The global pleasure products industry has had to face several unexpected road-blocks this year due to the pandemic, but nevertheless, international business has forged ahead as consumer demand skyrocketed around the world.
The month of October is typically the time of the year when the pleasure products market especially shines with Germany’s trade fair eroFame usually wrapping up the year’s B2B events having followed the annual XBIZ Retreat in Berlin. With in-person events still not deemed completely safe, trade shows are just a fraction of the impact that COVID-19 has had on the industry.
It’s a great moment to speak out loud what we defend, and show to the world what this industry is really about.
This rollercoaster year has seen online and in-store sales of pleasure products soar after various periods of closures and safety restrictions that affected production and shipping — particularly overseas.
While manufacturers and retailers here in the U.S. have re-started their operations in an attempt to get business back to normal within the past couple of months, COVID-19 has created challenges when it comes to international commerce and manufacturing that many companies are still dealing with.
“The hardest part has been logistics and stocking,” said Rebecca Pinette-Dorin, EXSENS’ North American sales manager. “With shipping dominated by masks, scrubs and hand sanitizer, it was hard to get product on boats and airplanes. The demand for product did not go down — if anything it increased by leaps and bounds, but stocking enough product to meet demand was difficult.”
Danny Garrett, the CEO of Oxnard, California-based The Enhanced Male, says that the international demand for his company’s products has been mixed. “We have seen a down-trend in sales from some European countries while others have boomed out of nowhere,” he said. Nevertheless, getting the products to the yearning customers in these times of the pandemic is proving to be more trouble than it’s worth.
“There is a ton of demand in the international marketplace but the reality is, for most retailers, the amount of issues caused by the shipping companies makes it not worth the sale,” Garrett said. “Delivery times have gone from a week to over three months. In many cases, the products never make it to the customers at all. We are seeing issues from FedEx, DHL, UPS and the biggest culprit is the USPS.”
Although COVID-19 has created ongoing problems with production, such as delays, increases in shipping costs and other roadblocks affecting entire supply chains, Lisa Sananes, the CEO at Gisele International and part of the Lora DiCarlo sales force, says that the global pandemic has been unpredictable — yet has had an overall positive effect on the adult retail industry.
“It seems like the demand for sexual wellness products has been increasing and new opportunities have arisen,” she said. “This ‘pause’ moment in everyone’s lives re-centered their purposes in what really matters: having a home and not just a house, having someone to love and actually live this love, having the time and taking the time. As a result, we noticed a re-focus on sexuality and sexual wellness products. At the same time, people are claiming their rights for pleasure, equality and sexual freedom like never before, so it’s also a great moment to speak out loud what we defend and show to the world what this industry is really about.”
Although the pandemic has created an opportunity for sextech brand Lovense to thrive — particularly because of the Bluetooth connectivity of their products that might come in particularly handy during social distancing — Dan Liu, the company’s CEO, says that “the pandemic has certainly disrupted the global supply chain, and to some extent, affected all participants in the production chain.”
“The closure of plants, factories, stores and entertainment sites, as well as quarantined areas, has changed even the basic functions of life,” he said. “In addition, the measures taken by governments has had a negative impact on people's financial well-being, which has changed the picture of demand in almost all areas of business.”
Citing the dip in sales in March and April that was felt by manufacturers and adult retailers around the world, Mike Zuevskiy, who handles international business development for Gvibe, said the company saw some improvement in May and June. Still, Zuevskiy says that the future is still uncertain.
“I think we can talk about a small recovery today,” he said. “I'm not sure about the terms, moreover, we hear warnings about second wave [of COVID-19] and other shakeups almost every day, but are hoping for good Christmas sales.”
With consumers at home and shopping online, Lovely Planet Sales Director Anne Meunier says that there was an increase in demand for pleasure products, while most retailers were focused on selling off their existing inventory. She says that this may have led to the overexposure of certain products, which is putting pressure on the manufacturer to introduce new products into the marketplace.
“Now the consumers want to see something new that keeps bringing fun into their routine,” she said. “So pleasure professionals are feeling the demand for new products from their customers. The market is completely boosted by the need for play, love and recreation.”
Lovehoney Sales Executive Jade Bawa also praises the pandemic’s positive impact on sales, although admits that there is still some adapting to be done.
