opinion

Lessons Learned in 2010

So 2010 has come to a close and for many companies it wasn’t necessarily a year to celebrate. Adult companies closed their doors, left and right, some publicly and others quietly. Most adult companies now openly admit that business isn’t nearly as good as it was years ago and others openly discuss major concerns they have operating in this climate.

For those companies that are still standing or even growing, there’s a lot to celebrate, even if 2010 wasn’t your best financial year. Last year made us stronger and we walked away with experiences to learn from. In some ways, it’s all of those “great” or “easy” years that we should dislike, because it’s those years that made us think everything we touched turned to gold and that we were immune to external factors. When I remember the Ibill fiasco, in which many companies lost some of their membership revenue, and compare that to the most recent epassporte issue, the old adage “fool me once…” comes to mind. Not that either company was necessarily planning on fooling others, but my point is that when things were great, we didn’t learn the lessons we could have learned as well as we absorbed them once times were tough.

So here’s my quick list of lessons from 2010 to walk away with. (These are presented in no particular order, nor are they an indicator of any direct impact on my company):

1) Lifetime Revenue Share doesn’t really exist- affiliate program apparently can stop paying affiliates even for their revenue shares at any time apparently, so let’s avoid that going forward or work with companies willing to legally bind themselves to pay for the life of the customer.

2) DMCA is an affirmative defense, not a form of immunity from copyright infringement. (In other words, all of you copyright holders still have the right to bring a lawsuit, even if the site you’re looking to sue has that little DMCA disclaimer at the bottom….)

3) It’s okay that the DVD model is declining. If it impacted Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, then it’s pretty safe to admit it’s impacting the adult industry, and to accept and plan for a diminishing DVD market.

4) Keeping large sums of money in a virtual location anywhere, like Epassporte, is not a good idea. Let’s stick to real banks you can walk into, or at least not put all our eggs in one basket.

5) Complaining on the boards doesn’t work anymore. Why waste our breath with complaining on the boards to get results? If it’s something really worth it to you (anti-piracy, ethics, etc.), put a real action plan together to get something done.

6) We still are targeted by those from outside our industry. From piracy to obscenity, from .xxx to OSHA regulations, the climate in the industry is risky and we all end up impacted. We should do what we can to support the defense of our industry and support the Free Speech Coalition.

7) Companies who engage in overly-aggressive billing strategies don’t care about the consumers, don’t care about the industry and don’t care about their business partners. In the end, everyone gets screwed by their business practices, so maybe we shouldn’t support them on their get rich quick schemes for fast money? (For that matter, this is a lesson we should have learned in 2004).

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

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.

Megan Stokes ·
profile

Cami Strella on Crafting Persona, Claiming Power

With her long, silky black hair, dark eyes and warm olive skin, Cami Strella looks like she might have stepped out of an Isabele Allende novel. But while she may be in the business of fantasy — as are all adult performers and creators, to one degree or another — the thriving indie brand Strella has been building, one strategic move at a time, is very real indeed.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

WIA Profile: Sara Gaffoor

Though it may seem surprising to outsiders, industry veterans are well acquainted with the self-esteem, personal growth and rewarding career achievements that can come with a job in the sex toy space.

Women in Adult ·
profile

Zhe Founder Karyn Elizabeth Creates Gender-Affirming Lingerie Fashion

For years, the mainstream lingerie market has been shaped by narrow beauty standards and cisnormativity, with little room for gender diversity. Most lingerie is designed to fit cisgender female bodies, while trans people are often forced to go DIY with uncomfortable solutions like pantyhose, duct tape and ill-fitting shapewear.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

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.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

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.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

Neon Coyotes Sets the Tone for Trendiness With Bespoke Leather Kink Wear

If your kink wear can’t readily make the leap from a dark BDSM dungeon to a sunny, mimosa-fueled brunch, you haven’t yet been initiated into the cult of the Neon Coyotes — fresh, leather kink wear brand transforming restraints into runway-ready art.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

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.

Zondre Watson ·
opinion

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.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

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.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More