With Valentine’s day just around the corner, you’re starting to hear a lot of retailers, especially florists, advising you to “Order early!” And here are a few facts and figures that indicate why you should heed their advice…

According to the Society of American Florists and the National Retail Federation:

• 214 million roses were produced for Valentine’s Day in 2007.
• Valentine’s Day is the No. 1 holiday for fresh-flower sales but exact sales figures aren’t available.
• Of Valentine’s Day floral purchases, 63 percent are made by men and 37 percent by women.
• Of rose-only purchases for Valentine’s Day, 74 percent are made by men and 26 percent by women.
• In 2007, U.S. consumers spent an estimated $16.9 billion on Valentine’s Day, including the cost of flowers, greeting cards, candy, an evening out and jewelry.

Keep in mind, that although the Valentine’s Day ranks #3 in overall number of retail floral transactions, it is the #1 holiday for florists, based on fresh flower sales. So my advice… To avoid disappointment on Valentine’s Day - “Order early!”

But the #1 reason you should consider placing your Valentine’s day orders now, is to take advantage of all the early-order discounts that are available online, or from your local florist. After all, saving money isn’t a bad thing.

If you’re looking for more information about Valentine trends and tips, pay a visit to AboutFlowers.com, the consumer site of the Society of American Florists.