The feast of love - Valentine's Day in e-commerce

###Performance of the 100 largest German online stores

The most popular product categories

As was probably to be expected, jewelry, flowers and beauty products are in first place when it comes to buying the right Valentine's Day gift online. Already, three out of ten purchases are made via mobile devices. To make this a little more tangible: On 13.2. for example 400 per cent more flowers are bought or ordered than in the whole remaining year. Online retailers, such as Flowers 2000 also offer special Valentine's Day deals.

Flowers are increasingly being ordered online. (Source: Flowers 2000)

Last minute marketing pays off

Gifts are increasingly bought at short notice, because with platforms like Amazon & Co. they can be ordered even up to a day before the feast of love. In the days between the last weekend before Valentine's Day and Valentine's Day itself, online retailers make the most sales with Valentine's Day gifts. A study by criteo shows: The longer the week in between, the more sales can be generated. That's why it's important to spruce up your online presence a bit just before the Day of Love and push your marketing efforts hard once again. With suitable banners, the most suitable last-minute gifts can be advertised again in the last days before the big event.

Speed and reliability pay off

Anyone who offers express shipping or same-day delivery in their online store can be right up front, especially during this time. It is not unusual for a gift for a loved one to be purchased at the last minute. This is when online retailers who offer their customers these additional options can score points. In addition, retailers should place even more focus on proactive and personal customer communication, especially on Valentine's Day. Since the gift should also arrive punctually and reliably by Valentine's Day, customers in particular need to be informed about the status of their order, possible delivery problems, and the whereabouts of their package.

###Experience shipping messages in action!

Harnessing cross-selling potential

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Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to really take advantage of cross-selling potential. Individual product suggestions and matching additional products can drive sales even higher. Personalized shipping messages are particularly suitable for realizing cross-selling potential. Product suggestions or discount codes for the next purchase can be easily integrated into all shipping messages, thus increasing the repurchase rate.

Conclusion

Anyone who still thinks that Valentine's Day is of no great significance to online retailers is sorely mistaken. Gifts for loved ones are increasingly ordered both online and at the last minute. Online retailers should definitely be aware of this. Additional options, such as same-day delivery, pay off particularly well in the week before Valentine's Day. Cross-selling potential can be perfectly exploited, especially on Valentine's Day. Through creative marketing, reliable support and personal customer communication, online retailers can increase their sales enormously on and around 14.2.