Top Valentine’s Statistics For Marketers In 2026

Are you ready to make this Valentine’s Day your most successful sales holiday yet? As one of the most profitable times of the year for retailers and eCommerce businesses, learning more about consumer spending habits will help you craft more targeted email campaigns, ads, and material to boost your seasonal revenue.

Check out some of the essential Valentine’s Day statistics beforehand to ensure you are on the right track.

Valentine’s Day Spending Statistics

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Even though last year Valentine’s Day spending reached a high record, the inflation is expected to impact how consumers will manage their holiday spending in 2026.

Now let’s see some spending stats:

• The average spending in 2025 reached $27.5B. – Statista
• 34% of Americans don’t expect to receive a gift this Valentine’s Day. – WalletHub 
• 39% of respondents said that the inflation has changed their Valentine’s spending plans. – WalletHub
• 36% of US consumers plan to spend up to $49 on Valentine’s gifts, 24% from $50 to $100, and 7% higher than $101. – WalletHub
• 34% of Americans said they don’t expect to spend any money. – WalletHub

Valentine’s Day Demographics

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Demographics play an important role in spending. So let’s check out some stats to understand how consumers spend their money on Valentine’s Day.

• Gen Z is expected to spend more than millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers on Valentine’s Day. – CouponFollow
• On average, men are estimated to pay twice as much on Valentine’s Day compared to women. – WalletHub
• Women expect their romantic partners to spend 25% more than men on V-Day gifts. – CouponFollow
• People under 18 and older than 45 search more online content around this holiday than others. – Quid

Valentine’s Day Gift Shopping Statistics

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Let’s see what gift shopping habits will prevail in 2026:

• The most popular gift choice is candy at 56%, followed by flowers and greeting cards at 40% each. – National Retail Federation (NRF).
• Online was the most popular Valentine’s Day option chosen by 38% of shoppers. – NRF
• 16.48% of shoppers made their Valentine’s gift themselves (DIY). – Finder
• 32% of consumers planned to buy V-Day gifts for their friends, 19% for co-workers, and 32% for their pets. – NRF
• Department stores were visited by 34% of consumers, discount stores by 29%, and local businesses (including florists) by 18%. – NRF

Most Popular Valentine’s Day Gifts

Below, you can find the products that consumers love to buy on Valentine’s Day, with candy being the most famous option and a pet the least popular one.

Here are the most popular options:

• 93% of people said they would prefer chocolate or candy for Valentine’s Day
• 40% chose greeting cards and another 40% flowers
• 35% selected an evening out and 22% jewelry

And here are the least popular ones according to Statista:

• 8% buy clothing items and perfumes/cologne
• 7% go for lingerie or pajamas
• 5% choose a romantic holiday, and 4% choose cosmetics/beauty products
• Only 1% go for a pet

You can use the above statistics to power up your V-day marketing and give your indecisive shoppers amazing ideas and products. With a personalized promotional email, you can help them during a busy day and boost your sales.

If you want to get started, you can hop into Moosend’s email builder and customize one of the available Valentine’s Day email templates.

Valentine’s Email Marketing Statistics

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to boost your Valentine’s Day sales as the day of love approaches, showing your shoppers exactly what they need to make their sweethearts and family members happy.

Now let’s see some important V-Day data:

Email Campaigns Sent By Product Category

Below, you can see the average number of Valentine’s Day email campaigns sent between January 15 and February 14:

• Flowers: 38.3
• Mass merchants: 21
• Chocolate: 21.3
• Jewelry: 7.4

As you can see, flower businesses were the ones that sent the highest number of email marketing campaigns to promote one of the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts.

Email Campaign Open Rate By Category

• Flowers: 17.2%
• Mass merchants: 15.2%
• Chocolate: 11%
• Jewelry: 9%

Again, the flower category had the highest open rate, showing that Valentine’s Day email marketing campaigns featuring popular products perform well.

Creating successful subject lines isn’t always easy. Urgency and curiosity usually grab attention fast. Plus, according to a recent Moosend survey, the most popular emojis found on V-Day subject lines were ❤️, 💘, and 💌.

If you’re unsure about using them, you can utilize a free subject line tester like Refine to drive higher open rates and ultimately conversions. Or you can use a tool like Moosend with AI-powered capabilities to craft converting subject lines.

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Plan Your Valentine’s Day Marketing

Knowing how consumer behavior is shaped during one of the most important holidays of the year will help you plan your Valentine’s Day marketing more effectively.

Using the above Valentine’s Day statistics is the best way to target them more effectively. For instance, you can use demographic data to craft specific campaigns for your customers with special products.

As email marketing is one of the most cost-efficient ways to promote your business, using it during V-day is necessary. You can create beautiful email marketing messages using software with advanced capabilities.

If you want an email marketing cupid to help you, you can sign up for a free Moosend account and check it out.