As Retailers Ignore Single Folks, Walmart’s Valentine’s Day Push Is Positively Radical

Happy Valentine’s Day, to me. That’s what consumers are saying, but retailers are mostly turning a deaf ear. But Walmart is listening up. Nearly half, 45%, of the U.S. population won’t be celebrating Valentine’s Day in the traditional romantic-couple sense, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. Nonetheless, on Cupid’s big day, 27% of those same consumers plan to get together with other single friends and family members or to treat themselves in some way, with jewelry, apparel and spa services topping self-gifting lists, the survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics found. Indeed, what’s notable about the annual survey findings is that this Valentine’s Day has emerged as a time to spoil oneself, said Phil Rist, Prosper Insight’s executive vice president of strategy. And the socializing and self-gifting by the non-celebrants is even greater among 18 to 24 year olds, he said. Read more at Forbes.