The COVID-19 pandemic introduced the entire world to a completely new reality, with social distancing becoming the norm for the overwhelming majority of the global population. This situation has brought many disruptions and changes to people’s daily routines, as well as massive shifts in business operations worldwide, particularly for the sex toy industry.
As people continue to stay home and self-isolate alone or with their partners, sales for businesses within the sex toy industry are seeing a boost with people having more time to explore their sexuality. In fact, LELO, a leading designer brand for intimate lifestyle products, reports a 150 percent uptick in sales compared to this time last year.
The fact of the matter is the stay-at-home mandate will have a lasting effect on how people date and have sex moving forward.
With consumer mindsets adapting to this new way of living, what can sex toy companies do to continue building meaningful relationships with their core consumers while supporting their business partners in an ever-changing landscape?
Ecommerce
As people are increasingly being advised to stay home, brands that rely on the traditional brick-and-mortar distribution of their products are faced with the challenges of many stores closing their doors. As such, it is more essential than ever before for brands to increase their availability and offerings via ecommerce on their respective websites and through other online e-tailers.
Beyond establishing an online presence, brands should strive to create an immersive experience for customers visiting their web-shop in order to stay competitive. By offering timely content to educate and entertain audiences, brands can also drive traffic back to their website. Once things begin to improve, this pandemic will have a lasting impact on the shopping experience and retail landscape, and brick-and-mortar retailers will need to re-examine their strategy and business models. Online availability is no longer nice to have, but rather a necessity.
Provide an immersive buying experience
It’s one thing to have ecommerce set up on a brand’s website; however, the simple act of selling online does not necessarily mean that your consumer is automatically driven to make a purchase. Making an online purchasing decision is about more than just the functionality of the “checkout,” but rather the story-telling experience being offered to consumers who are interested in the brand behind their products. Since there is no salesperson assisting the customer at the point of sale, the use of visuals (such as videos) that showcase a product’s unique selling propositions, as well as captivating imagery, has become even more important in light of current societal shifts.
Provide expert insights
Staying home limits in-person dating experiences for single people and creates a completely new dynamic for partners who are living together uninterrupted 24-7. As people are learning to adapt to this new way of life, they are actively seeking resources that can address the issues they are currently facing.
“How am I going to get a date?” “Is it appropriate to have a date/sex over FaceTime or Zoom?” “I don’t know much about sex toys. What do I need to consider when looking for the right one?”
The list of questions goes on and on. Consumers are grappling with questions they may not have considered before and actively looking for experts to provide guidance and expertise.
For a brand, especially in the adult novelty industry, it is essential to pair online product sales with valuable information and resources from experts in the field that address day-to-day concerns and create a more personal experience with customers during this time of isolation. This will position the brand as a valuable and trusted resource that individuals can rely on for advice at any time.
Create content that addresses the new situation
With too much time on their hands, people are more willing than ever to try new things. Consumers are also increasingly looking for creative ways to spice up their sex lives, whether they are single, seeing someone casually or in a committed relationship. Brands need to focus on creating engaging content for their customers which will both entertain and educate. This applies to both the brand’s website, as well as their social media channels where followers can engage through interactive content.
This is especially important among Gen Z and millennial consumers, as these generations are used to creating their own interactive digital content through platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube and more. People are spending more time than ever on social media. As such, a sex toy company can effectively create a campaign centered around people staying home, provide deals on various products and create interactive content which can be activated across multiple channels to reach as many potential customers as possible while they are scrolling their feeds at home.
Reassure customers about safety standards
People are paying close attention to the safety of the products they buy and come in contact with, especially intimate items. For a sex toy company, it is important to reassure the public that all necessary steps are being taken to maintain and exceed increased safety standards.
It remains to be seen how the pandemic will affect the industry once people are allowed to freely leave their homes and start socializing again. The fact of the matter is the stay-at-home mandate will have a lasting effect on how people date and have sex moving forward. Now is the time for brands to adapt, be flexible and continue developing new strategies to continue to be there for people as the economy and their behavioral patterns change.
Luka Matutinovic is the global marketing director at LELO.
