, decorative font that resembles the theme:
  • Horror/gothic: Fonts with jagged edges or an old, cracked appearance (like blood splatter or tombstone etchings).
  • Slime/fluid: Fonts that look melting or dripping.
  • Bones/skeletal: Fonts that are thin, jagged, and elongated, evoking skeletal structures.
  • Fallback: Always define a universally available, simple font (like Arial or Helvetica) as a fallback in your code.
• Body copy: Stick to a clean, highly legible sans-serif font set at 14-16px. If the background is dark, the body text must be bright white or a very light gray.

3. Imagery & visuals: Focus on motion and texture

Static images are fine, but motion and texture sell the season.

• GIFs for engagement: Utilize low-file-size GIFs to showcase subtle motion like a flickering candle. This boosts engagement without overwhelming the email.
• High-quality photography: If you sell products, stage them in a Halloween environment (e.g., under eerie lighting). Avoid clip art; use high-resolution, moody photography.
• Pattern and texture: Use subtle texture overlays like faint cobwebs or cracked earth in the header or footer sections to frame your content.

4. Interactive elements: driving urgency and fun

Interactive elements are the treat that drives clicks.

• Countdown timers: Embed a live countdown timer at the top of your email for flash sales or shipping deadlines. This is the single most effective tool for driving urgency.
• Unique CTA styles: Instead of a rectangle, design your CTA button to look like a tombstone, a bucket of candy, or a bubbling cauldron. This makes the conversion point fun.

5. Themed icons & dividers: Subtle branding

Use small details to maintain the theme throughout the copy without distraction.

• Iconography: Replace standard bullet points or dividers with Halloween-themed icons. Think tiny bats, skulls, carved pumpkins, or miniature ghosts.
• Eerie dividers: Instead of a plain horizontal line, use a small image of a twisted vine or a crack in the screen as a section divider.
• Sender persona: Update your sender name to something fun for the season (e.g., "The [Brand Name] Ghosts" or "Dracula at [Brand Name] Support") to increase open rates.

Halloween email marketing campaign Strategy

Phase 1: Pre-campaign warm-up (mid-September to September 30)

Goal: Build anticipation, segment your audience, and gently introduce the theme.

Mid-September (teaser email):

• Introduce your spooky theme (e.g., "Something Wicked This Way Comes") without revealing the offer.
• Actionable tip: Use clicks on this email to segment a list of "High-Intent Halloween Shoppers."

Late September (value guide):

• Send a Halloween email newsletter with helpful, non-promotional content. (e.g., "5 Easy DIY Costume Hacks" or "Party Planning Checklist").
• Subtly link related full-price products within the guide.

September 30 (VIP early access):

• Send an exclusive, small discount (15% OFF) to your loyal or VIP customers.
• Grant them 24-hour early access to the full Halloween Collection before the public launch.

Related reading: 15 Best Ecommerce Newsletters to Follow in 2025

Phase 2: Peak shopping & sales blast (October 1 to October 25)

Goal: Drive the bulk of conversions using urgency, scarcity, and cross-selling.

Official sale launch - October 1

• Announce your main, biggest sale (20%-40% OFF) to your entire email list.
• Use bold, themed visuals and include a clear, far-off expiration date (e.g., "Our Monster Sale Ends Oct 25!").

Product showcase - October 5 - 15

• Send highly segmented emails based on recent browsing or click activity.
• Example: Send a "Costume Lookbook" to those who clicked on clothing, or "Haunted Home Decor" to those who clicked on home goods.

Interactive email - October 16 - 20

• Send a fun, non-sales email, like a Quiz/Poll ("Which Horror Movie Character Are You?").
• Strategy: Segment follow-ups based on their quiz answer for hyper-personalized product recommendations.
• Throughout October (Abandoned cart recovery- The Ghostly Reminder)
• Update your automated email sequence with Halloween branding and copy (e.g., "Did a ghost steal your treats? Your cart items are waiting!").

Phase 3: Final countdown & Post-holiday (October 26 to November 1)

Goal: Capture last-minute procrastinators, drive final high-urgency sales, and transition to Q4.

Shipping deadline alert - October 26 - 28

• Send a clear, urgent notice about the final guaranteed shipping date for pre-Halloween delivery. Use a countdown timer GIF in the email.

Last Chance Sale - October 30

• Announce a high-urgency flash sale on remaining, last-minute inventory. Frame it as the "Absolute Last Chance" before the deals vanish.

October 31 (Morning) (Happy Halloween greeting):

• A simple, lighthearted email wishing subscribers a Happy Halloween. This is a brand-building touch, not a hard sell.

Post-holiday clearance - November 1

• Offer a steep "Post-Halloween Clearance Sale" (e.g., 50% OFF seasonal items). This helps clear stock and officially pivots the audience's mindset toward upcoming BFCM deals.

🕸️ Wrapping up!!

A well-timed Halloween email campaign can turn festive excitement into real revenue if you combine creativity with strategy.

From spooky storytelling and themed discounts to interactive quizzes and countdown timers, every small touch helps your emails stand out in crowded inboxes.

The examples and templates shared above prove that you don’t need elaborate designs, just the right blend of festive charm, brand consistency, and clear CTAs.

As you prepare your Halloween email campaigns, remember:

🎃 Keep it fun, relevant, and easy to act on.
👻 Use email automation to send timely follow-ups and abandoned cart reminders.
🕷️ Personalize wherever possible to make each message feel like a treat, not a trick.

Also read:

• 6 Proven strategies to beat Black Friday shipping delays
• What is Behavioral Segmentation? (Types + Examples)
• 10 Order cancellation email templates + examples, tips & subjectlines

Frequently asked questions