Vinh City: Valentine's Day gift market is quiet

After finishing Tet in her hometown, Ms. Nguyen Quynh Lan, owner of a fresh flower shop inVinh CityShe immediately returned to the city to reopen the shop to serve the people's need to buy Valentine's flowers. However, in contrast to the cheerful and excited mood of previous years, this year the Valentine's Day market is gloomy, making her worried.

Fresh flower shops in Vinh City are deserted on Valentine's Day. Photo: Nguyen Chau

Ms. Dung said: "I reopened yesterday (the 2nd day of Tet), however, the number of customers coming to buy goods is very low, up to the morning of the 3rd day of Tet there were only 7 customers, while in previous years customers came in and out in droves. With this situation, this year's Valentine's season will definitely be a loss...".

Chocolate products and Valentine's Day gifts this year are quite diverse but cannot attract customers. Photo: Nguyen Chau

That is also the mood of dozens of flower businesses in Vinh City at the present time. Most of them are in the same situation of sluggishness and gloom. This year, in particular, onValentineCoinciding with the 3rd day of Tet, many flower shops had to import goods before Tet. In the context of the epidemic, flower transportation encountered many difficulties, costs increased many times, however, poor purchasing power has made many fresh flower shops "cry".

Not only fresh flowers but also popular Valentine's Day gift items such as chocolates, teddy bears, cosmetics, souvenirs... are also in the same gloomy situation. Walking around the streets of Vinh City, it is easy to see the image of "more sellers than buyers" stretching along the streets.

Flowers and Valentine's Day gift shops on Le Duan Street are deserted on the morning of February 14. Photo: Nguyen Chau

Ms. Bui Thi Han, owner of a chocolate shop on Le Duan Street, sighed: "If I import goods, I have to try to sell them all because if I leave them past the expiry date, they will spoil. On the third day of Tet, while everyone is going out for Spring, I am sitting alone with no customers coming in, I feel so sad...".

It is known that the main reason leading to the gloomy and sluggish situation is due to the complicated developments of the epidemic.Covid - 19making people afraid to go out. Besides, at this time, students (the main customers) are still on Tet holiday and have not returned to the city, so flower and gift shops have lost a significant number of customers.

Teddy bear and souvenir shops are also in a slump. Photo: Nguyen Chau

To save the situation and avoid losses, many flower and gift shops have launched many promotional programs to attract customers. In particular, many shops have applied price reductions, the prices of service itemsValentineTherefore, it also decreased by 20 - 30% compared to previous years.

In addition, understanding the psychology of customers being reluctant to go out, shop owners have offered free shipping to customers. In addition, shops have also increased advertising on social networking sites with many incentives to attract buyers and avoid losses./.