Valentine’s Day Gift Trends: Data Reveals Last-Minute Shopping Habits

Exclusive data from same-day delivery business Gophr shows that romantics are increasingly leaving it to the last minute to order flowers for Valentine’s Day. The rapid delivery network is predicting it will receive four times as many orders on 14th February (for same-day delivery) compared to the previous day, with previous years’ order data acting as an “early warning” system that highlights peak days of activity.

Additionally, Gophr is expecting a 10% YoY increase (vs daily average) in the number of delivery journeys it will make overall on Wednesday, February 14 on behalf of trade clients not just for flowers, but also the grocery, pet, and retail sectors. This will make Valentine’s Day Gophr’s second busiest delivery day of the year, after Christmas.

Gopher number crunchers have also analyzed the delivery options offered by the UK’s top florists. Gophr’s LAST MINUTE LOVERS report, reveals that only seven florists (Amarante Flowers, Appleyard Flowers, Flom, Flowerbx, Flower Station, Interflora, and Ronny Colbie) are giving their customers the choice of same-day delivery.

Graham Smith, strategic account director at Gophr, commented, “Valentine’s Day remains florists’ biggest day of the year by a wide margin. The fact that 220 million roses were sold in the UK on February 14th last year alone shows that romance isn’t quite dead yet!”

“Like any other special occasion, time-poor consumers often leave things to the last minute. Valentine’s Day is no exception, with many ‘Last Minute Lovers’ having to turn to florists who offer same-day delivery so that they can make that romantic gesture.

“That means that florists need to have a broader choice of delivery options for their customer base, especially around this time of year when competition is fierce in the flower game.”.

The LAST MINUTE LOVERS report also reveals that love birds are diversifying their gift choices with Gophr seeing a 15% increase in retail, groceries, and pet deliveries on Valentine’s Day.

The analysis found that 9% of consumers are swapping flowers for chocolates, while 11% would rather cook a special meal at home for their significant other than buy flowers.

Among those who own pets, a quarter (25%) of consumers are more inclined to spoil their pets with a gift for Valentine’s Day than their lovers.

Graham Smith, concluded, “Although consumers’ preferences for Valentine’s Day are changing, that doesn’t mean that their delivery options are. They still expect and experience same-day delivery across all sectors.”

Phill Turner-Naylor Head of Marketing at Jolleys, one of the UK’s largest pet supermarkets, commented, “Pets are pulling at the heartstrings of their owners, and for many, they are part of the family – so why shouldn’t they be getting a gift as well! It’s certainly something that we are seeing amongst our customers, but like when buying for your partner, life can get in the way, and even the dog/cat can be forgotten until the last minute. If you can get last-minute delivery, then your chances of a heartbroken furry friend are lessened.”

The full LAST MINUTE LOVERS report can be found here: https://uk.gophr.com/valentines-day-flower-deliveries