As vice president of marketing for the Alexandria-based Society of American Florists, Sparks is gearing up for the busiest holiday for florists and the most popular for cut flowers.
How many roses are sold each Valentine’s Day?
What we can estimate is the previous year what was produced for Valentine’s Day. It was estimated that 187 million roses were produced. It’s really hard to get a clear track on actual sales because this industry is so highly fragmented.
Do you expect the economic recession to affect Valentine’s sales?
It’s really hard to tell how flower sales will fare this Valentine’s Day. … We’re hopeful because it’s a luxury, but it’s an affordable luxury in comparison to a lot of other things.
This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday on a three-day weekend. What’s the best day to order flowers?
What we do find is that people tend to wait somewhat until the last minute to order their Valentine’s Day flowers, either the day before or the day of. Florists are certainly prepared for that as they are used to it. With it falling on a weekend, however, many people will still want that surprise delivery to the office. … And if you do want something specific, it’s best to plan ahead.
During tax season, accountants are so busy they can barely breathe. Is the same true with florists around Valentine’s Day?
Absolutely. … What we find is that florists do anywhere from eight to 15 times their normal business on Valentine’s Day so they are working truly around the clock the week before.
Do you expect to give or receive flower this Valentine’s Day?
We have research that shows flowers make you happy, so believe it because they certainly make me happy. My husband is well trained in that flowers need to be coming my way on Valentine’s Day. – Kytja Weir
