Flowers bloom on Valentine’s Day, but not the sales

Flowers sales for Valentine’s Day fell short of expectations, as florists at Mong Kong Flower Market reported a decrease in sales compared to last year.

With roses, sunflowers and white gypsophila decorating the streets, the Mong Kok Flower Market, a well-known area for buying flowers and plants, was crowded with people on Valentine's Day. However, sales were not ideal for florists.

Chris Ng, who is in her thirties and working in a flower shop called “Floralwords”, said that the sales were 30% less than last year.

“Only around 80 bouquets have been ordered so far,” said Ng. “The economy is worse right now, so our store did not raise prices for Valentine’s Day.” The price for a bouquet of 20 roses at their store was HK$880.

Rex Cheung, who works at Some Flower in Mong Kok, also reported a 30% sales decrease compared with last year.

“There were only around 10 customers who bought flowers the day before Valentine’s Day, and the customer flow is even worse on Valentine’s Day,” said Cheung.

Cheung agreed with Ng that the decline in flower sales is related to the sluggish performance of the Hong Kong economy. “The economy is poor this year, so cost has become a concern of customers,” he added.

Brandon Qin, a 19-year-old secondary student, bought his girlfriend a bouquet in a Mong Kok flower shop. “I bought this for around HK$30, which is a bargain for Valentine’s Day,” said Qin.

“But if I have time, I will buy flowers in Shenzhen,” Qin added. “The flowers in Shenzhen are less expensive. Flowers at HK$300 in Hong Kong may only be 200 yuan (HK$215) in Shenzhen, so it is more affordable.”

In a bid to increase sales, flower shops came up with various marketing strategies. Some of them made romantic quotes for Valentine’s Day to attract customers. One of them collaborated with the local artist Siu Wong, setting up a sketch stall in the flower shop.

Wong, 33, a local artist who draws portraits on site, said that she thought people may be more likely to purchase her drawings on Valentine’s Day in Mong Kok Flower Market.  

However, Wong’s business faced challenges. “I stayed in the stall from 1:30pm to 4:30pm, and only had one customer for the whole afternoon,” Wong said. 

Pong Chan, 48, purchased a sketch from Wong. “I asked the artist to draw a sketch for my wife, and I will give it as a gift to my wife along with flowers,” said Chan.

Chan also bought a soap flower for his wife. “Buying fresh flowers is too corny, and soap flowers can last for a longer period,” Chan added.

He spent around HK$600 for the flower, saying that the price is reasonable. “If the gift is bought for your love, you do not need to think twice about the price,” said Chan.

“The most important thing in life is to know romance—money is not the priority, romance should be put on top.”