By: John Matarese , Emily Hanford-Ostmann

Halloween merchandise is filling store shelves at a spooky fast pace — and shoppers are buying it up.

The trend, dubbed "Summerween," has retailers like The Home Depot, Michaels, HomeGoods and more stocking skeletons, pumpkins, cauldrons and costumes weeks before fall even begins.

According to savings site RetailMeNot, 70% of shoppers plan to buy fall or Halloween items before September.

Watch as we see some of the amazing Halloween yard decor you can buy right now:

'Summerween' is here: Why people are buying Halloween so early

The Summerween hunt

At The Home Depot, the seasonal displays are hard to miss — dinosaurs, giant skeletons, mummies and even the flying monkeys from "Wicked" are already on the floor.

RELATED STORY | Spirit Halloween set to open roughly 1,500 pop-up stores across North America

Store manager Josh Burgess said the demand is year-round, adding that popular items will sell out fast.

"I would suggest getting in as soon as you can. It will go," Burgess said.

He said Home Depot's famous 12-foot tall "Skelly" is often gone by Labor Day.

Halloween decorations on sale now include:

• 4 ft. Animated LED Flying Monkey for $199
• 6.5 ft. Grave & Bones Animated LED App Controlled Ultra Skelly with LCD LifeEyes for $279
• 8 ft. Long Grave & Bones Giant-Sized Animated LED Zombie Velociraptor for $299

At Michaels, store manager Amanda Reinfelder also said customers have been eager for the spooky season to arrive.

"They are excited," she said. "They have been asking for Halloween for a lot longer than when we got it in July, and it keeps coming."

Reinfelder said the eerie, spooky vibe is one of the top trends this year.

"More of the cauldrons, more of a witchy vibe, which is super exciting," she said.

Halloween collections at Michaels include:

• Bound by Magic
• Conjuring Nightfall
• Enchanted Romance
• Mischief & Magic

Halloween starts in August

RetailMeNot's retail insights expert Stephanie Carls said Halloween has expanded well beyond its traditional retail footprint.

"Halloween has already made its way from the candle aisle all the way to the front yard at this point," Carls said.

RELATED STORY | Americans admit they eat their Halloween candy before trick-or-treaters arrive

Before September, shoppers plan to buy Halloween candy (30%), Halloween decor (27%), costumes (22%), fall home decor (21%), and candles and seasonal scents (21%).

After a hot and busy summer, Carls said shoppers are drawn to the feeling the season brings.

"The fall and Halloween aesthetic, and just that cozy atmosphere I think people are looking for," Carls said. "They are ready for the candles, the decor, and that feeling of fall while the air conditioner is still working overtime."

Shopper Melissa Lamb said her early decorating has turned her home into a neighborhood attraction.

"We've even had delivery men make comments on our Ring camera, saying 'they really do it up!'" Lamb said.

If you plan to shop early, look for limited-time deals and compare prices before you buy, so you don’t waste your money.

_________________________________

"Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").

Follow John:

• Facebook: John Matarese Money
• Instagram: @johnmataresemoney
• X/Twitter: @JohnMatarese

For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com