Less Love for Valentine’s Day Sales This Year?
Typically, one holiday is barely over before the products for another flood store aisles.
Think about it. Fourth of July fireworks go up and Halloween candy hits the shelves. Carve your pumpkin and malls are decked with boughs of holly.
But this year, there seemed to be no big rush to spread the Valentine’s Day merchandise love at the retail level.
The only reason I noticed was that in early January I thought I’d buy some little Valentine’s chocolates to put in the goodie bags for my son’s birthday party. Why not, I thought? They’ll be nice and fresh, and the kids will think the sweets were cute.
I was very surprised to find that nothing was in the stories yet. If the swag isn’t out insanely early, does that mean it’s late? As of last week, Target had a few meager little displays of things like holiday hued M&Ms by the register, and the greeting cards were out in the stationery section. But nary a heart shaped box of chocolate was to be found.
Sunday morning in CVS and my local supermarket, I did notice smaller than in past year’s displays of products for Feb. 14 out for sale. And merchants such as Godiva do have a wide variety of items for the holiday.
But on the mass merchant side, it seems like retailers are moving cautiously, perhaps preparing for lovers to show they care in practical and less frivolous ways this year. Yes dear, I know you like truffles. But I had the oil changed in your car instead.
What are you seeing? And how do you plan to treat your loved ones this Valentine’s Day?
