Arshpreet Sohal of One Stop Gothering Stores, Cheltenham, has described this year’s Valentine’s Day as the “worst-performing seasonal event to date”.
Last year brought major changes for the 20-year-old retailer. He celebrated four years in business and switched symbol group from Costcutter to One Stop.
It was the first Valentine’s since Arshpreet refurbished his store for its One Stop launch in August, but sales fell disappointingly short of expectations.
“As many in retail have seen, the industry was hit quite hard at the start of the year with challenging weather conditions, increased costs and a generally slower start compared to previous years,” said Arsh. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t our strongest Valentine’s period.”
Arshpreet took a “cautious approach” to ordering Valentine’s stock this year, bringing in roughly half the usual volume of flowers and gift sets.
“I did manage to sell through the some of the stock, particularly flowers, although overall demand felt softer,” he said.
He added that best performers included Valentine’s cards, tulips and small chocolate gift gestures.
Customer feedback found Valentine’s was “no longer a major priority seasonal event” for many shoppers, reported Arshpreet.
”Going forward, I’d consider alternative gift ideas that can carry into other seasonal periods, focus more on impulse confectionery and potentially reduce the flower selection,” he said. “I’d also review the display location in-store to improve visibility and engagement.”
You can now secure your tickets to the Convenience Awards 2026!
Join us on 11 March in Liverpool to celebrate the entire convenience community.
See this year’s finalists and book your seat here.
No comments yet