Valentine’s Day has become a staple for taking time to celebrate new and growing relationships. The WhatsYourPrice team surveyed more than 100,000 members sitewide to hear their candid thoughts on Valentine’s Holiday gift-giving.

Out of the 50 U.S. States, only seven contain men who give the gifts that female members in their respective areas wish to receive. The results revealed an astonishing 86% disparity between what male members were giving and what female members were desiring.

To further reveal the giving habits of WhatsYourPrice members, we uncovered  exactly what male members were giving and their intentions in giving it, as well as some socio-economic factors that may have helped shape their often-misguided decisions.

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Income

As we all know, people have to give within their means. This often equates to a gift card versus keys to a brand-spankin’-new car. Or a hot home-cooked meal rather than a two-carat diamond ring. These are very different levels of gift, the primary difference being  what the gift-giver can afford.

Our survey revealed that gifts fall within the following major categories: jewelry, lingerie, flowers, chocolates, perfume, stuffed animals, gift cards, and homemade goods. All of these items appeared in different clusters of popularity across the United States.

Within these categories of items, we found that members in the income bracket of $40k or less were most likely to gift jewelry to their special someone. Those in the $40k to $70k, $70k to $100k, and $100k to $1 million income brackets were all more likely to give flowers than jewelry to their special someones. It’s interesting to note, and certainly counterintuitive, that those making substantially higher income were much more likely to give flowers opposed to costly presents such as jewelry. Those on the lower end of the income scale (though certainly not lesser than) were most likely to give pricey gifts such as jewelry— which women claimed they desire.

Age

The next point of data that we explored were the age brackets of male gift-givers. Although the popular phrase “age is just a number” can be true in many cases, there’s a clear sense of refinement coming from the aging gift-giver.

Men in the 20 to 35 age range were more likely to give sexy lingerie to their partners. This is a gift that, while certainly fun, is sexually suggestive and clearly speaks to what could lie within one’s own steamy desires. Only four of the 50 states reported that  ladies were content with such a gift.

Next up were gents in the 36 to 50 and 51 to 69 ranges. Our middle-aged and “silver fox” age groups have an eye for presenting their ladies fresh flowers. This preference was shared with women from only five U.S. states. This is an improvement compared with the four states preferring lingerie, but not by much.

Lastly, our male members in the 70+ age bracket seem to have perfected their gift-giving skills over the years. These members overwhelmingly opt to give jewelry to their significant other, regardless of their income bracket. Women in 20 U.S. states shared this preference followed by Gift Cards narrowly trailing 19 U.S. states.

The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants

If you’re undecided on what to get your lovely someone, go for the bling. You don’t necessarily have to go all out on a diamond ring. Think simple: a lovely set of pearl earrings, her birthstone as a pair of studs, a simple charm necklace, or perhaps a nice bracelet. These are simple gifts that can be worn daily, so each time she gazes at herself in the mirror, there’s a shiny symbol of your love for her to see.

We at WhatsYourPrice also know that everyone’s relationship is different. There are obviously ladies out there who appreciate simpler gifts such as flowers or something homemade. Ultimately, take time to learn about your partner. And if all else fails, maybe ask her what she wants.

How do you express affection on Valentine’s Day?