Etsy · Seasonal
Valentine's Day Trends for Etsy Sellers
Josie Haslam
January 9, 2023
5 min read
As the Christmas period comes to an end, both shoppers and Etsy sellers turn their attention to the next big seasonal event: Valentine's Day on 14th February. For shoppers, it's a chance to gift personalised items to their nearest and dearest — for Etsy sellers, it's a terrific sales opportunity.
$23.9B
Expected Valentine's Day spending — up +9.6% YoY from the previous year.
These trends and tips will help you make the most of the first big sales opportunity of the year.
Valentine's Day on Etsy: What shoppers want
Put yourself in your customers' shoes. Significant others aren't the only ones getting special gifts — whether it's friends, kids, pets or self-gifting, your customers are looking beyond just one present for one person.
According to Etsy's Marketplace Insights, 'Valentine day gift' was a top search among male shoppers in early 2022. Etsy data also suggests that many Valentine's Day shoppers will opt for "simplified romance" — classic jewellery and meaningful DIY keepsakes — while others will go all-out with maximalist colour palettes including neon pinks, deep lavenders, sunflower yellows, and iridescent tones.
Key Trends
Classic jewellery and meaningful DIY keepsakes are growing in popularity. Shoppers want something genuine over something flashy.
+30%
YoY searches for "chrome heart ring"
For customers who prefer to go all-out: neon pinks, deep lavenders, sunflower yellows, and iridescent tones are all trending this Valentine's.
Searches peak in late January/early February, but many shoppers don't actually buy until early–mid February. Consider 'print at home' cards and downloadable artwork.
There's a huge shift toward celebrating platonic relationships. Cards for coworkers, housemates and single friends are on the rise — broaden your targeting.
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Personalisation is everything
Custom-made keepsakes have steadily become one of the most popular Valentine's searches on Etsy. Include the term "personalised" in your listings wherever you can offer it — it's one of the most effective ways to convert search into sales in the weeks running up to Valentine's Day.
Top tips for preparing your Etsy shop
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Offer a Valentine's discount
Motivate customers with an additional discount — Etsy tends to favour shops that offer seasonal incentives. Offer a special discount on specific products or shop-wide, typically 10–30% off.
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Create a dedicated Valentine's collection
Customers want you to make life easier for them. Create targeted gift collections like "Valentine's gifts for her" or "Valentine's gifts for him" — and make them easy to find. Here are the top Valentine's search terms on Etsy:
valentine's gift
Valentine's
valentine's love
valentine's decor
gift for him
valentine's kids
gift personalized
valentine's card
valentine's day decor
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Make them swoon with your photos
Don't leave it up to shoppers' imaginations — highlight gift potential by showing your products in a gifting context. High-quality photos go a long way to emphasising an item's quality as a Valentine's gift.
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Use recipient keywords in your tags
Always include important recipient keywords in your listing titles and tags. Think beyond 'husband' or 'girlfriend' — include friends, workmates, pets and self-gifting to cast a wider net.
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Spotlight your key products
Highlight bestsellers or brand new designs in your Featured Listings section on Etsy — this points buyers to the right place when they're searching for Valentine's gifts.
How to enable personalisation on Etsy
Simply toggle 'Personalisation' on when editing or creating a listing, leave instructions for shoppers, and they'll be required to add their personalisation details before checkout. Use bulk edit to enable personalisation across multiple listings at once.
Is your Etsy store ready for the year's first major shopping event? Put these tips and trends into action and make the most of Valentine's Day as an Etsy seller.