“These changes the pandemic has brought have meant the way people are able to buy and explore sex toys has changed, too,” she said. “For instance, whereas before customers could handle testers in-store to get a feel for the products, there is now a current restriction on testers being on display in stores.
“On a positive note, it has been uplifting to see retailers use different avenues to keep customers engaged and encourage sales post-COVID,” she continued. “For example, the importance of social media marketing has grown considerably as social media usage has risen, as well as embracing drop-off deliveries and collection offerings.”
While sales may have transferred from brick-and-mortar to online, in many parts of the world such as Western Europe, North America, India and Australia, many brands have reported record quarters in terms of sales. Samir Saraiya, the CEO of Mumbai-based ThatsPersonal.com — an online retailer and distributor for multiple e-commerce portals and e-pharmacies in India as well as offline through partnerships with select pharmacy chains and retailers — says that the industry is in an upswing.
“The global pandemic has been a boon for certain industries and the ‘pleasure product’ industry is one of them,” he said. “Consumer research tells us that there has been a re-prioritization of disposable income, where consumers are spending more on household products like food, drink, kitchenware and home entertainment and less on traditional expenses like restaurants and traveling. This change in consumer behavior has helped the industry grow as there has been an influx of new first-time customers as well as a significant rise in repeat customers who are getting more adventurous by experimenting with different products and brands. I believe this momentum is here to stay and the road ahead looks positive.”
Vanessa Rose, a sex coach in training and the content lead and product expert for Australia-based Wild Secrets, shared the grim details of the impact of COVID-19 on the country’s economy — which plunged into its first recession in almost 30 years.
“Widespread business shutdowns have taken a toll despite actions by the government and central bank to support the economy, and with a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of many,” Rose said. “The economy was deemed in recession following two consecutive quarters of negative growth.”
According to Rose, while there’s been a severe contraction in household spending on goods and services, the adult goods industry has been weathering the storm.
“It’s a bright star in gloomy skies, so much so that many adult stores have experienced record growth since coronavirus took hold,” she said.
“With some Australian state governments imposing among the world’s harshest COVID-19 restrictions, citizens have been prohibited from leaving their homes for all but a handful of reasons for most of 2020. This has resulted in a faster migration to online spending, mainly driven by consumers who have been able to maintain their household income.”
Rose is hopeful that consumers will continue to want to invest in pleasure products after the pandemic, however only time will tell.
“This will take time and it is impossible to predict if the adult goods marketplace will continue its upward trajectory once infection rates fall and restrictions on socializing are eased,” she said. “However, if history has taught us anything it’s that one sex toy purchase usually leads to more.”
Sales of pleasure products are booming worldwide amidst the pandemic — and while suppliers are happy about the demand, there are various other issues that have arisen due to this unprecedented global crisis.
“COVID-19 has presented a myriad of headaches, spanning from supply chain issues resulting in unusually long delays in our ability to maintain our stock levels to be able to keep up with this growing demand of products as a manufacturer/supplier, to processing order ‘woes’ as pending orders and back-orders continue to pile up higher and deeper,” said Michelle Marcus, VP of sales and merchandising for Sliquid. “All have presented a trickle-down effect of growing frustrations beginning within our own four walls that carries across both the distributors and retailers alike. Safe to say, everyone is bursting at the seams in the long-awaited anticipation of stocking shelves to keep the wheels turning and forging ahead!”
Pandemic aside, the global adult retail industry has gotten stronger with more brands successfully crossing over into new territories. According to Svakom Sales Manager Alexandro Feynerol, over the past two years, the international industry has quickly developed.
“ A lot of brands that geographically wouldn’t even have been able to be considered in the American market now are able to enter and join the competition, offering more diversity to the catalog of products produced,” he said.
Global Regions on the Rise
Pandemic or not, pleasure products brands still have their sights set on achieving global success by targeting regions all around the world. Through the support of distributors, along with an internet-savvy team, manufacturers can reach new untapped territories.
“Social media and a good website go a long way in reaching hard-to-reach markets — like the Emirates, for example,” Exsens’ Rebecca Pinette-Dorin said. “But distributors are super-important for markets that are far from home like South Africa or Australia, or have a language barrier like Asia.”
She adds, “Distributors are essential for reaching smaller clients who cannot afford to pay duty or deal with fluctuating currency exchange rates. They should earn their margins by helping brands provide training and marketing that is right for their sector.”
