The year’s biggest “Hallmark holiday,” Valentine’s Day, is tomorrow. And for businesses expecting to make a bundle on the traditional gifts of cards, candy and flowers, may see a slight dip in their V-Day sales for 2008, as many consumers are making plans — and saving their hard-earned pennies — for special nights out or weekend getaways.
According to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, the average consumer plans to spend $122.98 on Valentine’s Day, similar to last year’s $119.67. Total spending on Valentine’s Day is expected to reach $17.02 billion. As usual, men will be shelling out the most, spending an average of $163.37 on gifts and cards, compared to an average of $84.72 spent by women.
“Consumers are expected to invest time and money on gifts of experience this year, in addition to staple Valentine’s Day gifts,” says Phil Rist, vice president of strategy for BIGresearch, in an NRF press release. “Consumers are looking for quality rather than quantity.”
Still, 35.9 percent of consumers who do give gifts for the holiday will be buying flowers for that special someone. And according to Stan Pohmer and the Flower Promotion Organization, many of them won’t leave the florist or garden center with the essential information they need to make those blooms last.
If you happen to be a garden center with a cut flower business, the FPO offers these tips for Valentine’s Day selling:
- Include at least one 10-gram packet of commercial flower food with every bouquet or arrangement.
- Customize a consumer tip sheet, available at flowrMD.com, with your store information and provide to all of your customers.
- Post flower care and handling information on your website.
For more information on incorporating cut flowers into your garden center business, check out “A Mixed Bouquet” on page 18 of February’s Lawn & Garden Retailer or read the article online.
