It has been a minute since I have talked about one of my personal favorite toys, the wand. With a significant boost of both customer interest and dollar sales in this category, it seems like a good time to bring them up again.
Wands, to me, are the “little black dress” of sex toys. They are a staple of every store and what I believe to be a favorite in most customers’ toy collections. Why are wands among the biggest must-haves for stores right now?
Wands are the ‘little black dress’ of sex toys.
They are a bigger part of the overall wellness movement in retail, rather than just being another sex toy or vibrator option. They provide therapy for a large range of body issues, making them a highly dual-purposed item for customers to consider. With so many brick-and-mortar stores looking to transition from a sex toy store to a wellness boutique, products like wands matter. Being able to host non-sexual sections such as sports therapy or general wellness items, can often provide a soft spot to land for customers who do not quite know what they are looking for, or where to start.
Wands have so much variety to choose from. Before you say “OMG, not another wand,” hear me out. There are wands of all shapes and sizes, and while it is not realistic to carry every brand, you should have a small variety of core wand shapes and sizes, as well as different price points. Carrying one brand of wand can be a disservice to both your store and your customer, while carrying too many wands can be overwhelming and leave someone at a loss on where to even start. We are fortunate that our industry is well versed in this category and you can truly find something for your store and still have it feel unique for your customers.
Something else to consider is how far wands have come in the last few years. We are all familiar with the classic two-speed style, but what about some of the new features that wands now offer that make them highly competitive with the rest of the items in your store? One of my favorite features is the new digital interface available with some wands that let you customize your experience. Via customer feedback, I’ve long heard about how challenging it can be for customers to scroll through speeds and settings so these new digital interfaces can be the solution that customers have been looking for. I also love the waterproofing and sound reduction feature on most wands. More power is bound to have a bit more sound, but for what we ask of wands regarding performance, sound is minimal in comparison. I also love that silicone has found its way beyond plush wand heads and now covers the arm or handle of the wand. Being fully covered in silicone makes wands feel and look more luxurious, allowing for those higher price tags along with added comfort for long-term use.
Do not be fooled into thinking that some of these smaller compact wands can’t compete with the patterns and power of their larger counterparts. Small and mighty is my favorite go-to if I get the opportunity to help someone on the sales floor while out visiting a store. Having a small powerful wand that is wireless to go with you anywhere, waterproof to take in the shower, and compact enough to throw in your purse or bag hits all major bonus points for me. The price point on these smaller wands is also a big perk — lots of power without the price tag.
Attachments! I think we get so focused on building the sale in retail, we forget what a cool add-on attachments can really be and often overlook them. I think of adding on an attachment as doubling the value of your wand. For example, if you add on a stroker, you now potentially have something for him and her. These types of wand add-ons make the wand multi-use for a small additional purchase. No other toy section has an attachment concept like wands do; use it to your advantage. Have a customer who is not sure what they want? Suggest a wand and a G-spot attachment to offer internal and external stimulation. Let your customer experiment and play a bit without investing a ton of money so they can come back and buy what they really want!
My last bit of advice on how to help people choose a wand: Show them just the head and explain the type of vibration each wand has. Having the handles with all the buttons and cords can over-complicate a sale that does not need it. Let the customer feel the vibration while the wands are all lined up together so they can see what you mean about deep and rumbly, versus fine and pinpointed. Show them how the attachment can help change the feel of the vibration, building the sale from the very beginning.
Wands can be your best friends on the sales floor if you let them! Try picking out a favorite wand in the $50, $100 and $150 categories to help keep your opinion open to more than just one brand or option. These are great price points to group together and keep a wider audience for your wand customer base.
I hope you all have a little black dress in the toy world you go to and maybe after reading this article, wands will be it!
Danielle Seerley, aka “America’s Sex Toy Sweetheart,” is the senior sales executive for Shibari Wands and Voodoo Toys.
