Happy Valentine's Day, Ystävänpäivä ,Saint Valentin, Dia dos Namorados, Valentinsdag,
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| Love was even on the platforms of South West Trains network London Waterlove |
Newly adopted
Black Friday and Cyber Monday from USA were hyped considerably last year. Yet
it seems unclear whether the overall result for additional sales in the long
run has occurred .
The business of
romance ,February the 14th however is a much longer established
retail event.
For the brands, (Saint) Valentine’s Day provides a
much-needed sales boost following a post-Christmas lull.
The event gives businesses an opportunity to engage with
customers and find new ones.
it is estimated at
least £1.6bn is spent on gifts and treats for the occasion.
Sean Poulter in the Daily Mail this week, drew out some
very interesting information about the War of the Roses between the
Supermarkets.
The Imperial unit , the dozen (12), still hangs on for Valentine’s day despite these days of metric.
The Imperial unit , the dozen (12), still hangs on for Valentine’s day despite these days of metric.
A hand tied bunch of long stemmed top quality Grand Prix
roses will set you back £70.
Aldi’s cheapest bunch was £ 5 . But they offer a product range
increasing in price and luxury that Alfred Sloan would have recognised. Luxury ‘Freedom’ roses @ £15 and top end Premium Naomi roses @ £20 per
dozen.
Tesco, similarly offered a range from £ 5 (matched by ASDA and
Morrisons) , Premium @£10 , A luxury bouquet @ £15 and then under their Finest
label £30 bouquet
Sainsbury offered a £7 Fairtrade bunch.
Sainsbury offered a £7 Fairtrade bunch.
M and S offering ranged from
£12 for a dozen Kenyan roses to £ 40 for its Freedom variety.
O
Of course should you wish Interflora to deliver for you their offering ranged from £ 44.99 - £139.99 .
Of course should you wish Interflora to deliver for you their offering ranged from £ 44.99 - £139.99 .
There are 8,000 independent florists in the UK who have to fight the supermarkets according to their trade body.
Morrisons’ survey revealed
85% of bunches of flowers bought on Valentine’s Day on Red
Roses
40% of women say they agree they are a lazy choice and would
rather a more imaginative variety of flower
In contrast The Daily Telegraph’s Elizabeth Anderson wrote a fascinating piece on the opportunities for new businesses that Valentine's day presents.
Sparkling Valentine's
Trevor Clough,
founder of luxury English sparkling wine brand Digby Fine English, the day ia
one of the key moments in the calendar.
“For brands that aren’t household names, it’s a great chance
to interact with consumers. Valentine’s Day is associated with luxury fizz. At
this happy time of year, people are more open to trying new things. English
sparkling wine is still new so we need to catch people’s attention.”
“The fun thing for us is making it personal. We’ll be
spending time with potential new customers and telling our story. English wine
is top quality. People love the story of how our wine is made – and hopefully
that will translate into sales."
February retail sales are typically flat, according to
figures from the British Retail Consortium, so any extra takings over
Valentine’s are welcome.
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| Cards on offer at WH Smith |
Britons spent £40.2 m on cards for the day in 2014, averaging £1.86 per person, the highest spend among special occasions, the Greeting Card Association has calculated.
Easy Easy catch a monkey
Katie Rowland, who runs a luxury jewellery business, says
it’s important to teach consumers something, rather than just encouraging them
to spend money.
She is running a social media campaign that allows people,
particularly men, to work out what ring size their partners are.
“We start gearing up for Valentine’s Day at the beginning of
January. Spring is bridal season, so Valentine’s Day fits nicely into that.”
Rowland launched her jewellery business on Valentine’s Day
in 2011. She caters for the luxury market, using bold designs that appeal to
powerful and headstrong women.
Her jewellery is sold
in Harvey Nichols, Liberty of London and Fenwick, as well as online.
Overseas sales are important, with 25% of customers from
Asia.
“Valentine’s Day is important to our industry because jewellery is a popular gift,” she says. “We offer something bespoke and luxurious. For the women we design for, it’s not all about hearts and teddy bears.
Simon Read of Growth Accelerator, the Government-backed
scheme that provides small businesses with a mentor and grants, says firms
should start planning for the occasion soon in the new year.
“Whether it’s hiring someone to give your social media
channels a real push or being able to boost your stock ready for the
Valentine’s rush, being prepared to really take advantage of these
opportunities is crucial for those businesses wanting Valentine’s success.”
Selling “Luck” = preparation + opportunity
Firms have found that having a stand or pop-up presence on
the day itself can also pay off, as time-poor consumers are increasingly
leaving things until the last minute.
In the UK, Google says there has been a year-on-year
increase of 41% in “last minute Valentine’s gift” searches.
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| Maison Blanc take on a passionate heart |
Suzanne Noble, the head of Frugl, an app that suggests free
and low-cost events to people in London, adds there has been a rise in venues
using occasions such as Valentine’s Day as a way to attract new customers.
“There are almost double the events being held over
Valentine’s weekend than there would be in a normal week,” says Noble,who launched Frugl last year.
“Whether it’s speed
dating for book lovers or comedy Valentine’s shows, there really is something
for everyone."
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| An electronic notice board at London's Waterloo gets in the spirit of Valentines Day |
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| Clever use of the cup guards into heart shapes by Nero Coffee Shop for Valentine's day |
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| Even charity shops benefit from Feb 14th |
If you missed the retail opportunity of February14th afforded by St Valentine don't worry. Next Tuesday is Lemon Jiffy Pancake Day ( or Shrove Tuesday for those preparing for Lent)
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