Valentine’s Day Is Here, and Amazon Is Feeling the Love

One has to hand it to Amazon – the company certainly knows how to make the most of a holiday. Once again, the company is using its purchasing data to bring attention to itself and its sellers.

Recently, Amazon announced its annual list of the Top 20 Most Romantic Cities in the US, which it creates based on sales of romantic items. To make the list, a city must have at least 100,000 residents or more. Then Amazon examined purchases of romance novels and relationship books (both Kindle and print); romantic comedy movies (DVDs and digital); a curated list of romantic music, including artists like Barry White, Maxwell, Miguel, and Luther Vandross (CDs and MP3 format); as well as the sales of sexual wellness products of each city.

In case you’re wondering, Alexandria, Virginia tops the list, proving the State’s slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers.”

(Interesting random fact: Valentine’s Day is the most popular day for dog grooming. Could it be the next market for Amazon?)

Holiday marketing is a great way to boost sales and make connections with new customers. You can bet that Amazon will always lead the holiday marketing effort, sending holiday-themed emails to its Prime customers and featuring the holiday on the home page. But it’s up to you to benefit from the company’s marketing muscle.

For instance, be sure to offer holiday gifts for every budget. Young lovers may not be able to afford heart-shaped gold locket, but a box of chocolate may be within reach. Or you can create holiday-themed packages, such as bundling bubble bath with massage oil for Valentine’s Day.

Consumers love to purchase holiday-themed products. They brighten up long winter days, and with Amazon Prime, getting treats for friends and family couldn’t be easier. So even if you’ve missed the boat for Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17) is right around the corner, followed by Easter, March 27th, and Passover April 22 – 30.