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Valentine?s Day business thriving
Opposition from the cultural police notwithstanding, business on the eve of Valentine?s Day is looking good. The in thing this year is the traditional forms of saying it - greeting cards or flowers as the e-generation would want their feelings to be personal.
Opposition from the cultural police notwithstanding, business on the eve of Valentine’s Day is looking good. The in thing this year is the traditional forms of saying it - greeting cards or flowers as the e-generation would want their feelings to be personal.
Like every year, a new range of Valentine cards, soft toys and gifts have hit the stores. Mohsin Ali of Archies Gallery says that the sales of cards have increased by 90 per cent as compared to last year. On being asked about the craze of SMS and e-cards Mohsin replied that youth prefer cards on this special occasion as they want to express their feelings personally.
Musical soft toys and heart-shaped FM radios remain the most popular gifts this Valentine. The market is already stocked with pop-up cards, large Teddys and chocolates. According to greeting card shop owners the customers have shifted to price range of Rs 75 - Rs 100 in cards as compared to the Rs 50- Rs 70 range previously.
FM radio inside a heart is the most suitable gift to speak the heart out to one’s special ones. It has been priced at Rs 499. Cards with serious feelings are being picked up more than the funny ones. Mohsin says that more families are coming to buy cards as awareness about the day has spread. People now like to wish every special person on this Day rather than just lover or spouse.
The otherwise vast and competitive market of cards, gifts and flowers surely prospers on Valentine Day each year, says Mohsin.
Deepak Singhal of the Archies retail outlet in Treasure Island opines that opposition from Bajrang Dal and other activist and political groups has affected the sales of cards to some extent. He says that the youth are going for bigger cards this year but sales are normal and not very high.
Among the gift items soft toys have grabbed the largest market share after cards and flowers leaving behind chocolates. Talking and normal Teddys are available in the market at Rs 100-3000 and more.
Same is the case with flowers; especially rose that has been the unofficial symbol of Valentine’s Day. Sharad Ojha of Flowers n Petals says that the rates of flowers have just doubled with a three-fold increase in the sales as compared to 2005.
He adds that the demand for flowers is so great that even supplies from cities like Pune and Mumbai are unable to meet the demand. The boom in flower market remains mainly for the two days including the V-Day. There are huge bouquets worth Rs 10,000 and gold and silver coated flowers in the market. The Beauty Salons, Garment and fashion stores in Treasure Island and other branded showrooms of the City are all offering Valentine’s Day discounts.
Not far behind in the race are hotels and restaurants that have some special offers for Valentine’s Day. Knowing that the youth spend the most on Valentine’s eve the whole market is up to encash on this by making some or the other attractive offer.
