profile

Bonner Trading USA's Ian Kulp Shares His Ambitions for BSwish, Zini Brands

Bonner Trading USA's Ian Kulp Shares His Ambitions for BSwish, Zini Brands

Last year saw the launch of Bonner Trading USA, with Jerome Bensimon, formerly of Satisfyer, at the company’s helm. With the recent addition of Ian Kulp as global sales and marketing director, the company has increased its presence in the U.S. and abroad with new distribution deals and the acquisition of pleasure brands BSwish and Zini.

Kulp says his goal is to highlight what Bonner stands for — quality at reasonable prices — in order to get its products into the hands of more consumers.

At Bonner, we are not doing it for the trade; we’re doing it for the end consumer.

Kulp’s journey in the pleasure industry began at New York City’s Museum of Sex, where he served as director of retail. Prior to that, Kulp was a global manager for a hotelier and chocolatier in St. Lucia and in the U.S., providing retail strategy and heading up merchandising.

Upon first entering the sexual health and wellness industry, Kulp says, he didn’t expect to develop such a passion for it.

“At first I just saw it as something fun to talk about at the Christmas table,” he recalls. “But it soon became a very absorbing challenge. There was a lot I needed to learn about and work on, such as safer materials, building out a network, creating affiliates and partnering with sex educators.”

Kulp’s responsibilities at Bonner Trading include defining the company’s goals, which he says are still evolving — particularly as they relate to the newly acquired but decades-old BSwish brand.

“The core of BSwish is being an approachable, energetic and joyful brand,” he explains. “Those are the three pillars we are emphasizing. In a nutshell, they are at the heart of this brand and reflect our approach to intimacy and sex. Most of all, it’s important that BSwish is accessible and viewed as body-friendly.

“We are really injecting the brand with new shapes and colors during our facelift, to elevate the brand to align with the three pillars,” Kulp elaborates. “We embrace the pillar ‘joyful’ to make sure users feel good, no matter their age. We find the younger generation is not always targeted to purchase a toy, so we want to include them but at the same time not alienate our current and aging customers. We want all generations to be involved with our brand without feeling left out or aged out.”

More than 70% of the SKUs in the BSwish catalog are battery-operated, which is somewhat of an anomaly in the pleasure industry these days.

“Being battery-operated keeps the price point very reasonable,” Kulp notes.

The company offers four specific collections within more than 100 SKUs in the BSwish catalog.

“Our Basics, Classic, Deluxe and Infinite collections make our brand approachable,” he says. “Within the collections, there may be some of the same styles but different iterations.”

Last year, BSwish’s Infinite line debuted, offering the brand’s premium collection of rechargeable toys, each with a micro charger.

“We didn’t cut corners when it came to materials,” says Kulp. “We worked directly with manufacturers to create these quality products and yet stay within a retail price point of $39.95 to $69.95. In fact, we plan to stay within that range as we continue to add products to the line, and have recently added even more styles within the Infinite range.”

Along with BSwish, Bonner Trading also added South Korean pleasure brand Zini to its lineup last year.

“The Zini brand is elevated, a premium lifestyle brand that is groundbreaking in design and manufacturing and is set to reshape the landscape of sexual health and wellness with its products,” Kulp says. “We will have more oversight into its craftsmanship, culminating with a better experience for the user. We’ll be relaunching the brand with new products, and we are quite excited about bringing Zini to the consumer. Currently, Zini has 11 SKUs and six styles, and retails between $34.95 and $99.95, which is a sweet spot. Zini offers a one-year warranty too, and is already available for preorder.”

Kulp sees all of these developments as important steps toward fulfilling Bonner Trading’s core mission.

“We want to do our best to make the end consumer happy and feel good about our products,” he says. “We’re deeply rooted in this. At Bonner, we are not doing it for the trade; we’re doing it for the end consumer. We want them to enjoy and talk about their purchase, and feel comfortable in doing so.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Tips for Keeping the Adult Retail Trade Show Momentum Going

Trade shows are a whirlwind of energy, excitement and opportunities. You spend days on a vibrant, buzzing show floor, making valuable connections and discovering innovative and exciting new products. You spend time, energy and money to be a part of this fabulous circus.

Rin Musick ·
opinion

2025's Top Tech Trends That Adult Retailers Should Know About

I just got back from the National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention & Expo, also known as “Retail’s Big Show,” where I walked the floor, sat in on key panels, talked with industry experts and influencers, and did my best to sift through the b.s. so I could report back to you all on the things you need to care about.

Sean Quinn ·
opinion

Understanding the Importance of Graphic Design in Sexual Wellness Social Media Marketing

In the world of social media, graphic design is more than just making things look visually appealing — it’s a vital tool in shaping and maintaining a brand’s identity. Your social media is your storefront, so aesthetics mean everything.

Hannah McManus ·
opinion

How Adult Retail Is Shaping Sexual Health One Customer at a Time

Remember back in health class, when they taught us about boundaries, consent and how many nerve endings are in the clitoris? Of course you don’t, because it didn’t happen. In fact, sex education is still severely lacking in much of the U.S.

Kimberly Scott Faubel ·
trends

Meet the Up-and-Coming Pleasure Brands of 2025

Over the past year, the pleasure industry has witnessed the emergence of new brands across various adult retail categories — brands that are now entering 2025 with ambitious goals for success and growth in their sophomore year.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

WIA Profile: Nefertiti Mitchell

Local retailers are the backbone of the pleasure industry. Driven by passionate business owners who are deeply dedicated to sexual wellness, brick-and-mortar stores serve as safe spaces that uplift and delight customers — while greasing the wheels of commerce for manufacturers and distributors.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Industry Vet Mike Savage Discusses Comeback, Goals With Full Circle Distribution

"We never know where life’s going to take us,” says Mike Savage. He should know. The pleasure biz veteran, who describes himself as “a poor Irish kid from Philly,” first made his name in the adult retail biz over the course of a nearly 40-year career.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

Sensually Yours Founder Shellee Rose on Boosting Sex Positivity in Hawaii

Honolulu pleasure store Sensually Yours has served Hawaii for 40 years, establishing itself as a top destination for adult products. Founder and President Shellee Rose says her most important strategy for achieving four decades of success has been prioritizing customers.

Quinton Bellamie ·
profile

Gregory Dorcel on Building Upon His Brand's Signature Legacy

“Whether reflected in the storyline or the cast or even the locations, the entertainment we deliver is based on fantasy,” he elaborates. “Our business is not, and never has been, reality. People who are buying our content aren’t expecting reality, or direct contact with stars like you can have with OnlyFans,” he says.

Jeff Dana ·
opinion

Westridge Labs Celebrates the History, Future of ID Lubricants Brand

If you work in adult retail, you know ID Lubricants. With its classic, clear bottles and consumer-friendly pricing, ID has maintained a home on brick-and-mortar shelves since the brand’s inception, way back when physical stores were still the name of the pleasure game.

Colleen Godin ·
Show More