Adult Retail Market Leaders Examine Global Trends, Opportunities (XBIZ)

Read the full article by Alex Henderson and Ariana Rodriguez at XBIZ.com

With pleasure product expos taking place all over world, it’s evident that the universal appeal of intimacy items is only growing. Whether based in the U.S. or abroad, sex toy manufacturers are constantly seeking to make their products hit that mark of being internationally known.

Pleasure product companies can’t do it alone of course. Distributors play a crucial role in serving as the liaison between them and retailers, and in providing the feedback that can lead to their success in unfamiliar territories.

“For us, distributors play a huge role in reaching unfamiliar markets as they are able to give us crucial information on customer trends and enable customers to see the products in the flesh,” Lovehoney’s Sabrina Earnshaw said. “You can have the greatest product but it will not sell if the retailers and end consumers cannot have a proper feel for it.”

LonBrook Managing Director Michael Bassett compared the manufacturer-distributor relationship to the military — distributors are the soldiers with their boots on the ground.

“A global territory is too large and too complex to tackle alone; thus, local partners are the key,” Bassett said. “It’s very hard to find the right one, and when you do — well, that can change also. People are basically the same all over the world. Some work harder, some less and with various degrees of motivation — just like your own staff in your own HQ office. Never a dull moment.”

He also offers manufacturers some advice: “Local partners are basically freelance operators, working on sales commission. If you view the relationship like this, you can adjust your expectations and behavior accordingly.”

On an even deeper level, to succeed in the international marketplace, consumers must be ready and willing to venture into sex toy exploration.