Love is in the air – and so are record-breaking sales predictions for Valentine’s Day 2025!
In this month’s packed issue, we’re showing you how to grab your share of the $27.5 billion spending spree, including a creative treasure chest contest that’s guaranteed to energize your sales floor.
Plus, ever wonder what it would be like to have the world’s smartest coworker in your pocket? We’ll show you how stores like Pacsun and Albertsons are using AI to do exactly that.
Today's Rundown
- OUT NOW: Sign up to receive the Q4 2024 Home Furnishing Benchmark Report.
- Trend Watch: Is experiential retail the next big thing?
- Consumer Behavior: How Zillennials are redefining consumer behavior.
Market Pulse: This Week in Furniture & Mattress
Furniture
Mattress
Valentines Day Predictions
Valentine’s Day 2025 is shaping up to be a record-breaker for retailers, with expected spending hitting $27.5 billion nationwide. This is particularly exciting news for store workers, as customers are spreading their shopping across multiple retail channels – from department stores (34% of shoppers) to discount stores (29%) to local florists (18%). While online shopping leads at 38%, the strong in-store numbers suggest plenty of foot traffic for brick-and-mortar locations during the Valentine’s season.
The holiday is expanding beyond just romantic couples, creating more sales opportunities across departments. While traditional categories like candy (56%), flowers (40%), and greeting cards (40%) remain popular, there’s growing demand for gifts for friends, coworkers, and pets. This broader gift-giving trend means retail workers should be prepared to help customers shop for various recipients, not just significant others. The average shopper plans to spend $188.81, with many looking to retailers for special deals and gift suggestions across different price points and categories.
Productivity Games: The Treasure Chest
Looking for new ways to create excitement around selling and encourage your team? Productivity games are a great way to increase morale and energy within your store.
THE TREASURE CHEST
How to Set Up:
- Get a decorative treasure chest and at least three padlocks. Place cash or prizes inside the chest and lock it securely.
- Attach keys to specific merchandise items you want to sell in your store. Remember: only some of these keys will actually open the padlocks – that’s part of the fun!
- Create a pirate-themed display area for the treasure chest. You can use simple decorations like treasure maps or ship cutouts to build excitement.
How the Game Works:
- Every time a sales associate sells an item that has a key attached, they get to try that key in one of the padlocks on the treasure chest.
- If their key opens a lock, they win a portion of what’s inside! For example, with three locks, each successful unlock wins one-third of the treasure.
- The game can run for just one day or over a weekend, making it perfect for a special sales event.
Tip for Store Managers: This game is especially effective for moving specific merchandise – just attach keys to the items you most want to sell. It creates excitement on your sales floor while helping you meet your inventory goals.
How AI Is Shaping and Empowering Stores to Be Smarter and More Efficient
Just as plate glass windows and electric lighting transformed retail in their day, artificial intelligence is becoming the next big game-changer for stores. At NRF 2025, major retailers shared how they’re using AI to make life easier for their frontline workers. For example, Albertsons is using AI to help train its 275,000 store employees, while Pacsun created an app called Chatty that acts like “the smartest co-worker in your back pocket” – helping store staff quickly find answers about everything from register issues to company policies.
The key message from retail leaders is that AI isn’t about replacing workers – it’s about making their jobs better. Lidl is using AI to translate training materials for its diverse workforce, while other retailers are using it to handle basic customer service questions so that store employees can focus on more meaningful customer interactions. As Albertsons’ executive Suzanne Long pointed out, the goal is to reinvest the efficiency gains from AI into creating better experiences for both employees and customers, ultimately making stores better places to work and shop.
Retail Snippets
Trend Watch: Is experiential retail the next big thing?
Lego 2.0: Mattel takes aim at Lego with brick-based building brand.
Mr. Retail: No one has seen more in retail than him. Here’s what he sees now.
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