According to Svakom’s Alexandro Feynerol, he prefers to hone in on an international market and focus on it until he’s conquered it. “This year, I’m going to dedicate most of my time to growing Svakom’s Mexican, Canadian and Chilean markets,” he said.
Among the most targeted markets for pleasure products suppliers are North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, among others — pretty much covering the entire globe. Lovely Planet’s Anne Meunier says that the France-based wholesaler is focused on “the U.S., Russia and in Asia — South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong — and Australia.”
According to Meunier, the key to international success is offering the quality and uniqueness in product design that transcends language barriers — noting that consumers and distributors can immediately “spot the difference between a sourced product and unique, innovative product quality.” She said that offering the latter can “open doors” for brands.
Lisa Sananes offered a detailed look at Lora DiCarlo’s strategic approach to international business. In the company’s core and native market, North America, Lora DiCarlo is focusing on “supporting our B2B partners that have been impacted strongly by the crisis, [and] support our community like never before, and continue to be vocal about the values we believe in.”
In Europe, where Lora DiCarlo sees a lot of its online traffic originating from, Sananes said that the company will “rely on our B2B partners over there to provide the best consumer experience possible.” In Australia, Lora DiCarlo has a warehouse and a localized website for B2C customers, and the company also is now starting with a distributor there to serve its B2B customers. Sananes says that Lora DiCarlo is saving Latin America and Asia-Pacific opportunities for 2021. “Slowly but surely, those are markets that highly interest [us], but require more effort and investigation to develop well,” she said.
Finding international partners can come about in a number of ways. Michelle Marcus, VP of sales and merchandising for Sliquid, said that on several occasions, international customers will reach out to manufacturers based on the demand from their customers.
“However, if there happens to be a specific international market on our target list, there will either be a cold call prospect outreach to initiate the sales process or to seek a recommendation from a fellow manufacturer with a high success rate of doing business with a particular wholesaler or distributor in that market,” she said. “Distributors may play a key role in servicing a specific market that is completely unfamiliar to us as the manufacturer, yet they have a partnership in place making the probability of brand representation a possibility without much time involved in the build-out of the relationship.”
Gvibe’s Mike Zuevskiy says that most distributors will do their best to try to assist the brands that they work with in reaching new unfamiliar markets — particularly if the distributors are fans of the brand. “If distributors like your brand, you're sitting pretty,” he said, noting that distributors often support brands by organizing “common promo activity focused on the increase of your brand awareness.”
Honey’s Place, a 25-year-old Southern California-based distributor, is well known for its expansive selection of products from brands all over the world. Kyle Tutino, the company’s purchasing director, offered her suggestions on what an international based brand should consider to ensure their success in the U.S.
“Does the brand have a marketing plan for the U.S.? How will buyers know who they are? Will they be advertising in the adult trade magazines? Will they be attending virtual trade shows,” she said, adding that having a U.S.-based rep makes a difference — especially if they’re available for store trainings. Similarly, having a warehouse within the same region is appealing for buyers.
Rather than working with distributors, The Enhanced Male’s Danny Garrett says that his company is actively reaching international audiences on its own.
“We attribute our international growth to our local SEO efforts combined with heavy advertising to specific regions,” he said. Among the regions that Garrett says he is working on are Canada, and the northern European markets.
“We were focusing on some South American markets but have stopped due to transit issues,” he added.
Zuevskiy also pointed how important it is for brands to stay on their toes. While Gvibe is mostly focused on the “E.U., U.S. and Russian markets,” he said, the company also continues to “monitor the situation continuously and change our focus accordingly.”
While some companies might take their international growth efforts into their own hands, several global brands seek out distributors that are experts in their market.
“Currently for us, the main markets are North America and Europe,” Lovense’s Dan Liu said. “However, we are focusing on international distribution and allowing the experts to get our products to markets in most regions. We've recently signed new distributors in Russia; Ukraine; Australia; Mexico; South Africa; Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia; Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia and Kosovo; South Korea; Japan; and Canada. We are also strengthening our presence in the U.S. We are in discussions with some larger retailers to carry our products in all their stores nationwide.”
