Consumers "Quality is poor compared to price" vs "Sharing the heart"
7 out of 10 adults feel fatigue from Valentine's Day and various anniversaries
58.8% say "It costs a lot and is a waste"
Experts "Consumers need wise spending"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] "Valentine's Day, isn't it just a commercial gimmick by companies?"
A(26), a first-year office worker, said this about Valentine's Day. A said, "I think holidays like Valentine's Day and White Day are just tricks by companies to make seasonal sales." A added, "Before these OO Days, various products are displayed in front of convenience stores and marts," and lamented, "Isn't it just about packaging them nicely and selling them at high prices?"
Today (the 14th), Valentine's Day is a day to give chocolates or similar gifts to friends you like or to your significant other. In addition, there are various commemorative days such as Samgyeopsal Day (March 3), White Day (March 14), Black Day (April 14), and Rose Day (May 14).
In particular, Valentine's Day is considered an important holiday along with White Day. Because of this, various marts and convenience stores compete to display and sell chocolates and candies.
The problem is that chocolates and candies are sold at prices higher than usual. Because of this, many people feel that so-called 'OO Days' are just commercial gimmicks.
According to a survey on the perception of 'Day (commemorative day) culture' conducted last year by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor on 1,000 men and women aged 13 to 59 nationwide, 80.4% of respondents said, "It seems like too many commemorative days have been popping up recently."
In particular, the positive response rate toward 'Day culture' was 42.9%, while negative responses were higher at 53.6%. Also, 60.2% responded that strategic 'Day culture' exploiting consumer spending tendencies should disappear.
Among them, 57.5% of respondents expressed concerns that this culture promotes materialism. Seven out of ten adults feel fatigued because of Valentine's Day and various commemorative days.
Another survey showed that many people regret celebrating various days.
According to a survey on 'Perceptions of Day Marketing' conducted by job portal JobKorea on 567 adults, 56.7% answered "Yes" to the question, "Have you ever regretted celebrating various days?"
Among the 267 respondents who said they regretted it, 58.8% said, "It cost a lot of money and was a waste." This was followed by 29.6% who said, "The quality of the purchased goods or services was not good," and 10.5% who said, "The recipient did not like it much."
In summary, more than half of those who celebrated various days have experienced regret. The causes were cited as economic burden and service quality.
Some voices of dissatisfaction include, "Even though it's only once a year, the prices are too high," "The expensive chocolates I bought taste no different from cheap products," and "It's a commercial gimmick exploiting people's feelings."
University student B(25) said, "I prepared chocolates and candies as gifts for my girlfriend for Valentine's Day," adding, "Nowadays, people prepare gifts for every famous day. So, while I celebrate these days, the prices are burdensome."
Office worker C(27) said, "I usually give gifts to my colleagues on OO Days, but I often feel the prices are higher than usual," and added, "Even though it's only once a year, people like me who celebrate famous commemorative days inevitably feel the burden."
On the other hand, there are quite a few consumers who are positive about various commemorative days, saying things like, "It's only once a year, so what's the harm?" or "If you don't like it, you don't have to buy."
Office worker D(29) said, "Isn't it okay to buy some chocolates on Valentine's Day?" and added, "Friends and family are busy buying gifts for each other, so there aren't many opportunities to express feelings, but commemorative days are a good chance to give gifts and talk." He also said, "Prices may be somewhat high, but I think it's a cost that can be spent once or twice."
Experts advise that wise consumer spending is necessary on commemorative days like Valentine's Day.
Professor Lee Eunhee of the Department of Consumer Studies at Inha University analyzed, "From the consumer's perspective, because Valentine's Day is a special holiday, people tend to pay high prices thinking they should spend it specially. In a capitalist society, we often express the emotions we value through material things."
Professor Lee advised, "Nevertheless, the products bought on commemorative days are just mediums to convey emotions. Consumers need to distinguish between the medium and the essence and practice wise spending without excessive expenditure."
She continued, "From the supplier's perspective, special days are needed to open consumers' wallets, so they tend to emphasize these days. However, it is unfortunate to see these commemorative days, which mediate precious human emotions, merely as a means to increase sales. Honest sales efforts are also necessary."
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