While there’s definitely a very vocal anti-Valentine’s day group, for many it’s as good an excuse as any to give thoughtful, loving gifts. If you’re in the gift-givers’ camp it’s time to get those gifts sorted – and what better way than with online shopping, away from the harried crowds? We’ve put together a list of online shops that deliver either regionally or across South Africa and that cover a wide range of gifts, from the obvious (but always welcome!) chocolates and flowers to the more inventive raw superfoods and extra-sharp knives.

Johannesburg

Cupcake Boutique
Choose from decadent favourites like Lindt, Ferrero Rocher and Black Forest flavoured cupcakes or have them custom-made to suit your occasion.

Geldhof Chocolatier
Order Belgian chocolate in the form of elegant truffles, ganache logs or nut-topped dark chocolate squares, amongst others. They offer beautiful individual boxes with stripes and polka dots filled with your choice of chocolate.

Sharp Edge
Everything you might need to chop, slice, cut, peel and mash in the kitchen.

Cape Town

Ethical Co-op
Ethically and organically grown produce and other organic products are delivered on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

The Rose Café
Buy long-stemmed roses in a riot of colours, beautifully wrapped.

eBooze
Wine (including some organic wines), beer, cider and other alcoholic beverages delivered to your door within an hour. There's also a handy gift card system if you're treating someone.

Winelands

Flowers in the Foyer
Choose from a wide variety of arrangements, or select your own personalised bunch of blooms.

Okasie
Order the favourites plus exotic blooms like gardenias, celosias, hydrangeas and dahlias grown by the owners themselves.

Garden Route

Your Green Box
Browse through a variety of organic goods, green cleaning products and environmentally friendly toiletries.

Countrywide

Cookbooks

Kalahari 
Thousands of books on all topics, including a variety of cookbooks.

Loot
A vast selection of books related to food and drink.

Deli Diletto
Bulk deli products including various fresh pastas and brands like Eat Art, Feast de Renaissance, Khoisan Salt, Rozendal Vinegars, Ukuva iAfrika, Nomu and more.

Eco-friendly/health-conscious

Faithful to Nature
Organic food, growing seeds, supplements, and much more delivered to you.

Fresh Earth
Organic, eco-friendly, health-focused food and groceries, supplements and remedies.

Greenlove
Organic, all-natural, additive-free food and groceries, body care, home care and home accessories.

Rawlicious
Raw superfoods such as goji berries, cacao powder, maca powder, hemp seeds and more, as well as supplements, equipments and books on raw food and superfoods.

Wellness Warehouse
Organic food products, supplements, baby food and more.

Exotica

Chefs Warehouse Kitchen equipment, ingredients and miscellaneous foodie goods.

Main Ingredient
Gourmet foods, ingredients and fine wines.

Flowers

Flowers on Kensington
Bunches of flowers, plants, baskets and gift hampers.

Petals and Twigs
Blooms, arrangements, gift hampers and wedding flowers.

Teleflorist
Bunches, baskets, vases and plants, delivered countrywide and abroad.

Kitchen tools

The Baking Tin
Specialist baking ingredients, bulk chocolate, baking accessories, ready-made icing and decorations.

Banks Cookware, bakeware, chef’s clothing, crockery, cutlery, knives, cooking appliances and gadgets.

Chefs Warehouse Kitchen equipment, ingredients and miscellaneous foodie goods.

Yuppiechef
Cookware, tools, knives, appliances, bakeware, bar and wine supplies, coffee and tea accessories, cookbooks and tableware.

Le Creuset
Beautiful stoneware and crockery.

Other/gifts

2 Give
Snack and gourmet hampers.

BiltongSA
Baskets made to order from a selection of biltong, droëwors, snacks, and biltong accessories.

Gift Day
Champagne, gourmet hampers, chocolates, whiskey and picnic baskets.

Gift Lady
Flowers, nuts, biltong and chocolate.

Olives South Africa
Table olives, olive oil and related food products, nuts, olive oil-based body care products, gift boxes and olive-based health supplements.

Send Gifts Home
Make up your own gift hamper from a selection of coffee, wine, whiskey, and more.

UK Emporium
Groceries imported from the UK such as HobNob biscuits and Minstrels.

Sweet stuff

The Chocolate Tier
Buy chocolate truffle gift boxes and other treats like chocolate-covered espresso beans.

zChocolat.com
Fine French chocolates in hand-picked selections beautifully packaged according to your specifications and delivered via DHL.

Tea and coffee

Kupa Coffee
Good quality coffee and exotically flavoured teas.

Peacock Tea and Coffee
A variety of flavoured and plain teas and coffees, and coffee accessories.

Wine Cyber Cellar
Wine, mixed cases and gift vouchers.

eWine
A selection of wine, whiskey, beer, spirits and mixed cases.

GetWine
Labelled and unlabelled bottles, imported and local offerings, mixed cases, vouchers, personalised labels, whisky, brandy, gin, vodka, rum and gifts.

WineWeb
Kosher wine, organic wine, alcohol-free drinks and brandy.

By Emma-Kate Liebenberg

Photograph: Todor Tsvetkov