Valentines: love for some, profits for others

Whoever said that love is a useless emotion probably wasn a businessperson or even close to being one; for Valentines Day, the most-prized day in lovers schedules, is a testimony to the tremendous business potential that love holds.
While any business, be it a private entrepreneur or a multinational conglomerate, will try to maximize sales on this much-hyped occasion. A few of the most delightful businesses on the red-coloured day are chocolates and candies, bakeries, restaurants, cards and small gifts, and you guessed it, florists.
Chocolate sellers and cards and gift shops claim that even though sales double on Valentines Day relative to an average days sales, the increase is not as whopping as that seen on Eid or even on Mothers days.
"As an average day, sales do nearly double on Valentines Day. But its not like Ramadan or Eid for us," said Asad Ali, the owner of Pistachio Chocolatier, an independent chocolate brand in Pakistan.
Shams Kamil, store in-charge of Greeting Gallery, a small cards and gifts retailer in Karachi, who also conceded to a doubling of average daily sales on Valentines Day, shared an interesting fact: "If Valentines Day falls on a weekend, we have more sales than if it falls on a regular day, such as this year. Therefore, occasions such as Mothers Day or Fathers Day, which falls on Sundays, are much more of sales snatchers for us than Valentines Day, this year" he said.
Needless to say, most businesses come up with special deals to lure customers into celebrating the day of love. Chocolates and gifts may be accompanied by stuffed I love you teddy bears to make a perfect present for eager Valentines, or red gift wrappings may be offered as a complimentary service with every purchase.
Even restaurants and hotels are sure to make the most of this emotionally charged day. This year, prominent hotels of the country are offering the trio of DJ, dance and dinner for couples with a hefty charge of Rs4000 per couple on average.
At the same time, well-known cafes and restaurants also claim that this is one day when their reservations are usually full, while some bakeries claim that their average daily sales may go up by as much as 200-300 percent more than on a regular day.
"I do get more orders on Valentines Day than on regular days and I don think the economic or social situation affects this occasion much," said Reema, a private seller of cakes for the high-end market.
And salons, massage parlours, and spas have their own share of Valentines sales, offering gift vouchers of their services to be gifted to the most eager recipients of love-coated presents - women.
But what is the one business, Cupid loves most? Florists! Some well-known flower sellers told BR Research on condition of anonymity that prices of flowers more than double on this particular day and the number of orders also shoots up.
"A long-stemmed rose which may normally be sold for Rs120-130 per piece is sold for around Rs250 on Valentines Day and on average, each order size is of at least a dozen roses. In fact, the effect on sales is obvious from a few days before, and Valentines is the most profitable occasion for us, more than even Eid or Mothers Day," said a leading florist of Karachi.
In a country where the promising youth demographics are often pointed out for its economic potential, a day which seemingly commercially designed for the young appears to be a great idea for potential entrepreneurs. And with the red fervour rising more each year, not many will deny its material advantages.