Following a brief post-Christmas spending break, online gift shopping for Valentine’s Day is well underway. And this year, Valentine’s Day spending is forecasted to reach new heights.
But even with good intentions, gift buying can be tricky, and well-planned purchases often miss the mark. So, how can you help shoppers choose the right gifts?
Strong Spend and Evolving Gifting Categories
UK Valentine’s Day spending continues to grow and evolve beyond traditional gifting. According to a recent UK industry insight, total Valentine’s Day orders are up significantly year-over-year, with average basket values rising as consumers broaden who they shop for and how they celebrate.
- Self-gifting surging by 120%: Popular among young, female consumers, self‑gifting is the fastest‑growing segment of Valentine’s Day spending in the UK.
- Almost half of all UK consumers now celebrate all relationships on Valentine’s Day, not just romantic ones.
- Friends and pets are key recipients of Valentine’s Day gifts: around 41% plan to give gifts to friends, and 30% of pet owners buy gifts for their pets, with many spending more on their pet than their partner.
- Average basket spend has climbed significantly, with reported values jumping to approximately £143 per order in 2026
How Social Proof Builds Shopper Confidence
Social proof plays a powerful role in guiding hesitant gift buyers, especially in when Valentine’s Day shopping now includes non-traditional recipients and self-gifting.
- Highlight bestsellers, trending items and real-time customer behaviours to turn hesitation into confidence.
- Popularity signals help shoppers quickly narrow choices, while stock messages reduce the risk of disappointed shoppers.
- In categories such as flowers, chocolates and jewellery, reassurance from social proof messaging can often be the difference between a confident purchase and an abandoned cart.
The impact is even greater when social proof is combined with aggregated reviews. Messaging that highlights five-star ratings, fit feedback, or “most gifted” items gives shoppers clarity and confidence, particularly when choosing something personal or unfamiliar.
Guide Shoppers with Attribute Messaging and Dynamic Badging
By highlighting key product details such as materials, product benefits, features and more, attribute messaging helps shoppers find the right gifts faster.
Dynamic badging can be used to visually highlight curated Valentine’s Day gift selections. These badges can be used across the eCommerce site to create more engaging shopping experiences while helping shoppers more easily find the products.
Combined with social proof, these messages become even more impactful, making it easier and less overwhelming to find the right gifts.
Help Shoppers Buy Right, the First Time
Better-informed shoppers are more likely to choose the right gifts and confident shoppers are less likely to abandon purchases mid-checkout.
Retailers and brands that use conversion messaging strategically consistently see meaningful uplifts in conversion rates and revenue, turning Valentine’s Day browsing into confident buying.
What’s Not to Love?
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