Flower sales better than last year despite pandemic
By Shalina R.
KOTA KINABALU: Whilst flower sales have dropped during the first Valentine's Day celebrated during the pandemic period globally, flower sales have instead bloomed for Florina Florist this year.
Florina Florist marketer Valentina Wong said they are grateful for the consistent sales throughout the Covid-19 and Movement Control Order (MCO) period. However, she reckoned that less sales have been made due to the pandemic and the close dates for the two celebrations.
“We are grateful for the sales we have this year despite the current pandemic situation. It is good enough, but if I were to make a comparison to previous years, there is definitely a drop. If I were to give you a number, I would say about 30% to 40% drop,” she told The Borneo Post here on Valentine's Day.
“This year, Valentine's Day is celebrated closely with Chinese New Year. I think a lot of people are not so much in the mood to celebrate these two festivals because of the uncertainties that the MCO has brought forth. You know when you are not in the mood, you tend to not indulge in luxuries. Flowers are after all is a luxury. Because the mood is not there, then the sales would not be as high,” she added.
Wong said although sales have dropped since the pandemic struck in 2020, the flower sales was better in 2021 compared to the pandemic-free Chinese New Year sales.
“This Chinese New Year, we did pretty well compared to the past Chinese New Years. For Chinese New Year sales, we did not actually expect it to be as good because, once again, of the MCO,” said Wong.
“But, I also feel like it is because everyone is staying at home right now. They can't go anywhere or visiting for Chinese New Year at all. So, instead of buying new clothes and all that, I feel like they are spending money on flowers to send their love to loved ones and other people in their lives. They also spend money on flowers for themselves and their homes because they would be at home more now.
“Just two weeks ago we were not allowed to visit others for Chinese New Year. So, people were looking for ways to send love to their loved ones and flowers is one of the ways to do that,” she added.
Wong said Florina Florist still catered to regular customers and gained new ones this Valentine's Day.
She said the florist also adapted and geared their sales strategy according to the new norm especially for Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day.
“Definitely, mainly male customers and customers from all ages. I had customers as young as 16 years old and as old as 70,” she said.
“I would also say it was a 50-50 of regular customers and new customers. Regular customers who have been buying flowers for Valentine's Day are still coming back to buy them, and 50% are new customers.
“This year, we definitely have less walk-in customers because, I think, there are not people walking around on the streets so people are very used to buying online. A lot of sales are done online now. I would say majority of our customers, 70% to 80%, of our sales are from online, which includes our website, social media, and WhatsApp.
“We also have a new service to cater to our customers during this MCO called the drivethrough service. Everyone is doing this popular service in Kota Kinabalu right now, so we thought we could do something like that too.
“Customers would just give us a honk when they are outside our florists will go out and take their orders. It is for the convenience of our customers. So, today there is a lot of honking for us to come out and take their orders as well as honking to pick up their bouquets,” she added.