For Immediate Release: February 9, 2004
Contact: press@decisionanalyst.com
Flowers And Food Top Valentine's Day Plans; American Consumer Opinion® Online Study Finds
Spending Expected To Be Down From 2003
If you're planning on sending your sweetheart flowers this Valentine's Day, or wooing them at your
favorite romantic restaurant, better not wait too long to put those plans into action. Florists and
restaurants will be extra busy this year (in the U.S. at least), according to the 2004 romance survey from
American Consumer Opinion® Online (www.ab.acop.com), a worldwide online panel that pays people for
their opinions.
A recent survey of 1,249 men and women, drawn from a balanced sample of the U.S. population, found
that taking a loved one out to dinner is the big favorite for this Valentine's Day, with more than one in four
(27 percent) respondents putting it at the top of their plans. Last year, by contrast, less than 17 percent of
those surveyed were heading to the restaurants.
Flowers are also high on the list of this year's Valentine's presents, although roses no longer dominate
the plans of floral romantics. Fifteen percent of respondents expect to send their loved ones roses this
year, but 22 percent will give other blooms instead (up from 13 percent last year).
Roses or not, few Americans will spend heavily to shower their loved ones with expensive Valentine's
gifts this year. The survey found average spending on Valentine's Day expected to be just $51 this year.
That's not only well down from 2003 levels ($65), but also low by international standards. Among other
countries also surveyed by American Consumer Opinion® Online, only Germany (at $40) was lower, with
respondents from the UK, Canada (both at $64) and France ($65) expecting to spend significantly more
than U.S. romantics.
These international differences may relate to different purchase intents – the French, for example, put
jewelry ahead of flowers as the number one purchase for their sweethearts. Yet Canadians share almost
identical purchase plans with their counterparts in the U.S. and are spending more. If the gifts don't
impress, U.S. romantics might have a hard time explaining themselves to their loved ones this year.
Methodology: For its 2004 "Global Romance Study,'' balanced samples of between 1058 and 1772
participants (per country) were selected from the U.S., Canadian, French, German and UK members of
American Consumer Opinion® Online, one of the world's largest Internet consumer opinion sources, with
nearly 3.5 million participants. The total survey size was 6,675. This study's margin of error was plus or
minus 3 percent at a 90 percent confidence level. Those wanting to learn more about American
Consumer Opinion® Online, or wanting to become a member and get paid to participate in surveys, may
do so by visiting www.ab.acop.com.
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