A few days before Valentine’s Day, many of them have thought of offering a weekend/stay box to their better half. Not to mention that they can also enjoy each other’s gift! Moreover, according to Wonderbox, 70% of buyers are buyers, aged 20 to 45, who offer a box to their spouse or family.
But it is clear that since the beginning of the health crisis, this type of present is less often offered. “Compared to 2019, sales of gift sets fell by 32% in 2020, and by 11% in 2021”, explains Fabrice Lépine, General Manager of Wonderbox. The decline is more evident when focusing on in-store sales, with “45% decline in 2020, and 18% in 2021”. However, sales of box sets on the Internet have never faltered. “We observed growth in 2020 of 40% compared to 2019, and growth in 2021 of 30% compared to 2020”, notes Fabrice Lépine. This trend is confirmed by Stéphanie Bodak, testifying to a “change in purchasing behavior with the development of online purchases”. For Guy Raffour, Director of the Raffour interactive marketing research firm and tourism expert, the use of holiday gift boxes was “not suitable for this period of a pandemic”. Consumers were hesitant to invest in a box “in the medium and long term”, because of poor visibility.
“People are looking for the countryside, the mountains, to get away from city centers”
But the situation could change in the coming months, with the Covid epidemic ranging perhaps give the French a little respite, by giving them back the traveling fiber. And the weekend/holiday gift box market in France could once again ride a wave of buyers looking for a new way to spend their days off. “We have noticed a great appeal of stays with an Unusual theme. In the top 10 of sales, three of the products are, such as nights in yurts, tepees, trailers, cabins…”, explains Stéphanie Bodak, chief brand officer at Smartbox. “The number 1 box in sales, before the first wave of coronavirus and after the fourth wave, are the nights in cabins, yurts, transparent bubbles…”, confirms Fabrice Lépine. “We go to places where we are not forced because we want to go out, change our minds and be independent; the priorities have changed”, explains Guy Raffour. Along with these trends, the call of the wild is also being felt. “People are looking for the countryside, the mountains, to get away from city centers,” adds the tourism expert.
As for destinations, the Wonderbox group claims that 95% of sales of gift boxes relate to trips to France. And unsurprisingly, it is the French regions where the fauna and flora abound that are acclaimed. Those also where the French are most likely to find tranquility. “The entire western facade, Normandy, Brittany, as far as Aquitaine, is very popular,” comments Fabrice Lépine. Just like New Aquitaine, or Auvergne”. Regions, such as Normandy or Brittany, which are still attractive to Parisians, being “in the area 2-3 hours from Paris”, adds the General Manager of Wonderbox. “In 2020, we also released a very regional range, which we reinforced in 2021, noting the enthusiasm for local tourism”.
Leaving to meet
Beyond the choice of destination, the French are also looking for opportunities to get together and have fun. ” There is a vital need to leave,” explains Guy Raffour. Indeed, “spending time with their family, going to a restaurant and going away for a weekend are the top 3 things that the French most want to do after Covid-19”, according to Stéphanie Durak. To meet this demand, an “all-inclusive stay” box was launched in October 2021 by Wonderbox, offering “the night, breakfast, catering and activity”, according to its Managing Director. Smartbox, meanwhile, has developed its “gourmet stays” range, including “stay and wine tasting”.
And for those who have not yet been able to take advantage of their box because of the Covid-19, do not panic, since the two groups confirm that they are flexible as to the validity periods. “Having seen more requests for extension of validity, we have shown flexibility and adjusted our conditions”, assures Stéphanie Bodak. As for Wonderbox, Fabrice Lépine guarantees that customers “can have a box that is 10 years old in their hands”.