Manaus shoppers favor jewelry and last-minute Valentine's Day gifts

Jewelry had a clear role in Manaus’s Dia dos Namorados buying plans this year, not just as decoration but as the sort of gift that says the relationship is serious. In a survey by the Instituto Fecomércio de Pesquisas Empresariais do Amazonas and Fecomércio Amazonas, 96% of consumers said they planned to buy a gift, and 22% named accessories, jewelry or bijouteries as their preferred category.

The shopping pattern was just as telling. Most buyers were waiting until the last stretch: 62% said they would shop in the week of the holiday, and 13% would leave purchases for the eve of the date. The preference for in-person retail was equally strong, with 84% planning to buy in physical stores. Shopping centers led that preference at 40%, followed by downtown commerce in Centro de Manaus at 35%, a reminder that the city’s Valentine’s rush still belongs to mall corridors and street-level stores.

The survey, based on 1,323 valid interviews in Manaus after 1,380 approaches on April 9 and 10, 2026, put clothing and footwear first at 55%, followed by perfumes and cosmetics at 41%. Jewelry, accessories and bijouteries came next at 22%, which is the right place to read the local mood: not the biggest category, but the one with the sharpest signaling power. A necklace, ring or alliance-style piece does more than fill a gift box. It makes the relationship visible.

Budget expectations were tight but steady. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they intended to spend up to R$ 250, while 52% expected to spend about the same as last year, 22% planned to spend more and 17% said they would spend less. That mix points to a holiday where shoppers are being careful with cash, but not pulling back on the gesture itself.

A similar survey in 2025 showed the same direction, with more than 90% of consumers saying they planned to celebrate or give gifts. Perfumes and cosmetics led that year at 27%, and jewelry, bags and accessories were also among the items people remembered. This year’s numbers suggest jewelry has stayed in the conversation in Manaus because it carries more than style value. It is becoming one of the clearest ways to mark intent in public, and Fecomércio Amazonas said the data point to a favorable scenario for commerce and services in the capital.