HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach^[1] - 13 January 2021 - The coronavirus pandemic has taken a sharp toll on stores, and online buying has become a living habit of citizens. On the market change caused by the global pandemic, Give Gift Boutique^[2], the leading online flower shop^[3] in Hong Kong, caught up with the sales boom, and increased sales by 20% last year. As we review the most popular Valentine's Day flower^[4] in 2020, we found that rose bouquets were still the most widely chosen. In the meanwhile, the orders of preserved flowers are growing, making them one of the most popular gifts^[5] in 2020.

The Gift-giving Fever During The Epidemic

With the unpredictable year it has been, citizens adapt to physical distancing measures and avoid gatherings. But the popularity of gift-giving rose unexpectedly, especially on festive days. John Wong, the founder and CEO of Give Gift Boutique, said that as people cannot visit loved ones in person, they are sending gifts to show their caring.

John Wong added: "We have held some charity events from time to time for the people in need, and we achieved great repercussions by the people with gratitude. What's more, we are supported by the public and some welfare organizations. From another perspective, Hong Kong people have the eagerness to get warm greetings during the social isolation period caused by the cruel virus."

Due to the superiority of quality, colors, and long shelf-life, the demand for imported flowers has been increasing in recent decades, and imported fresh flowers have been widely used for festivals, anniversaries, and other occasions. However, the global pandemic caused an impact on the market of imported flowers, leading to unstable supply chains and fluctuating prices. Thus, if you want to purchase imported flowers this Valentine's Day, you have to reserve a higher budget than in previous years.

Compared with imported flowers, the supply chains and price of preserved flowers are more stable. Since they are made of real flowers, they have a texture close to that of fresh flowers. What's more, they have a long shelf-life, which makes them endurable for long-term transportation. In recent years, preserved flowers have become more familiar to people, and are frequently exposed on social media by Internet celebrities, which shows that the cost-effectiveness of preserved flowers makes them widely recognized by consumers. There are various styles of immortal flower products on the market, not only bouquets, but also products in the form of gift baskets, decorations, lighting, etc., which becomes more common on various occasions.

John Wong said, that in recent years, during the Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and other festivals, the popularity of preserved flowers is comparable to imported flowers. More and more customers choose mid-end and high-end products, as well as some ingenious designs and functional preserved flower^[6] products.

The Approaching Buying Spree Of Pre-holiday Preserved Flower Ordering

From our experience, 70% of consumers will send Valentine's Day gifts to offices in advance, while only 30% of consumers will send gifts straight to home. However, Valentine's Day this year happens to meet on the third day of the lunar new year, and almost all companies will rest on this day. If you want to give your loved one a surprise, you have to order gifts earlier. What's more, some flower stores will be closed from the first to the third day of the lunar new year. Take Give Gift Boutique, for example, considering the annual vacations of most companies, and the workers' eagerness to enjoy Spring Festival, their flower stores will be closed on February 12-14 this year.

Furthermore, the third day of the Lunar New Year is called "Chikou", known to be a day that people will quarrel with one another if going out. On this day, Hong Kong people will stay at home and hope all is well, so we expect people to send gifts before this special day. For lovers in a long-distance relationship, they will place an order in advance to send flowers with a long shelf life, to prevent their gift-giving plans from failing, and to make their loved ones enjoy beautiful flowers on Valentine's Day. Thus, in addition to imported flowers, preserved flowers ordered online will become another mainstream selection for Valentine's Day gifts this year.

In this situation, the sales of preserved flowers before Valentine's Day may increase significantly. John Wong said that they are facing challenges, but to ensure ample supply during the special days, Give Gift Boutique has made preparations a few months beforehand, and they are sure to provide sufficient high-quality gifts to customers.

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)
2. ^{^} Give Gift Boutique (www.givegift.com.hk)
3. ^{^} online flower shop (www.givegift.com.hk)
4. ^{^} Valentine's Day flower (www.givegift.com.hk)
5. ^{^} gifts (www.givegift.com.hk)
6. ^{^} preserved flower (www.givegift.com.hk)