Kazakh women reselling Valentine’s Day bouquets and gifts online

Tengrinews.kz – Just days after Valentine’s Day, classified ad platforms in Kazakhstan have been flooded with listings for second-hand bouquets and gifts.
Social media was filled with lavish floral arrangements on February 14, but now many of these bouquets are up for sale under 'Urgent' listings, often marked as 'used but fresh'.
For example, a woman in Almaty listed 33 roses for 15,000 tenge, stating she’s open to negotiations. Another seller in Taraz is offering 'yesterday’s flowers' for the same price, while in Semey, a classic 101-rose bouquet is being resold for 50,000 tenge, with an option to purchase roses individually.

But flowers aren’t the only items hitting resale platforms. Many women are also selling gift certificates to beauty salons, cosmetics stores, and even luxury hotel stays in the mountains.

The trend has sparked heated debates on social media, especially in Threads, where users are speculating on why so many women are reselling their gifts.
Some believe that women buy the bouquets themselves just for aesthetic Instagram posts, only to sell them later:

"I think the girls selling bouquets actually bought them themselves for social media. Otherwise, why would anyone sell gifted flowers? Even if they’re from someone you don’t like - it’s not the flowers’ fault!"

Another user personally investigated the situation by calling the sellers:

"I got curious and called some of them. A few admitted that no one actually gave them flowers - they bought them just for Instagram. Some even had receipts and chat logs proving they placed the orders themselves."

Others speculate that influencers receive bouquets from their followers, only to resell them for extra profit:

"Many Instagram girls have large male followings. These guys send them flowers and gifts, which they then flip for cash. Makes sense, right?"

Some users predict that the same trend will repeat after International Women's Day on March 8, with perfumes, gift cards, and more appearing in resale listings.
However, not everyone finds the trend amusing. Many users believe it devalues the meaning of gifts and romantic gestures, turning acts of affection into transactional exchanges.