How Edible and Bouqs plan to handle the crunch of last-minute Valentine’s Day orders

In response, the company will have three times as many staffers at its 800-some locations. They’ll be ensuring fresh fruit is dipped and ready, that cheesecakes are wrapped in gift boxes, and that floral bouquets are ready to be added to a package. Thanks to its wide franchise network, the company will have the capability to fulfill orders same-day for much of the U.S. population. At the same time, with plenty of strawberries and chocolate on hand, it will have availability for walk-in orders, as well.

“We’ve seen a huge shift in last-minute deliveries,” Johnson said. “I like to say I love the procrastinators because we’re kind of the only business in town that allows somebody who maybe forgot [about the holiday] to do that last-minute shopping and not have to compromise quality.” 

This year’s Valentine’s Day spending is poised to hit a record of $27.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Candy and flowers top the list of most popular gifts, while the most money will be spent on jewelry at an estimated $6.5 billion. But unlike other holidays where spending is planned and shopping is sometimes done months in advance, the spending crunch tends to come at the last minute.

Data from consumer research firm 84.51˚ sent to Modern Retail showed that floral sales on February 14 are six times higher than on the days in the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Greeting cards and packaged candy sell twice as much on Valentine’s Day itself compared to the days in the week leading up to the holiday. 

At Edible, stores and their drivers can reach about 70% of the U.S. population within an hour. Once an order is placed, the website triangulates the delivery zip code to connect it to the nearest location that can fulfill the order.

This year, Johnson said Edible is looking to make it even easier on shoppers with a “Gift Finder” function on its website. The tool allows customers to search for gifts based on who they’re shopping for, whether it’s their wife, friend or grandparent. The results show suggested items to purchase, as well as what’s available for same-day delivery.

“We’ve really elevated the Edible.com experience to make last-minute shopping easy,” Johnson said. “Especially among millennials and Gen Z, we’re seeing that they want that personalization. They want that customization. And they want to be able to kind of tweak and pick things.”

Edible, which did over $500 million in revenue last year, has spent the past couple of years modernizing its brand and its store locations. It dropped the “arrangements” from its name and put out a cheeky ad campaign with the tagline “There’s an edible for that,” to show off its array of gifts. This year, some of the products Edible is pushing for Valentine’s Day include a heart-shaped cheesecake, a dessert board and the option to add flowers to orders.

At floral delivery company Bouqs, about 55% of the company’s January and February orders come from Valentine’s Day. This year, it can process more same-day orders, thanks to new physical locations at Whole Foods and distribution centers, said CEO Kim Tobman. Orders can be processed within 25 miles of Los Angeles, Orange County, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Chicago and Miami.

Valentine’s Day is the company’s biggest holiday, along with Mother’s Day. But it differs in one interesting way; Valentine’s Day orders tend to come in the day before, while Mother’s Day orders are ordered several days or even a week in advance. And though flowers typically are something people expect to be available whenever they need it, Tobman said consumer expectations are continually shifting toward more immediate purchasing timelines. “For our category, [getting it] same-day — or as quickly as possible — has become an urgent need,” Tobman said.

In response, the company ramps up its marketing efforts on Wednesday or Thursday before Valentine’s Day. It also posts reminders on social media in the weeks leading up to the holiday. One Instagram post on Jan. 23 reminded people, “Don’t be that guy who forgets.” Banner ads will let visitors know how long they have to place their order for it to arrive on Valentine’s Day.

Bouqs will also put more products and staff in its stores to handle same-day demand. Tobman herself and other corporate staff members head to stores to pitch in, too.

“Sometimes, working behind the scenes, you don’t get to see the direct impact — but I love that in-store experience,” she said. “The volume is really big, and it’s great to be part of it.”