Twenty-three percent of consumers plan to shop online for Valentine’s Day gifts, with 9 percent indicating they will spend more money online compared to last year. This represents an increase in online shoppers over the 2009 Valentine’s Day holiday. Further, the majority of consumers will shop for gifts other than the traditional flowers and chocolates.

This is according to the eBillme Online Spending Index, a quarterly survey conducted by Javelin Strategy and Research. The Index polls 1,200 consumers to measure projected online spending for the quarter and the influencing factors. According to the Q1 Index, consumers plan to spend an average of $236 online, which is in line with spending levels from Q1 2009.

This quarter, consumers were also asked if they have decided what purchases they will make for Valentine’s Day. Overall, 47 percent of respondents do not know what to purchase for their loved ones.

- Fifty percent of males are unsure about Valentines Day gifts for her.

- Forty-five percent of females are unsure about Valentines Day gifts for him.

- Consumers who are married or living with their partners responded with more uncertainty.

- Consumers become more certain about what to purchase with age. Consumers 65 years old and over responded with more certainty than consumers in the younger demographics.

“Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for retailers to build on holiday sales,” says Samer Forzley, Vice President of Marketing for eBillme. “The number of consumers planning to shop online for Valentine’s gifts and spend more than last year is encouraging news for the eCommerce industry. It’s interesting to see that consumers are looking towards more non-traditional gifts this year but are still in the dark about they will be purchasing. For e-tailers, this means there is still time to market and capture these undecided sales.”