Hearts Are Aflutter for Bouquets, Chocolates and a Romantic Evening
at Home
RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2013--
Money can’t buy love this Valentine’s Day as the 2013 Discover
Valentine’s Day survey finds that the majority of couples prefer
spending quality time together over receiving an expensive or elaborate
gift.
Celebrants of Valentine’s Day, one of the most widely recognized
holidays around the world, also indicated they most enjoy receiving
traditional gifts such as flowers, gourmet chocolates and casual dinner
dates from their partners.
Money Doesn’t Buy Love
When it comes to spending, more than half of respondents won’t be
shelling out for a costly vacation getaway or dinner date this
Valentine’s Day. Twenty-eight percent of both men and women are planning
to spend nothing, nada, zilch, followed by:
-
$1 to $25, 45 percent
-
$26 to $50, 17 percent
-
$51 to $100, 8 percent
-
$101 to $200, 2 percent
-
$200 or more, 1 percent
More than half of respondents, 53 percent, said they plan to spend about
the same as they did last year, while 7 percent plan to spend more and
25 percent plan to spend less.
For many shoppers, the urge to save is stronger than the urge to spark
romance with a pricey gift. When asked to choose which factors will most
influence their spending plans, results came out in the following order:
-
Want to save more
-
Less money this year than last year to spend
-
Concern over the economy
-
Recent holiday spending
-
Concern over job security
The majority of shoppers share the belief that the amount they spend
does not necessarily represent their affection, as 83 percent say they
do not change their Valentine’s Day spending to demonstrate their
feelings.
Chocolates and Flowers Heat Up the Romance
Traditional Valentine’s Day gifts such as chocolates, flowers, and
special dinners still strike the fancies of most. When asked to choose
which gifts they wanted most this year, results came out as follows:
-
Candy or chocolates/flowers
-
A special dinner
-
Music, books, movies or electronics
-
Jewelry
-
A night out on the town at a club, show or event
-
Travel or a weekend getaway
-
Clothing or lingerie
If their significant other’s spending was capped at $50, 39 percent of
respondents would want dinner at a casual restaurant, 34 percent would
want a quiet night at home with their partner, and 15 percent would want
a creative, personalized gift.
In order to find that perfect gift, 49 percent of shoppers plan to shop
only in stores and 43 percent plan to combine their efforts between
shopping in stores and online. Only 8 percent plan to shop online only.
Tablets and smartphones are getting no love this year, as no one
surveyed plans to use them for Valentine’s shopping.
No Need for Cupid’s Arrow
Not all respondents plan to spend the day with a significant other. Of
those choosing to spend the holiday in other ways, 46 percent are most
likely to spend the day with family, followed by spending the day:
-
Alone with “me” time, 31 percent
-
With my pet, 12 percent
-
A night in with friends, 6 percent
-
A night out with friends, 5 percent
About the Discover 2013 Valentine’s Day Shopping Survey
The Discover 2013 Valentine’s Day Shopping Survey was conducted online
with 1,000 adult U.S. general population respondents. The survey was
conducted by Penn Schoen Berland from Jan. 16 to 21, 2013.
About Discover
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment
services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S.
financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become
one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company
operates the Discover
card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private
student loans, personal loans, online savings accounts, certificates of
deposit and money market accounts through its direct
banking business. Its payment
businesses consist of Discover
Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE,
one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners
Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in
more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130207006181/en/
Source: Discover Financial Services
Discover
Katie Henry, 224-405-4437
kathrynhenry@discover.com
or
Discover
Alyssa
Siegele, 224-405-4113
alyssasiegele@discover.com