opinion

How to Inspire Retail Sales During the Valentine’s Day Shopping Season

How to Inspire Retail Sales During the Valentine’s Day Shopping Season

It’s the season for love (as if our customers weren’t aware) and that means it’s time to gear up stores with eye-catching, romance-inspiring (and purchase-inspiring) displays. These days, finding inspiration is only a click away, thanks to sites like Pinterest and Instagram, and it’s easier than ever to get creative and channel your inner Martha Stewart or Amy Sedaris.

What Can You Make?

It always helps to complement visual displays with sounds and smells that evoke something sexy.

K.I.S.S. is a great thing to remember for Valentine’s Day — “Keep It Simple, Stupid!” Some of the best decorations are the simplest and easiest to find/make.

Feeling lazy or don’t have time? Pay a visit to a crafting store and buy all the red and pink balloons, paper lanterns, doilies, and crepe paper you can find. Buy a bag of clear beads and some plastic champagne glasses, fill each glass and you have instant “champagne” to display on endcaps or use as bookends for a high-ticket massager that would make a great gift. Get cheesy with teddy bears and boxes of chocolates — they’re clichés but instantly evoke a Valentine’s Day vibe.

Feeling a little crafty? Grab scissors, construction paper, and craft the kinds of Valentine’s Day imagery we used to make at summer camp. Think paper heart and cutouts of kissy lips — fold a piece of construction paper in half and cut out shapes freehand, or pick up stencils while you’re at the craft store. Hang these in windows, from ceilings, or use them to decorate the point of sale for a fun pop of color that helps get shoppers in the V-Day spirit.

Feeling a little next-level? Grab some cardboard from the warehouse, cut out heart shapes, and paint them to look like giant sweetheart candies. These make for great window displays and can be hung or stacked alongside products that inspire a sweet-and-sexy vibe — think flavored lubricants like Sex Sweet or alluring pheromone-infused fragrances like Lure Black Label. Don’t forget to cross-promote cosmetics like these with complementary lingerie and other softer lifestyle items, as they make perfect well-rounded romantic gift ideas.

Depending on your clientele, you can get cute or a little cheeky with your sweetheart candy messages: “IAnd if you don’t already, invest in a mannequin or three. They’re great for showing lingerie, apparel and accessories in action, of course, and can be ideal focal points for a multifaceted display.

Put your mannequins in romantic (or romantic-ish) scenarios: Maybe it’s holding handcuffs and a bouquet of roses or swiping right on a cardboard cellphone. Maybe he’s surrounded by rose petals with a bottle of lubricant in one hand and a stroker looped around his other wrist, ready for a romantic night in. Don’t forget to include bondage or fetish accessories for an unexpected twist; gimp masks, strap-ons and riding crops are always fun fixtures on mannequins. Incorporating humor into your displays not only brightens the vibe, but it also can help establish rapport without a staff member having to say a word.

Not feeling super-creative? No problem; the internet is a hotbed of listicles and image searches that can help you see what non-adult stores do to get their stores in the romantic holiday mood.

It always helps to complement visual displays with sounds and smells that evoke something sexy. Light candles or incense — ideally kinds you can buy in your store – and keep “baby-making” music on loop to get all the senses involved. Remember that this genre can include everything from Marvin Gaye to Prince, Beyoncé, Banks and even Nine Inch Nails. Play to your audience!

However you choose to decorate, don’t forget to incorporate the pre-made counter displays that so many manufacturers make. Topco Sales’ Penthouse POP-a-PET P.O.P. Display is a colorful display unit stocked with affordable, reusable handheld strokers that let shoppers pretend they’re on a fantasy date with their favorite Penthouse Pet.

That brings me to my final point: every shopper has a different relationship status and some might need a reminder to treat themselves on this holiday. Don’t forget to set aside romantic gift ideas for those of us who are dating ourselves and are looking for something special just for us, and never assume that your customer is coupled. If your fun displays have inspired a shopper to ask for product advice, wait for them to tell you what they’re looking for (and who’ll be using it) so you can provide the best, most supportive customer service possible!

Related:  

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

profile

Spicerack Market Offers Indie Brands a Launching Pad

Spicerack Market is an ecommerce platform with the heart of an artisan crafter and the soul of a kinkster. On the website, independent sex toy makers, lingerie seamstresses and kink gear craftspeople can set up a personalized shop to sell their handmade wares, unhindered by censorship or bans on adult products.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Strategies to Bring Pleasure Brands into the Spotlight

Every brand dreams about landing a feature in The New York Times or Men’s Health — and pleasure brands are no exception. After all, mainstream media coverage isn’t just a vanity milestone. It builds trust, attracts new audiences and opens doors to connecting with retailers, partnerships, and investors.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

Is Your Retail Business Sextech-Ready?

Sextech isn’t just a niche novelty anymore; it’s the future of sexual wellness. From wearable sex toys that provide biofeedback to interactive sex toys with AI capabilities, sextech has made significant progress over the past few years.

Kate Kozlova ·
opinion

Top Product Launch Tactics to Boost Q4 Sales

According to recent industry insights, over 70% of sexual wellness brands finalize their Q4 lineups between July and early September. This is a high-stakes window for launching new products.

Matthew Spindler ·
opinion

Scroll-Stopping Social Media Strategies to Capture Short Attention Spans

Attention spans are shrinking across all types of media. No matter how innovative a concept may be, if it doesn’t stop the scroll, it’s quickly forgotten. That’s why Netflix has intentionally been simplifying its content, with executives directing writers to create scripts that are less complex and nuanced, and more second-screen-friendly.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

The Hidden Cost of Letting Retail Define Pleasure Brands

Not long ago, spotting vibrators and lubricants at a national chain like Target or CVS might have raised eyebrows. Now, it’s almost expected.

Rin Musick ·
profile

WIA Profile: Kelsey Harris

At sister distribution brands Nalpac and Entrenue, one woman is in charge of leading customers in the right direction: Director of Sales Kelsey Harris. Since Michigan-based Nalpac took the reins of Arizona’s Entrenue, Harris has led both sales teams from her home base in Oakland County, Michigan.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Rebranding Sexual Wellness Through a Self-Care Approach

As most of us in the industry already know, sexual wellness remains the black sheep of self-care. Discussions about wellness glorify meditation apps, skincare routines and workout regimens — but mention masturbation or using a sex toy, and most people shy away from the topic.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

Why Sex Toy Innovation Isn't What Shoppers Want Right Now

During my first year in the industry, the luxury vibrator on shelves was LELO’s Gigi, priced at $109. It was made with high-quality silicone, boasted an ergonomic design, a travel lock and a warranty. Soon after, Je Joue released its first product, SaSi, which employed “rolling ball” movements to simulate oral sex.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
opinion

How Adult Retailers Can Enhance Sales With Supplements

The supplement industry is big business. In 2024, Future Market Insights estimated it to be valued at $74.3 billion, and other market research firms anticipate that number will grow to upwards of $170 billion in just 10 years.

Rick Magana ·
Show More