Valentine's Market: Empty Stores, Bustling Online Channels

EMPTY STORES

If in previous years, after the production of moon cakes and candies to serve the Lunar New Year, this is the time when Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh - the owner of a chocolate production facility on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street (Vinh City) has to mobilize human resources to focus on making chocolate to supply for the market.Valentine marketHowever, this year, the epidemic is complicated and it is predicted that it will be difficult to sell, so Ms. Quynh only makes chocolate gift boxes according to pre-orders and only makes a few boxes in reserve, not daring to mass produce.

Chocolate is one of the most popular gifts for Valentine's Day. However, due to the complicated epidemic and concerns about reduced purchasing power, establishments have limited production and import quantity. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Ms. Quynh said: “Chocolate is a popular gift on Valentine's Day. Every year, right after Tet, we start making it to supply the market, but this year, we only started making some boxes on pre-orders on the 8th. The price of raw materials has increased, but the facility has kept the price the same, each box of homemade chocolate costs between 120,000 and 500,000 VND. However, the purchasing power is expected to be much lower than previous years, so we are only producing at a moderate level.”

Valentine's Day is the peak time for business and big business in the year, but this year, due to the complicated epidemic situation, Mr. Dau Tuan Anh, owner of a flower shop on Nguyen Van Cu Street (Vinh City) only dared to import a small quantity.

Fresh flowers, especially imported roses, have doubled in price compared to last year. Currently, each rose costs between 50,000 and 200,000 VND. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Mr. Tuan Anh said: “Currently, the shop has imported flowers typical of Valentine's Day, but the quantity is less than every year. We will wait until February 13 to review the number of customers ordering via the shop's Facebook page to see how much they will continue to receive goods. And this year, the shop also imported a large quantity of wax flowers with a variety of types and prices to serve customers. If this type of flower is not sold out, it can be preserved to sell on other holidays.”

According to a survey, in addition to traditional products such as flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, and cards, this year's Valentine's market has many new products with innovative designs and shapes such as double cups, double bears, etc. with diverse prices.

Besides fresh flowers, shops prioritize importing dried flowers and wax flowers because if they are not sold out during this holiday, they will be preserved to sell on the following holidays. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Imported roses cost from 50,000 - 200,000 VND/flower; Chocolate products cost from 70,000 - 500,000 VND/box; handmade cotton pillows cost 100,000 - 500,000 VND/piece; teddy bears cost 30,000 - 200,000 VND/piece... According to shop owners, this year, the price of roses has increased sharply, some types have doubled compared to the previous holiday season; gifts have generally increased by 5 - 20% compared to the same period last year.

Presently, gift shops such as perfumes, teddy bears, shoes, clothes, handbags, cosmetics, etc. have reopened after the Tet holiday to serve the gift shopping needs on Valentine's Day. Although there are many types of flowers and gifts for sale, offering customers many choices, according to the reporter's actual records, purchasing power at the stores this year is somewhat quieter and less bustling than the same period last year.

ACTIVE ONLINE CHANNEL

Cosmetics are also chosen by couples as gifts during this holiday. Photo: Thanh Phuc

In complete contrast to the gloomy atmosphere and lack of customers at stores and online shopping sites, the Valentine's Day market is bustling with many attractive products and promotions. Mr. Nguyen Cong Diep, a customer, said: "I ordered flowers and chocolates through the Fanpage of a familiar shop, scheduled a date to receive the goods instead of going out to choose and buy like previous years. Partly because of the epidemic, I did not want to jostle in crowded places, partly because the habit of online shopping became popular during the outbreak and the convenience of the service."

Grasping the needs and shopping habits of customers, most flower and gift shops have changed their approach to customers through online shopping channels via Facebook, Zalo... At the same time, they offer promotional programs for customers who order online such as: Free gift delivery, additional promotional greeting cards; free gift wrapping...

Mr. Nguyen Cong Ha, owner of a flower and gift shop on Ly Tu Trong Street (Vinh City) said: "The shop's current customer base is quite stable, most of them are regular customers so they choose to buy products through the shop's Facebook. The number of customers buying flowers and gifts through this channel accounts for 70% of orders. Our shop has to arrange 2 employees to check messages, advise customers and close orders." According to Mr. Ha, currently customers do not choose quantity but pay attention to quality, so the types of flowers and gifts at the shop also tend to be high-end items such as: Chocolate of famous brands; Ecuadorian roses; high-end wax flowers...

Not only flowers,best-selling chocolate onlineValuable gifts such as cosmetics, handbags, shoes, clothes and gold and silver jewelry are also ordered online by customers.

Valuable gifts such as jewelry are also very popular online. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Ms. Nguyen Anh Kim, owner of a jewelry store on Tran Phu Street (Vinh City) said: “Since the beginning of February, the store has posted on its website and Facebook pages Valentine's Day items such as bracelets, necklaces, couple rings, etc. for customers to choose and order. To make customers feel secure in their choices, we publicly announce prices, ensure quality and reputation by allowing customers to exchange, return, and buy back without depreciation. At the same time, we offer attractive incentive programs. Up to now, the store has received 300 orders through this channel. Meanwhile, the number of orders to buy directly is only about 25 products.”

The flexible switch to online shopping not only helps people have an additional shopping channel that is simple, easy, and ensures safety in the current complicated epidemic context./.