Of course, a tech-savvy company like Lovense also is making sure its products are easily accessible online. Liu said, “We are actively developing our own online sales channels and cooperating with e-commerce marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, JD and others. We are also working on developing and expanding our own network of affiliates.”
Pleasure products distributors and retailers welcome the variety that carrying international brands brings to their assortment. Erin Horea, the general manager of Canada’s leading retail chain Stag Shop, says that offering products from foreign brands gives their stores an edge against the competition.
“Some European quality is better,” Horea said. “We really watch the branding and language of the instructions to ensure they are appropriate for North America and if not, then normally the suppliers are open to making adjustments for us. Overall, I love buying internationally.”
In India, ThatsPersonal.com’s B2C and B2B clientele enjoy a wide selection of products from brands all around the world. The company’s CEO Samir Saraiya boasts that ThatsPersonal.com carries brands from “the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, Denmark and other countries from Western Europe. We do import from China too.”
While Australia is the core market of Australia-based adult retailer Wild Secrets, the brand also has dedicated ecommerce stores for the U.S. and New Zealand, and ships globally. Wild Secrets’ Vanessa Rose says that it’s the brand’s promise and values that has allowed the company to thrive as its messaging translates across all regions.
“Importantly, this branding is expressed consistently across the Wild Secrets customer journey, from the moment customers visit one of its ecommerce stores through to order delivery,” she said. “Once customers receive their products, the quality speaks for itself and brand loyalty more often than not, follows.”
For the “sexual happiness people” at Lovehoney, Jade Bawa says that there aren’t any international borders that the company isn’t interested in crossing.
“We want to spread the word of ‘sexual happiness’ globally here at Lovehoney, and are proud to work with distributor partners across the globe, so there certainly isn't anywhere out of reach or not of a focus for us,” she said.
International Appeal
Even with the most supportive distributors in one’s corner, manufacturers can’t just rely on the quality and universal appeal of their products. Creating a product that “will meet all modern requirements and will be in demand by a large portion of the world,” is only the first step, says Lovense’s Dan Liu.
“Next, it is necessary to provide consumers with the easiest possible access to this product and all its accompanying services,” he adds. “This can be achieved by developing and optimizing logistics chains, establishing a network of authorized distributors and resellers, and providing local service support. It is also important to correctly localize the product and promote it; taking into account the unique features and traditions of each specific market. We at Lovense try to work in all of the above areas, and the constant growth in sales and brand awareness shows that we have chosen the right strategy.”
While having a clear, well-researched plan for penetrating new markets is fundamental for international success; bad product reviews can still travel far and wide online, making it impossible to hide product flaws from audiences. “And, if you release a product with a flaw, you will have to spend a lot of resources and time to restore your reputation,” Liu adds. “We work in a very sensitive industry where consumer confidence is the most important thing.”
The Enhanced Male’s Danny Garrett also believes that a product’s popularity boils down to its quality. Unlike branding that will likely vary from market to market, it is the one thing that remains consistent and customers can count on.
“The one thing everybody agrees on is high-quality products at reasonable prices,” Garrett said. “Our belief is to keep it simple and clean. Timeless designs that will never go out of style, globally.”
A universally popular pleasure product must not only deliver quality and a unique design, but it should also offer advantages that are communicated accurately to the target audience.
“By delivering on the consumer expectation, I believe the brand will gain ‘trust’ and this ‘trust’ will build reputation leading to brand building,” ThatsPersonal.com’s Samir Saraiya said. “Over a period of time, the brand will gain recognition and create the marketing pull factor required for success. A recent example of an international brand that has successfully gone through the above steps in a cost-efficient manner is Womanizer.”
SOS Distribution’s Hamed also warns against trying to get away with poor quality because today’s consumers are often also content producers who are more than happy to vent about their bad experience with a product online.
“Therefore, yes, quality speaks for itself, if not now, later via social media posts, reviews [and] feedback,” he said.
Hamed also recommends using branding that's inclusive and universally understood.
“Your brand in the international market needs to promote inclusivity. Buyers want to relate to your brand, marketing and mission,” he said. “It's up to you to open the doors to everyone, and the more the merrier.”
Lisa Sananes is the CEO and co-founder Gisele International, a female-founded startup that serves as a strategic European market-focused sales and marketing force for selected brands, such as Lora DiCarlo.
