Local Gift Shops Hope Spike In Footfall In Valentine's Week
About 60 per cent of consumers prefer instant delivery apps over physically visiting a shop, underscoring the key role that convenience has become. Customers, however, are open to visiting a physical shop if products are personalised
Hyderabad: Local shopkeepers making their stores lovey-dovey for February 14 is passé. Online recommendation engines have become the key influencer that determines what people buy. Consumers receive curated suggestions based on their behavioural signals, search patterns and stated preferences — a trend that largely benefits instant-delivery platforms.
Customisation is the deciding factor for people in choosing gifts, followed by variety and quality. About 60 per cent of consumers prefer instant delivery apps over physically visiting a shop, underscoring the key role that convenience has become. Customers, however, are open to visiting a physical shop if products are personalised.
Yet small shopkeepers endure daily struggles just to scrape by for an extra profit in the love season. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Anil, a local shop owner in Begum Bazaar and a gifting business veteran of 30 years, reports losing up to 25 per cent of sales year after year to online and offline competition.
"If a customer likes something in my shop, they check for the same product online. Wherever it is cheaper, they opt for that. People who used to shop for Valentine's Day years back are now married. Young couples shop for chocolates and sorry greeting cards."
Vishvajit, a small flower vendor who has been running a flower and bouquet stall for 15 years in Secunderabad, laments declining footfall at his shop. "I am barely earning anything. Inflation is so high and online competition is so tough; customers aren't willing to pay even Rs 100 for a flower. My customers complain of better prices on online apps. Online companies buy them directly from Bengaluru without middlemen. But for us, our costs include the profits of several middlemen. We hardly earn ₹50 per flower."
Another shopkeeper, Kumar, who has been a florist for 40 years, echoes the pain. He noted that they source bouquets for Rs 600, yet very few customers are willing to pay more than Rs 800. "Customers are there, but we don't have the profit as we had before."
Compounding these woes is the rise of experiential gifting. Consumers are increasingly moving away from traditional physical gifts like cards and flowers towards experiences, such as spa days, short getaways, or dining out, further eroding footfall for gift-specific retail stores.
The article is written by Tanu Jain, an intern at Deccan Chronicle, Secunderabad
