Getting a Decent Present from Online Retailers Now a Norm This Valentine's Day

Getting a decent present online for Valentine's Day has become a new norm to celebrate the annual event.

According to Alibaba Group, China's leading e-commerce giant, searches for flowers on its online sites Tmall and Taobao jumped six-fold, as flowers are sure to set the heart aflutter during the romantic holiday.

Residents in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong Province are among the most avid buyers of flowers. Shoppers who are between the ages of 26 and 30 accounted for half of all purchases.

Old-school businesses in the flower and jewelry industry are benefiting from the celebration. According to JD.com Inc., China's second biggest e-commerce player, roses, bracelets are the top two gifts that women hope to receive on Valentine's Day this year.

Residents from Hainan Province are rated as being the most romantic, with wine, flowers and candles topping their list of purchases. They are also the leading spender when it comes to flowers, followed by shoppers in Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai and Liaoning Province.

The Red, an overseas shopping website that connects Chinese customers with foreign brands, said that rings and watches are the most sought-after presents among users. The site has established an online community of users that incubated word-of-mouth marketing.

Merchants are also offering customized perks for those who want to add a little panache to the holiday. They offer customized fresh flowers, garage kits that feature Japanese anime characters, as well as imported fragrance lamps and bedding sets.

Koala.com, an overseas shopping site under NetEase Inc., stated that online gamers flocked to their site to purchase a model figure which portrays a popular game character that is worth 599 yuan. Also, electronic devices and imported cosmetics are among the popular items on their website.

Wang Zheng, the spokesperson of Koala.com, said: "We see a growing trend of people seeking personalized gifts and collectibles."