Sananes breaks down what a brand needs to establish themselves abroad: “[Brands need] a global yet localized sales and marketing strategy; a strong knowledge of cultural and language gaps between the targeted countries; an understanding of the industry landscape per market,” she said.
In general, it’s essential to stay on top of the latest trends, and listen to customers’ needs and wants by “making loyal retailers and customers feel comfortable sharing their sincere feedback on the brand and product — and ultimately applying that feedback to product development.”
While a bad product review can give the impression of poor quality, Sananes insists that focusing on being a crowd-pleaser isn’t enough considering the expansive selection of toys that are on the market; it’s important to stand behind one’s brand with reliable information.
“You need extra resources to actually be able to defend and showcase your products to the world, and a truly authentic brand committed to reflecting the customer’s values,” she said.
Gvibe’s Mike Zuevskiy echoes the sentiment, saying that although in most cases quality does speak for itself, what really matters the most is the diversity of products offered.
“ A brand should have a variable assortment matrix to cover all the needs on the main markets,” he said.
Zuevskiy says that he considers there to be four key features in establishing an international brand. In addition to a strong selection of goods, brands should be “recognized and identifiable,” have “a strong local partner on each market” and “listen to the market and its target audience in order to follow the modern trends and create high-demand products,” he advises.
When a brand is familiar with its customer base, marketing to them becomes easier. According to Mr. Checkout Distributors President Joel Goldstein, “If you know who they are, you can clearly focus your brand messaging to simply convey what they are seeking from your product.”
Svakom’s Alexandro Feynerol explained the tedious process of establishing a presence in a new market. He says that that the first step is establishing relationships with as many people as possible that are selling Svakom’s products — from distributors and store owners to retail staff.
“What I personally like to do is to go visit everyone when I visit a specific market,” he said. “I start by training the distributor’s salespeople and then later I’ll go visit all of their clients one-by-one. It is definitely a long and sometimes expensive process, but the results are incredible and I won’t stop anytime soon.”
Like any other consumer brand, pleasure products become better known the more visibility they have. In order to create a demand, companies need to promote themselves via a variety of mediums to grab the attention of consumers as well as B2B clientele.
Using Fenty Beauty as an example of a mainstream, universally famous brand, Lovely Planet’s Anne Meunier says that in the adult retail industry, a comparable brand is Satisfyer, which maintains a ubiquitous presence at events, in publications and various other platforms.
“[International brands must] be present among the main market leaders in physical retail, and have an even greater presence in ecommerce because any product search starts with Google,” Meunier said. “Distribute your product to an army of legitimate influencers who naturally know how to talk about sex and associate your product with it. If retailers request product from B2B distributors, it's a win. [It’s also important to] be present at all trade fairs; and be seen at each essential industry event.”
Any pleasure product brand will be faced with obstacles when trying to advertise on just about any mainstream platform. Pointing out the stigmatization of pleasure products that exists everywhere in the world; Lovense’s Dan Liu says it’s too early to talk about universally recognizable branding in the sextech industry.
“Many global promotion channels, such as full-fledged ads in search engines and social networks, are not available to us,” he said. “In certain regions of the world, the sale of our products is prohibited. Of course, the increased demand for sex toys in recent years, and as a result, more attention to this category of products from the international media, help in the destigmatization of our industry. But, there is still a long way to go. To create universally recognizable branding, we need to show our product and talk openly about it. Unfortunately, we can't do this everywhere today.”
The pleasure products industry’s credibility plays a major role in its driving its acceptance. Exsens’ Rebecca Pinette-Dorin says that manufacturers need to familiarize and respect the regulations of other countries in order to gain the trust of their consumers.
“Most countries today have regulation in place to protect their citizens, and often, especially for secondary markets — Mexico is an excellent example — brands try to find illegal work-arounds so they don’t have to spend the money or the time,” she said. “Every time a brand does this, they are sending a message that that country doesn’t really matter, and that by extension, the people there do not matter, either.”
“It is important for brands to do things correctly — to invest in a country’s regulation — only then can you fully integrate that market and become a real brand in a country,” Pinette-Dorin continued. “Some countries may not be worth the trouble. And if that is the case, we should give them a pass, but if sexual wellness is to be taken seriously, if our business is to be taken seriously, we need to stop acting like we’re selling out of the trunks of our cars and adhere to regulation.”
