Card retailers are holding their nerve hoping that today will be a sales bonanza for Valentine’s Day cards, to get the 2019 Spring Seasons off to a good start.
“The later in the week that Valentine’s Day falls the better, so with this year’s 14th failing on a Thursday, it stands to reason that sales should be up on last year,” predicts John Procter, co-owner of Scribbler. “We are on course to beat last year’s figures, but like happened at Christmas, a lot is riding on the final sales day.”
One independent is feeling the love is Sally Matson, owner of Red Card in Petworth who predicts: “It’s going to be a bumper Valentine’s Day love fest!” She feels that Valentine’s trading is better than previously due to what’s happening in the world about us. “I think that given all the lack of joy in the news on all fronts at the moment, people are up for spreading the love,” she added.
Sally highlights how the trend for humorous Valentine’s Day cards is increasing year on year among her customers. “Dandelion’s ‘I am every so slightly smitten with you’ design and The Art File’s ‘I’d shave my legs for you’ have been very popular! Rosie Made a Thing’s designs have been flying out and Crumble & Core’s cards are also selling very well.”
While the vast majority of Valentine’s Day card sales in the UK are sent between couples, the circle of sending is expanding to echo the States where Valentine’s cards are sent to friends and school classmates.
Even more inclusive than the Galentine’s cards – aimed to be sent between female friends are PALentine’s designs that can be sent to friends with no reference to gender.
According to recent research undertaken by Royal Mail 8% of Brits have sent their friend a Valentine’s Day card to cheer them up while
13% of parents have sent their child a Valentine’s Day card.
Some sad stats put out by VoucherCodes include that a quarter (24%) of millennials feel that Valentine’s Day is the loneliest time of the year to be single, causing the majority (54%) to actively pursue a last-minute date. A fifth (18%) admit they have returned to an ex and 1 in 6 (16%) have called on someone they had previously turned down in order to avoid being alone on February 14.
Top: One of the Point of Sale items that the GCA hosted for retailers on its site.
