Real roses covered with chocolate and roses with perfumed soap are among the special items selling well in major cities ahead of the International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.

Business has been brisk for the last few days at all shops selling flowers, jewellery, clothes or household commodities.

Flower prices, especially of roses, have risen sharply and florists are kept busy throughout the day.

Sales people say this year has seen a larger variety of rose-related gift items.

Roses made with perfumed soap are popular because they are fragrant and long-lasting, they say. A small bunch of soap-roses cost between 350,000 VND and 500,000 VND (17.50-20 USD).

Imported from the Netherlands, roses covered with chocolate have proved quite popular.

Nguyen Thi Van – employee of Flower Box in Ho Chi Minh City, said the chocolate layer doesn't make petals lose their freshness, and do not melt easily.

"We began receiving many orders for this gift several days earlier," she said.

Mini bonsai planted in glass pots are hot items, with young men buying them for their wives or girlfriends, as are gift cards of various kinds including those providing access to swimming pools and spa services.

All gift items of all price ranges seem to be selling well, from a simple glass or a pillow to expensive smart phones.

This year, beside gifts that can be bought directly at shops, several services are being offered in the market, including the sending of "beautiful and meaningful poems" to women through mobile phones.

Several shops and centres in the city have opened classes teaching interested people the art of making cards, ribbons and bracelets.

Since the International Women's Day falls on a weekend this year, several tourism companies are offering tours with special discounts. Many men have also offered their beloved women swimming cards, and spa salons.

In the capital city, the event is being marked by several concerts.

Loi Yeu Thuong (Love Words) will be held at 8pm at the Hanoi Opera House on the night of March 7-8. Well-known singer Bang Kieu and his peers will perform songs of love and friendship at the Cultural Friendship Palace in Hanoi.

Comedies telling the stories of women and couples are also set to entertain the public on this occasion.

Retailers offer attractive discounts for Women's Day

Stores in the southern economic and business hub, Ho Chi Minh City, have announced attractive promotions to celebrate International Women's Day (March 8).

The French-owned supermarket chain Big C has launched a special programme at its 30 supermarkets called "Ton vinh ve dep Viet" (honouring Vietnamese beauty).

Under the programme, more than 1,000 items from 200 suppliers, including cosmetics, fashion, and accessories, will be discounted between 5 percent and 49 percent, together with a range of gifts on offer, until March 16.

Female customers will also be offered free consultations on makeup, skincare and hair-care and have a chance to win valuable gifts from a lucky draw.

Similarly, Co-opmart supermarkets and Co-op Xtra Thu Duc are offering discounts on thousands of products and will present 83,000 vouchers and 830,000 interesting gifts to female shoppers on March 8.

The Korean supermarket chain Lotte Mart is also discounting products up to 49 percent on 1,000 items, including cosmetics and clothes, until March 16. It will present roses to the first 1,000 female customers on March 8.

Its lucky draw will provide customers a chance to win a free one-year shopping promotion at Lotte Mart. Metro Cash & Carry is offering discounts of up to 49 percent on hundreds of products along with attached gifts until March 11.

On March 7 and 8, Da Lat roses will sell for only 8,900 VND each at Metro. Other supermarkets like Maximark and Vinatexmart have also cut prices on hundreds of products.

Fashion and cosmetics shops along Nguyen Trai Street in District 5, and Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Le Van Sy streets in District 3, are decked out with promotion banners, hoping to benefit from the shopping frenzy.

Thien Hoa Electronics Supermarket has slashed prices up to 48 percent on electronics, refrigerators, household utensils, digital products and others. Premium porcelain cups will be presented to female shoppers on March 7 and 8.

A wide range of household appliances and electronic products and equipments are also on discount of up to 50 percent at Nguyen Kim Electronics Supermarket.

Jewelry companies such as SJC and PNJ have introduced new collections as well as launch attractive promotions. A variety of flowers are available in the market, including imported ones.

According to sellers at traditional markets and flower shops, flower prices have increased by 10-20 percent compared to normal time, and are expected to increase further on holiday.

Special gifts for women’s day booming in HCM City

Shops in HCM City are racing to meet expected high demand for special gifts for International Women’s Day on March 8.

Chocolate-covered roses, imported from the Netherlands by Flower Box Co. especially for International Women's Day, are a new addition to the gift range, on offer at VND250,000 a stem in the HCM City flower market, which expects to blossom with business.

Several shops in HCM City are selling clay gifts cast to order, such as hearts or cakes or vases, or a customer can make their own gift. Another unusual medium is using different types of beans to make vivid pictures.

One unique gift that continues to be popular is silk underwear, that looks like roses on a bush until they are unfolded. Prices range from VND40,000-120,000. But many shops in HCM City report they have sold out of this unusual item.

VNA/VOV