Feature Articles

How to Stay Legally Protected When Policies Get Outdated

The adult industry has long operated in a complex legal environment subject to rapid change. Now, a confluence of age verification laws, lawsuits, credit card processing and data privacy rules has created an urgent need for all industry participants — from major platforms to independent creators — to review and potentially overhaul their legal and operational policies.

The Basics of Total Cost of Ownership in Retail

Almost every retailer has experienced that “oh no” moment. It’s when support tickets pile up, staff can’t get answers fast enough, store openings get delayed because Wi-Fi isn’t ready, or the POS proves to be outdated. Suddenly you’re too busy fixing problems to focus on driving sales.

How to Market a Product You Can't Name or Show Online

You’re trying to sell legal, helpful products to consenting adults — yet the internet treats those products like a problem. The viral success every brand dreams of can seem maddeningly elusive when search engines block or restrict common keywords, social feeds shadow-ban PG posts, review bots misread images and policies shift overnight with no notice.

From Compliance Chaos to Crypto Clarity: Making the Case for Digital Payments in Adult

These are uncertain times for adult merchants. With compliance tightening and age verification mandates rising, the barrier to entry keeps getting higher.

Real-Time Insights to Streamline E-Payments and Stop Lost Sales

How Managing Inventory With AI Helps Retailers Stock Smarter

If you’ve ever stood in a stockroom looking at a wall of unsold merchandise, then you know this basic truth: Your inventory is an asset — until it starts gathering dust. But how do we predict what customers want? That’s the eternal retail dilemma.

A Retail Guide for Boosting Sales in the Often-Overlooked Nipple Play Category

When it comes to sex toys, one area of the body that often gets overlooked by both consumers and salespeople is the nipples. Even though human nipples are packed with nerve endings and are sensitive and responsive across genders, they frequently get ignored as a focus for pleasure products — usually simply because nipple toys are small and come in tiny packaging.

What Sexual Wellness Brands Can Learn From Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is an undeniable cultural force, but her superpower isn’t just music. From surprise album drops on podcasts to billion-dollar tours, the Swiftie empire has turned into a global movement in large part thanks to effective marketing.

Frightfully Fun Ways to Boost Spooky Season Sales and Fan Interaction

Halloween is one of those magical marketing windows where fans are already primed for fun, costumes and a little mischief. For clip creators, that means October is a golden opportunity to drive engagement and boost income with seasonal promotions.

How Humor Breaks the Ice in Adult Retail

Laughter sells. That’s especially true in our industry. Where vulnerability and curiosity walk through the door together, humor can help turn hesitation into comfort.

Tips for Maintaining Health and Wellness as a Livestreamer

In addition to the absolute essentials — like regular STI testing, bodily cleanliness, consent discussions and maintaining intentional boundaries — content creators who work as livestreamers must attend to a unique set of concerns.

Balancing Content Creation With Real-Life Desire

Let’s be real for a moment: Nobody actually wakes up turned on, camera-ready and full of fantasy, then stays that way 24/7. For most people, that’s not a problem — but when your livelihood depends on creating clips, livestreaming or running fan pages, a mismatch between libido and schedule can feel like a personal and professional crisis.

Breaking Down HB 805 and How it Affects the Adult Industry

North Carolina House Bill 805 was enacted July 29, after the state legislature overrode Governor Josh Stein’s veto. The provisions that relate to the adult industry, imposing requirements for age verification, consent and content removal, are scheduled to become effective Dec. 1. Platforms have until then to update their policies and systems to comply with the new regulations.

Staying Compliant With Payment Standards Across Europe and Australia

So, you’ve got your eye on international growth. Smart move. No matter where adult-industry merchants operate, however, one requirement remains consistent: regulatory compliance. This isn’t just a legal checkbox — it’s a critical component of keeping payments flowing and business operations intact.

Why It's Time for Adult Retail to Embrace AI

In the late 1980s, I was working in the rental car business. My first company didn’t have a single computer. Everything — contracts, inventory, employee records — was done by hand. If you wanted a report, you dug through paper files and crunched numbers on a calculator. It was tedious, but it was all we knew.

How to Avoid Copyright Pitfalls When Using Music in Adult Content

When creating an adult video, bringing your vision to life often means assembling just the right ingredients — including the right music. However, adding music to adult content can raise complex legal and ethical issues.

New Visa Rules Adult Merchants Need to Know

In December 2024, I shared an update on the upcoming rollout of Visa’s Acquirer Monitoring Program, also known as VAMP. The final version went into effect in June, and enforcement will begin in October. With just a month to go, now is the time to review what’s changing and how to stay compliant.

What Retailers Gain by Partnering With Family-Run Brands

In an age increasingly dominated by corporate consolidation and faceless supply chains, choosing to work with a family-owned and operated business can offer retailers a depth of value that goes far beyond pricing and product margins.

How the 'Back Massager' Vibrator Became the World's Most Versatile Sex Toy

Wand vibrators are once again having a pop culture moment. Recently, Harry Styles expanded his lifestyle brand, Pleasing, by introducing a “Pleasing Yourself” double-sided wand vibrator developed in collaboration with sex educator Zoë Ligon.

NakedSword, Disruptive Hunt Lust and Power in 'Wild Game'

In a saturated market, NakedSword has achieved stability by keeping its content consistently fresh — and through strategic collaborations. Its latest release, “Wild Game,” finds the studio partnering with Disruptive Films to deliver a psychological thriller packed with over-the-top sex scenes and intense physicality.