Lost in Translation
There’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to operate any sort of device, and turning to the instructions only to find out that they’re only available in a foreign language. Pleasure product manufacturers must figure out which route to take — whether it’s including multiple languages on their product packaging or avoiding text and relying on imagery instead, many times it’s up to the reseller to convey the product information through their own translated product descriptions.
“I think the language barrier is a small obstacle to a really great product,” Liu said. “There are many examples of this when the product became popular in countries where it was not officially distributed. But the localization of the product is also very important. This is an essential part of the service, and service in our time means a lot.”
Lovehoney aims for a thorough approach, relying on its team of content and marketing experts to ensure its packaging delivers the information that customers want in a way that most people can understand.
“We ensure our packaging and manuals use French, Spanish, German, Russian and Mandarin translations to ensure we are being as inclusive as possible,” Lovehoney’s Jade Bawa said. “We also understand the importance of incorporating key feature symbols rather than text on our advertisements and point-of-sale material to make them versatile worldwide.”
On the flipside, The Enhanced Male’s Danny Garrett says that simplicity in packaging goes a long way.
“This goes back to our packaging, by keeping the copy on the box simple and easy to understand, you can avoid most of the language barrier issues,” he said. “We've seen many great products that never sell well because of the overly complicated packaging and written copy.”
Opining that language barriers can dramatically affect the success of a product in a foreign country, Lovely Planet’s Anne Meunier says that it can benefit brands to rely on their B2B partners.
“We trust our local distributors to adapt content to the language of their country so that consumers are independent in their choice in-store or online,” she said. “If a packaging is not translated, we can imagine that the consumer will miss out on useful information. It is a sign of respect and understanding of the market to adapt as much as possible.”
When a distributor puts its stamp of approval on a brand by adding it to its lineup, the manufacturer can rest assured in that it has gotten a step closer to conquering a new market.
“[Distributors] already have the knowledge and the contacts that can put your product on the radar of stores — something that for a brand alone would be close to impossible to do at the same speed,” Svakom’s Alexandro Feynerol said. “Unless of course you have an incredible knowledge already of the area and a lot of capital that allows you to open up a branch in said market.”
ThatsPersonal.com’s Samir Saraiya believes that companies should take the time and make the investment to provide consumers with informational packaging in multiple languages. Customers will express their appreciation for these efforts by supporting these brands.
“I believe language barriers do affect the popularity of an item; however, this is a relatively easier challenge to solve,” he said. “Creating product content especially in the packaging elements or building content for product marketing in multiple languages, is fairly simple and straightforward. Brands must do the same in order to be relevant to different audiences across geographies.”
Offering translations on packaging is useful in reaching a wider demographic — however, it’s impossible to offer enough of a variety to cover everyone’s needs.
“In short: [the language barrier] affects a lot in the E.U., where you have almost 30 countries with different languages and mentalities,” Gvibe’s Mike Zuevskiy said. “When talking about U.S. or CIS markets, we deal with a homogeneous society speaking one language, having the same history and mentality.”
Brands such as Lora DiCarlo are thinking on a global level right from the start. Product names can also get lost in translation, so manufacturers might want to Google what their product or brand name might mean in another language.
“Naming is key, during the definition and creation process of a line,” says Lisa Sananes. “Lora DiCarlo researches intensively on the international impact of each product name, for example. Something sexy in English could mean something totally different — and sometimes ridiculous — in another language, which would have a dramatic impact on the product's popularity.”
According to Sananes, DiCarlo chooses short names that mean something in Lora DiCarlo’s native language (Italian) and that are directly linked to the product’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
She explained Osé means “risqué” in Italian, Baci means “kiss,” Onda means “wave,” Filare “rolling” and Carezza "caress.”
“The product key benefits and use guides, as well as general assets, are all translated into the targeted languages to limit the risk of misunderstanding,” she said. “That is why we rely on our B2B partners locally to share insight, as they are our local ambassadors with their fingers on the pulse of consumer demands and feedback.”
Svakom’s Alex Feynerol said that he isn’t as concerned about consumers misunderstanding the language used on product packaging as a potential hindrance in sales. It’s more important that the salesperson is able to understand a product and its branding in order to better present it to shoppers.
“It impacts the way sellers are going to fall in love with your product and the way they are going to be able to transmit that passion afterwards to whoever they are selling it to,” he noted.
