Are you thinking of buying someone flowers for Valentine’s Day? You should hurry because the prices only get more expensive the closer you get to February 14th.
According to a study by the deal-hunting site Brad’s DealsIn the middle of summer, you can get the lowest price on roses (a dozen, of course) when they average $ 32 from one of the five major delivery brands. Compare that to the highest average price – $ 49.98 the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Depending on supply and demand can go up to nearly $ 100 (before shipping costs!) when purchasing as a last-minute order on the actual day.
While it seems like a classic case of overload, it is a demand satisfaction problem. After all, Valentine’s Day only lasts 24 hours. “It’s not that flower sellers can just phone the factory and tell them to get production going,” writes Rebecca Lehmann for the Brad’s Deals blog. “The flowers have to be harvested and transported, often from distant (warmer) places, just in time to bring them to the customer in a specific day window.”
Order while you can
The bad news: It’s too late to save up on a bunch of a dozen red roses as the report says placing an order around Jan 15th can help you get the lowest prices of the season. However, the sooner you order, the less likely you are to pay the top dollar prices that the last minute shoppers will pay for.
G / O Media can receive a commission
The National Retail Federation expected People who celebrate Valentine’s Day with someone significant spend an average of $ 101.21 per year. Don’t let the cost of flower delivery consume more of that budget than is strictly necessary.
This is how you keep costs down
Many retailers offer coupon codes or other discounts if you order now. Another strategy to keep costs down is to skip roses for a different type of flower that is a little less on the nose for Valentine’s Day. You can also save money by scheduling these roses for delivery a day or two before Valentine’s Day, as many services charge fees for delivery on that particularly busy day.
This story was originally published in 2020 and was updated with new information and updated context on February 5, 2021.
