Valentine’s Day, love it or hate it, it’s a big day of the year for hospitality. In fact, in 2021 spend on Valentine’s equated to just under 1 billion pounds. So whilst it’s a day that can be a little bit in your face (definitely a day we lie low on social media) it’s a great opportunity to create some fun new products and boost your sales.
Whilst your image of Valentine’s might be table after table of couples gazing into each other’s eyes over a big plate of pasta. 42% of people actually prefer to spend it at home! This isn’t totally surprising, it’s more intimate and Valentine’s can be a pretty expensive day. So we would expect, given the ongoing cost of living crisis, that this number will increase this year, as people look to make savings.
That being said, it’s a great excuse to treat yourself to a delicious dinner. Although the industry is seeing a drop in the number of people eating out, that’s not something we’re seeing in Direct to Consumer (D2C) ordering. People still want their takeaways and Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to order in. So a great place to start would be to ensure your menu is optimised for love. That could mean anything from offering meal kits, to bundles for two. You could even create a Valentine’s category and toggle it so that anyone browsing your store for romantic treats can easily find what they’re looking for.
Valentine’s is also an opportunity to up your average order value (AOV). A great way of doing this is with modifiers. Customers will be looking to get a full meal on this special occasion, so suggesting additions like a bottle of wine or dessert is the perfect way to tempt them into spending that little bit more.
Asides from eating out or ordering in on Valentines, food also makes an excellent gift. It’s thoughtful, practical and romantic! So think about what products people could order from you as a present for their loved one. If you’re a bakery or deli this is perfect for you. You could have a range of limited edition beautifully decorated products made for gifting, whether this be a variant on something you already do or something totally new. But if you’re selling it in store, you should be offering it online too!
And on the subject of adding value, gift wrapping is a great ad on. Customers can make their order that extra bit special whilst you boost your sales. And if you don’t believe us, one partner made as much as 30K across last year by offering gift notes and wrapping!
Finally, let your customers know that they can pre order. They’ll always be those that leave it to the last minute but lots of people will be looking to sort their Valentine’s soon, so guarantee those sales and let them know they can order ahead of the special day.
This final point is for anyone thinking about starting D2C or who maybe doesn’t use it very much. Occasions like this are the exact time people want to order directly from you. Let’s be honest there’s nothing very romantic about a marketplace, and certainly nothing unique. Customers want to support the brands they love and share them with the people they love! So if you’re on the fence, now is the time to really embrace D2C and celebrate Valentine’s Day with your customers.