Gifting Orders Surge 80% On Valentine’s Day in UAE
Valentine’s Day shopping reached a fever pitch in the UAE, with Flowwow, a gifting marketplace, reporting an 800 percent increase in orders and a 1,000 percent increase in turnover this year.
The firm said on February 13 and 14 alone, it experienced a staggering surge in orders.
While roses may be the traditional Valentine’s Day flower, hydrangeas are quietly gaining popularity in the UAE – as well as in MENA.
A new study by Flowwow, together with Admitad, a partnership marketing platform, revealed that hydrangeas have emerged as a surprising runner-up to roses for Valentine’s Day bouquets, capturing 6 percent of the market, Flowwow said in a media release.
The study, which analyzed data from February 2023, with an emphasis on Valentine’s Day, also revealed that 80 percent of UAE valentines opted for a bouquet of roses, with red (51 percent), pink (26 percent), and white (10 percent) varieties being the most popular choices.
The UAE residents particularly favor minimalist, mono bouquets featuring one type of flower, a bow, and minimal wrapping paper (43 percent) or presented in a box (36 percent), typically red, pink, purple, or white.
While roses dominated the gifting landscape, residents also expressed unique preferences for Valentine’s Day gifts with peculiarities.
Jewellery and accessories were trendy in the UAE, with over 15 percent of orders including these items.
Cards also play a significant role in UAE Cupid’s Day celebrations.
According to Admitad’s data, beyond flowers and cards, fashion (25.3 percent), electronics (19.2 percent), home & garden (19 percent), beauty & health (7.8 percent), car accessories (6.8 percent), toys & hobbies (4.3 percent), mother & kids (3.7 percent), tools (3.3 percent), sports and entertainment (2.8 percent), and other (7.8 percent) were among the other popular Valentine’s Day gift categories in the UAE and the MENA region.
Interestingly, there was a 4 percent average bouquet price increase from the previous month in the UAE, nearly 2.5 times higher than the global average.
The shift towards digital gifting platforms is expected to continue in 2024 as more consumers embrace the convenience and accessibility of these services.
