Phuket flower shops report blooming sales

PHUKET: Flower shops in Phuket are doing brisk business today, St Valentine’s Day 2012.

Many flower shops report record orders for floral arrangements, from both inside Phuket and off-island. Classic red roses remain the most popular items among the adults, while teddy bears and chocolates are increasingly popular among teenagers.

Flower shops in Phuket Town are displaying special flower arrangements in shopfronts in order to lure in customers seeking to buy flowers for loved ones.

Pran Suppasri, owner of the “Flowers by Metha” flower shop, said business began picking up at his shop yesterday.

“We ordered most of our red roses from China. We already received 40 to 50 orders of 1,000 baht each. We also received 30 to 40 orders for carnation arrangements that start at 500 baht. Most of the people ordering flowers from us are adults,” said Mr Pran.

“Even though flower prices went up by 20 to 30 per cent, it hasn’t affected demand. We still received a lot of orders yesterday and expect more throughout the course of the day,” he added.

Another Phuket Town shop called “I am Flower” reported “very good” sales, with orders pouring in from Phuket and off-island.

“We arrange the flower into bouquets at prices starting at 600 baht. We received 50 to 60 orders yesterday, and more continue to pour in today. Our customers are both Thai and foreigners, and about 10 per cent of orders are placed from Bangkok,” said shop assistant Chayatrid Gurtsripeng.

“Red roses are the most popular flower here, with 90 per cent of our customers ordering them. White roses and lilies are also popular. I think sales are stronger than Valentine’s Day last year, but we’ll have to wait until the end of the day to know for sure,” he said.

Flowers are not the only popular items for the Valentine’s Day. While most adults enjoy roses, youngsters tend to prefer some sweets for their sweeties. Some flower shops are expanding their product lines accordingly.

The owner of the Buppha Flower Shop in Phuket Town said, “We began receiving an increased number of orders yesterday, but not as much as last year. Most adults order flowers, but the teenagers have been buying teddy bears and chocolates that we have made available as another option for our customers,” he said.

Valentine’s Day has become increasingly popular in Thailand over the years and is no less important here now than it is in the Western countries where it first developed.

Not everyone is a fan, however. American comedian Adam Carolla equates Valentine’s Day with a field sobriety test. “The best you can hope for is to not screw it up and you’ll be on your way in 20 minutes,” he told listeners on his popular podcast recently.

— Warisa Temram