Valentine’s Day guide for florists

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest and most profitable days of the year for florists. Orders come in fast, timing matters, and customers want everything just right. 

The good news is that the same patterns show up every year. When you know what to expect, a few simple steps can make the day smoother for your team and better for your customers.

This Valentine’s Day florist guide brings together practical tips from high-performing florists across Wolt, including insights from Kampin Kukka, a much-loved Helsinki flower shop. With 31 years in business, nearly 20,000 deliveries, and a 58% uplift from a single Wolt+ campaign, owner Janna Myrttinen has learned what works when things get busy.

When flower demand actually peaks

• Wave 1: Lead-up to Valentine’s Day Flower sales are around 5x higher than a normal week. Demand usually starts rising two days before Valentine’s Day.

• Wave 2: Valentine’s Day itself Flower sales can reach up to 18x higher than usual. Orders stay strong through the day and often continue into the next day.

This means florists who prepare early and stay available capture the most orders.

Here’s how to get ready.

1. Plan for volume before the volume arrives

Valentine’s week moves fast. Florists who do best are the ones that prepare ahead of time, especially with stock, staff, and a focused assortment.

On Valentine’s Day, flower orders peak at 9:00 and stay high until 17:00, only slowing down when shops go offline or close early. Preparing early helps you keep up with this pace.

What helps most

• Keep your Valentine's offering small and easy to fulfill

• Order extra stock for roses, mixed bouquets, and tulips. These were the best-sellers last year. 

• Pre-assemble bouquets bases to move faster on February 14

• Turn on pre-orders early to shape demand — 30-40% of weekday flower orders were pre-orders last year.

“The best way to avoid cancellations is planning well in advance. We start with the products and make sure we order enough.”

— Jaana Myrttinen, owner of Kampin Kukka

Planning ahead helps keep that care and quality, even when things get hectic.

2. Keep cancellations low with clear item names and accurate photos

During Valentine’s week, customers decide quickly and rely heavily on what they see.

Clear item names and up-to-date photos help set the right expectations and reduce cancellations.

Quick tips

• Use descriptive names (e.g., “12 Red Roses” instead of “Romantic Bouquet”)

• Use photos that match what you can deliver that day

• Remove items if stock becomes unlimited

• Remember: substitutions are better than cancellations If an item sells out, replacing it with a similar flower helps avoid cancellations and helps the customer to still celebrate Valentine’s Day with flowers.

Small changes here can prevent last-minute issues and build trust when customers are ordering last-minute.

3. Make the day run smoothly by giving everyone a clear role

Shops run more smoothly when your team is trained and everyone knows exactly what they’re focusing on.

A setup that works well

• One person for bouquet assembly

• One person for finishing touches (cards, ribbons, wrapping)

• One person for handing orders to couriers

• One person for managing walk-ins

“On busy days, we always have one person dedicated only for Wolt orders.”

— Jaana Myrttinen, owner of Kampin Kukka

This keeps things flowing and avoids everyone crowding around the same table.

4. Use Wolt tools to stay in control when it gets busy

Demand builds quickly, sometimes up to 30-40% before the day itself and a massive spike on February 14th. Small adjustments in the Wolt Merchant Portal and App can help you keep the day running smoothly.

What helps most

• Adjust preparation time when demand spikes

• Turn on pre-orders to get ahead before opening

• Stay online and keep devices charged → florists who stayed available saw significantly more orders than those who went offline early.

• The moment an item sells out, mark it unavailable in the Merchant Portal. 

• Keep your device close and sound on so you don’t miss incoming orders

“When the notification rings, we run. It keeps us fast and focused.”

— Olga, florist at Kampin Kukka

Staying responsive helps you stay ahead instead of catching up.

5. Help customers find your Valentine’s bestsellers

In the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, customers order nearly five times more flowers. Highlighting your best items helps them choose quickly.

“Simple, beautiful bouquets sell best. Soft colours, pinks and reds, and roses are always a Valentine’s Day favourite.”

— Jaana Myrttinen, owner of Kampin Kukka

Best-selling flowers on Wolt

• Mixed bouquets

• Roses

• Tulips

Easy ways to guide customers

• Feature your top 2-3 bouquets

• Run ads and promotions on your bestsellers

• Increase basket size with add-ons (gift wrapping, gift cards, small add-ons) 

• Refresh names, photos, and descriptions

"A great Valentine’s bouquet is easy to make, made with fresh flowers, and beautiful. When the customer is happy, the florist is happy.”

— Jaana Myrttinen, owner of Kampin Kukka

Kampin Kukka saw a 58% sales increase from one Wolt+ campaign — proof that even a small push can help when customers are already in “buying mode”.