Chris Morse, Head of Merchant Communications, PayPal

Vermonter and caring father, John Sortino dreamt up Vermont Teddy Bear in 1981, when he was surprised to see that none of his son’s teddy bears were made in the USA. Inspired to bring the American tradition back to its roots, he started hand making bears and selling them to family friends. Flash forward 30 years and 5 million bears later, Vermont Teddy Bear continues to fulfill Sortino’s legacy by handcrafting all of its 15-inch Bears in Vermont, USA - using the silkiest fur and softest faux-suede paw pads.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to say “I can’t bear to be without you” with a soft and silky Vermont Teddy Bear! This year, 25 percent of consumers plan to shop online for their special someone and mobile Valentine’s Day sales just reached a new high, acquiring 17.2 percent of total online sales, a 42.9 percent increase from 2013. To help get these bears in the arms of loved ones, Ryan Dahlstrom, Director of eCommerce with Vermont Teddy Bear turned to PayPal and share, “PayPal allows our customers to get through online checkout faster, safer and secure. Additionally, we are having great success using PayPal on our mobile site.” Nearly, 40 percent of the company’s yearly sales comes from Valentine’s Day. With the help of PayPal, the popular online teddy bear and gift store is converting sales into teddy bears.

Best known for their classic teddy bears, the company also enjoys creating fresh and unique offerings inspired by current pop culture and trends. Two of today’s hottest bears include the Zombie Love Bear and the cuddly Christian Grey stuffed bear timed to coincide with the widely anticipated release of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie. If you are looking to dominate your Valentine’s Day this year, skip the roses and send the limited-edition Fifty Shades of Grey, Christian Grey Bear and checkout with PayPal!