opinion

Ahead of the Pack

Recently, XBIZ World Magazine asked several adult industry players, "How do you make your company stand out in such a highly competitive market?"

Here's what they had to say:

Tantus toys are handcrafted from 100-percent ultra-premium, platinum silicone. This superior blend of Tantus silicone makes Tantus toys the world's best soft toys for adults. Tantus is dedicated to informing both retailers and consumers of the benefits of choosing Tantus. Our newly designed packaging is sophisticated, educational and retail smart.
— Jeff Muesse, Business Relations Coordinator, Tantus Inc.

Besides having built a strong reputation for the quality and innovative designs and features of our products, marketing plays a huge part in our success: A regular advertising program — along with editorial support, in-store marketing tools and displays and regular visits to our customers. California Exotic Novelties has made our business very "personal," and we are a reliable brand presence.
— Al Bloom, Marketing Manager, California Exotic Novelties

We focus on education, sex-positivity and non-judgmental attitudes. By having these added values beyond merely toys, books and videos, we're offering our customers ways of bringing sex into their lives in a more expansive way. Our stores, catalog and website offer educational materials, erotica, blogs and product information.
— Jonathan Plotzker, Senior Director of E-Commerce and Merchandising, Good Vibrations

Stockroom.com pre-dates the market! We have been selling products on the Internet since 1989, even before there was a World Wide Web, offering high-quality BDSM gear at reasonable prices and providing excellent customer service. I think the key to our standing-out (and success) has been rather simple — honesty, integrity and hiring as many artists as possible.
— Juli Crockett, Marketing Director, JT's Stockroom

Our company is the only company that is a real movie club. Our business model is similar to the Columbia Record House Club, except we took all the sucky parts out — there's no contract and no minimum number to buy. That's really what differentiates us from everyone else.
— Pamela Butkowski, Owner, DVDsforaBuck.com

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 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

profile

Eversense Founder Matty Hennessy Discusses Engineering Products for Trans Bodies

For transgender folks shopping for pleasure products, it can be a daunting challenge to find items that accommodate their changing bodies, address their specific needs and support gender affirmation during intimacy.

Celine Shore ·
opinion

How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands

The internet has made the world feel small. Case in point: Adult websites based in the U.S. are now getting letters from regulators demanding compliance with foreign laws, even if they don’t operate in those countries. Meanwhile, some U.S. website operators dealing with the patchwork of state-level age verification laws have considered incorporating offshore in the hopes of avoiding these new obligations — but even operators with no physical presence in the U.S. have been sued or threatened with claims for not following state AV laws.

Larry Walters ·
opinion

Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts

The creator management business is booming. Every week, it seems, a new agency emerges, promising to turn creators into stars, automate their fan interactions or triple their revenue through “secret” social strategies. The reality? Many of these agencies are operating with contracts that wouldn’t survive a single serious dispute — if they even have contracts at all.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
profile

LSMT's Allison Brazier on Creating a More Connected Shopping Experience

Managing adult retail stores in Florida and Texas has never been for the faint of heart, but lately it’s become a veritable high-wire act. Between new legislation and shifting local attitudes, it seems like every day brings a new obstacle.

Quinton Bellamie ·
opinion

Building Sustainable Revenue Without Opt-Out Cross-Sales

Over the past year, we’ve seen growing pushback from acquirers on merchants using opt-out cross-sales — also known as negative option offers. This has been especially noticeable in the U.S. In fact, one of our acquirers now declines new merchants during onboarding if an opt-out flow is detected. Existing merchants submitting new URLs with opt-out cross-sales are being asked to remove them.

Cathy Beardsley ·
trends

How to Handle Payment Disputes Without Sacrificing Trust

You can run the best-managed and most compliant website out there, but that still doesn’t completely shield you from the risks tied to payment disputes. Buyer’s remorse, an unclear billing description or even a simple misunderstanding can lead a customer to dispute a transaction. Accumulate enough disputes, and both your reputation and revenue could be at risk.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Tips for Supporting Male Shoppers Managing Stress and Performance Issues

When focusing on men’s sexual health, one crucial topic to discuss is how stress can impact men’s sexual well-being, and what can be done about it.

Staci Cruse ·
profile

Sienna Day Talks Creator Life, Longevity and Loving the Work

When Sienna Day heard her name called onstage at the Euro XMAs in Amsterdam, the newly crowned 2025 MILF Creator of the Year froze — then floated.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

Tips for Upgrading Retail Merchandising With AI

When an order from CalExotics arrived at one of our stores in Livermore, I wanted to help build the wall. After reorganizing it, I took a picture and asked ChatGPT what it thought of the wall. First, it noticed a gap in the top row and recommended adding a toy there or changing the spacing. Then it said, “I noticed there are some toys on the right that aren’t in boxes. You should take those down or put them in boxes.”

Zondre Watson ·
trends

WIA Profile: Taylor Moore

With a 70-person team and a growing slate of tools for content creators, the Teasy Agency has developed a reputation for putting talent first. That commitment owes a lot to co-founder Taylor Moore’s own experiences as a cam model.

Jackie Backman ·
Show More