The pressure of Valentine’s Day gift selection can be immense. Love Discount Vouchers has investigated the psychology behind gift exchanges on this day of love, bringing to light strategies that can assist your audience in cherishing their loved ones without depleting their finances, and importantly, making sure Cupid’s arrow does not miss.
- Food and beverages make the best gifts
- 60% of buyers want a deal at Valentine’s Day
- 44% of women said they had been disappointed at Valentines
- Only 11% of men were disappointed
- Over 55+ tend to spend the least with 25-34’s splashing the cash
- Women believe they are the superior gift givers
THE BEST GIFTS
Food and Beverages | 19%
Personalised Gifts | 17%
Experiences | 11%
Flowers | 10%
Holidays | 9%
Jewellery | 6%
Art and Creativity | 5%
Technology and Gadgets | 5%
THE WORST GIFTS
Card | 3%
Beauty and Personal Care | 3%
Fashion and Accessories | 3%
Home and Living | 3%
Subscription Services | 3%
Other | 1%
Books and Literature | 1%
Gender Disparity in Disappointment:
44% of women confessed disappointment with Valentine’s Day gifts, whilst only 11% of men felt similarly let down. Are men more adept at the art of gift-giving, or do women have higher expectations?
The Battle of the Stars:
Females rated themselves as superior gift-givers, awarding an impressive 4.6 out of 6 stars, whilst men were not far behind with an average self-rating of 4.3 stars. The battle of the sexes extends to the realm of presents.
Age and Spending Habits:
The age group 25-34 takes the lead in Valentine’s spending, shelling out between £25-£50 on gifts for their other halves. Meanwhile, those aged 55+ are more frugal, spending the least. On average, people spend around £0-£25 on Valentine’s gifts.
Gift Gender Gap:
The struggle to find the perfect gift is real. “Gifts for him” is searched 228k times, whereas “gifts for her” lags behind at 132k searches. Are men being neglected in the gift content creation sphere? Or are they just better at dropping hints?
Instagram Insights:
#valentinesgiftsforhim on Instagram has 36.9k posts, whilst #valentinesgiftsforher boasts a more substantial 63.1k posts. Are women receiving more thoughtful gifts, or are men just not sharing their treasures on social media?
Hit or Miss Gifts:
Surprisingly, flowers, books, and subscription services ranked as the least popular gifts. Food/beverages, experiences, and personalised gifts however emerged as winners. But beware – chocolates can be a risky choice if you don’t know your partner’s favourite. Nobody wants a petrol station last-minute pick (or PicNic).
Our audience shared some laugh-out-loud tales of their worst Valentine’s Day gifts, from unexpected hamsters to awkward picture frames. Share your own worst gift in your article!
- A hamster – “I had a long distance relationship at the time and he thought it would keep me company. I had never shown interest in hamsters. Message to mankind: unless discussed, don’t buy livestock for women.”
- Personalised coffee cup – “We broke up shortly after and I kept forgetting to bin it. So I would see our faces as soon as I woke up.”
- Washing up gloves – “I complained my hands were getting sore.”
- A picture frame – “My great aunt had my wedding picture put into a frame. The frame was hideous and had 2 cupids with arrows on the top two corners and all these yellow, gold swirls down the side. It was truly awful. Picture with my husband on our wedding day. Funny bit was we’d been divorced over 10 years and I’d been with my current partner for as long as 7 years. We laughed all the way home. Luckily my partner has a great sense of humour. The tale still comes out at parties, bbqs etc.”
20% of our survey respondents said they wanted food- and beverage-based gifts:
1.Chanoine Frères ‘Réserve Privée’ Brut Champagne 2014
From Majestic Wine
2. Personalised Special Year Espresso Martini With Music
With Not on The High Street
3. Valentine’s Day Sweets & Gifts
4. Whiskey Subscription
With Pour and Sip
5. Classic Coffee Collection
11% of our survey respondents said they wanted an activity/experience-based gift:
1. “UK Wide Adventure Gift Voucher”
From Adventure Tours UK
2. Booking.com London stays
With Booking.com
3. Whistle Punks Axe Throwing
With Not on The High Street
4. Vintage Cinema And Cocktails Experience For Two
With Not on The High Street
5. A day out at Flip Out