Sliquid’s Michelle Marcus also doesn’t believe that language is necessarily a barrier, and that the brand’s natural ingredients are recognizable enough and meet other countries’ regulations.
“In my experience working with customers in different countries, they often will take the initiative to provide their own translations in both the marketing materials that support the products themselves and the product listings,” she said. “This ensures that language does not present itself as a barrier in the customer’s ability to connect with the products in response to personal needs.”
What Customers Want (Worldwide)
Tracking the needs and desires of consumers in every country can be a strenuous task considering the wide-ranging attitudes towards sex that each region has. Nevertheless, there are some factors that remain consistent anywhere on the globe.
“There are always people with money, in every country, and they will always want quality product no matter the price,” Exsens’ Rebecca Pinette-Dorin says, adding that also, “everyone, everywhere needs lube.”
According to Pinette-Dorin, manufacturers should get used to distributors telling them that their products are too expensive — “at least at first.”
“For mass market, smaller sizes (and lower SRP) work better with poorer populations,” Pinette-Dorin suggests. “Some markets are just not possible to sell to with success, no matter how high the demand, [for example] Brazil and Saudi Arabia.”
Pinette-Dorin also advises that manufacturers keep an open mind when tapping into a new market.
“What is sexy changes drastically by region,” she said. “Even if you are very pro-sex, you need to be flexible and tone it down sometimes for other cultures.”
Gvibe’s Mike Zuevskiy points that consumers anywhere, even within the same market, will have different opinions regarding pricing and expectations for quality. He says, “Trends really vary by region due to many different reasons. At the same time, brands can take an active part in the trends generation using local marketing channels and distributors.”
As far as the products that are trending worldwide, sexual pleasure calls for the demand of tried-and-true items.
“Penis pumps, sleeves and rings are universal items that anybody with a penis, anywhere in the world can understand and use,” The Enhanced Male’s Danny Garrett said. “Some of the less-fortunate regions of the world do look for the more affordable products but they demand the same high quality. Human nature doesn't vary by region, low price and high quality.”
Svakom’s Alexandro Feynerol says that not only do consumer trends vary from country to country, but sometimes even between regions within the same country.
“In New York, more gender-neutral colors are the ones that fly off the shelves, while instead in Dallas the more ‘feminine’-colored toys are the ones that control the market,” he said. “There are, for sure, variations in shape preferences — some countries prefer smaller, less intimidating ones, while other countries want mostly those big, high-intensity ones.’
“In terms of quality, I wouldn’t say that there is a major difference, everyone likes and prefers luxury but of course, depending on the average wallet size of the country, some people are going to accept lesser-quality products more easily than others,” he observed.
Sliquid’s Michelle Marcus points out some of the factors that can drive consumers’ perception of quality and how much they’re willing to spend on products.
“There are many more variations around the world due to currency exchange rates, economic statuses and the level of education one might be privy to when it comes to understanding ingredients specific to intimate lotions and potions,” she said.
In Australia, Wild Secrets’ Vanessa Rose said that consumer trends are generally similar across the country — there are perennial bestsellers and some trends that vary by state, however, she says that since coronavirus took hold, there has been an increased appetite for Australian brands.
“ Australian consumer sentiment reports reveal that COVID-19 has increased intentions to purchase local brands due to their perceived trustworthiness,” she said. “In fact, more than one-third of Australians surveyed during the pandemic have indicated they would purchase Australian brands, representing a more than 50 percent increase since 2016. That’s despite their premium price perception relative to non-Australian brands.”
“With COVID-19 prompting consumers to be more conscious of their shopping decisions and re-evaluate priorities for how they spend time and money, price point is still important,” she added. “Yes, Australian consumers are trending trusted brands, but they also want quality and value. Brands that provide attractive deals and discounts on quality products, as well as flexible payment options come out on top.”
COVID-19’s impact on our daily lives and business is ongoing and adapting to the changing needs and desires of consumers is now more important than ever, in any part of the world. In these challenging times, the global adult retail industry’s resilience depends a lot on its community, as each other’s support can significantly improve the chances of overcoming new obstacles. Whether it’s relying on the market expertise of partners in foreign regions or taking the time to become an expert on it oneself, the more international brands we’re seeing in our local market speaks to the industry’s vast growth and progress.
