(10 February 2016) A shared experience tops the Valentine's Day wish list this year. Some would opt for a cruise as the perfect way to spend the day of love, but a majority would be perfectly happy with a less extravagant day at a spa for two.

This is according to a mini survey South African online marketplace bobshop conducted in the first half of February 2016.

In many countries around the world, Valentine's Day is one of the commercially most prolific annual events. That is when people spend millions on flowers, chocolates, perfumes, and similar romantic gifts.

Both the results of the survey and the February shopping patterns on the site confirm that Bob Shopers do not scorn traditional Valentine's Day gifts. The sale of cute stuffed teddies, red lingerie and a variety of heart-shaped jewellery items has gone up, says Bob Shop Marketing Manager Joni Calitz and adds:

"We also noticed an uptake in the sale of products that sellers had the foresight to advertise as Valentine's Day specials, including fragrances, shaving kits, watches, photo frames, music CDs, hair accessories and books of love poetry, among others".

By chance or not, hundreds of rings, most of them quite suitable for the role of engagement rings, were sold on Bob Shop in the weeks leading to Valentine's. While it is true that several survey participants, male as well as female, refuted the notion of Valentine's Day as the right time to pop the question, it is likely that 14 February will see more than a few newly engaged couples.

And do not expect the men to go dropping on one knee: according to tradition in many countries, women are the ones that do the proposing in a leap year.