The new world of pleasure products is a far cry from the days when adult boutiques were seedy “sex shops” where customers hid their faces while slinking out the door carrying vibrators in black plastic bags. In the morally traditional, Catholic countries of South America, however, such days were still a reality less than a decade ago.
One woman, however, envisioned a future that brought pleasure boutiques out of the darkness of religious shame. Chilean entrepreneur and sexpert Jane Morgan founded her adult retail chain, Japi Jane, with the intent of bringing sex positivity to the people of Chile.
I take my responsibility of helping other women in the industry very seriously.
Morgan had to fight every step of the way to legitimize her business in the eyes of Chilean society. Once forced to operate out of a private apartment complex without a proper storefront, Japi Jane has now grown to encompass two brick-and-mortar shops that attract proud sex toy consumers to their brightly lit, classy and centralized locations.
Most recently, Morgan has even created retailer opportunities for other women in Chile who dream of joining the quest to normalize and popularize sexual wellness for South Americans.
At her core, Jane Morgan believes the best part of leading the pleasure product revolution is helping other would-be female business owners along the way — which is why, this month, XBIZ is shining a well-earned spotlight on this Chilean game changer.
XBIZ: How has 2022 played out for you and the team at Japi Jane? How are sales in your corner of South America?
Jane Morgan: Japi Jane is an interesting case for post-pandemic sales. As others were closing physical stores, we invested in a brand new store designed by the country’s top interior designers that opened in February 2021. So, while online sales have fallen as much as 40% for ecommerce businesses so far in 2022, we were able to capture sales at our physical locations to offset the decline with our online sales. I felt strongly that people would be yearning for in-person experiences post-COVID, and a well-designed adult store with personalized attention provides a meaningful retail experience. So far, this strategy is paying off.
XBIZ: How have your personal focus and daily efforts evolved as your company has grown?
Morgan: Japi Jane will celebrate 16 years in November 2022, and I have grown the company from solopreneurship to an organization with 35 employees, two physical stores and a strong ecommerce channel. Until very recently, I wore three hats: owner, general manager and the public face and spokesperson for the business as a well-known sexpert in the Chilean media. As of June 2022, I hired a general manager and formed a board of directors. I am the president of the board, where I can monitor and guide the business without getting involved with the day-to-day operations. I will continue to work on new business development and major projects like our private-label line and expansion to other countries in Latin America, as well as focus on creating more educational content as the spokesperson, which is a key to positioning our brand and achieving success.
XBIZ: Since lots of our readers are North American, give us a peek into pleasure retail in Chile. Are people open-minded about sex toys and sexuality there?
Morgan: To give readers an idea of the traditional mindset in Chile and other countries in Latin America that are predominantly Catholic, sex toys are often referred to as “consoladores” or “consolers,” with a serious negative connotation that you are sad and lonely if you have to resort to the use of one of these products. I have worked tirelessly for the last 16 years to change the mindset and the vocabulary!
The attitude of everyday Chileans has changed radically over the past decade. When I first opened my store, people would arrive hidden behind dark glasses and demand a black bag to carry out their purchases. Now, groups of friends arrive together, take pictures with their new rabbit vibrator to post to social media and demand a stylish bag with the Japi Jane logo to show off with pride.
Fifteen years ago, my rental applications were rejected from several locations and for my first store, I ended up in a less traditional retail location in a first-floor apartment without a direct entrance to the street. Many sex shops are still in that situation in Chile, tucked away in corners of the city with less traffic, and most are concentrated in the downtown area, which is a crossroads for all socioeconomic sectors. However, my newest store, which opened in 2021, is a beautiful, two-story retail location uptown, directly facing a major street.
XBIZ: What has been most challenging about working in this industry, especially in South America?
Morgan: Without a doubt, I was not taken very seriously when I started out selling sex toys in Chile. The general reaction I received from the press was that this was just another fad that would quickly pass and my small business would not prosper since there were very few female entrepreneurs in Chile back in 2006. I received direct hostility from men who complained that I was out to replace them with vibrators! Sex toys were only for people that couldn’t get the real thing, or if the man wasn’t good in bed and wasn’t satisfying their partner.
On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised with how I was received by manufacturers as I was getting started. Fun Factory took a chance on me without doubting my potential as a woman in South America, and I quickly found other female-friendly allies in the industry — with CalExotics, for example.
XBIZ: Do you think you’re creating more opportunities for other women in Chile and the rest of South America to work in this career field?
Morgan: I take my responsibility of helping other women in the industry very seriously. In 2016, I started a second company, Eroshop Mayorista, together with another local adult retailer, Secretos de Amor, to distribute the best international brands in Chile. Our focus is to support female entrepreneurs in starting their own projects: some with physical stores, and others with websites or social media accounts. With a small initial investment, they can get started and we provide guidance and training and serve as their fulfillment warehouse.
I have also formed relationships with other women in the region, from Colombia to Argentina, and we are constantly sharing contacts, experiences and ideas to improve the perception of our industry in our countries.
XBIZ: What does the future hold for Japi Jane and your career with the company?
Morgan: I feel that Japi Jane is poised for major growth in the coming years as adult products start to move into the mainstream market, and I want to lead that transition in Chile and the region. I have been working hard to create our private-label line with products in Spanish hand-selected especially for the local market. This positions us for sales through traditional retail chains. Our first major step is that our Japi Jane lubricant, formulated together with a local pharmaceutical company in Chile, is already available at two major pharmacy chains and a major supermarket chain in Chile.
XBIZ: Looking forward, how can your manufacturer clients help to create more success through their relationship with your company? How can they support your retail shops so you can both flourish and grow your sales?
Morgan: Japi Jane loves and promotes all the brands we represent in Chile and we feel lucky to have excellent relationships with all of them — many of them take the time to come all the way down to Chile to visit us! The brands that have had the most success are those that are constantly innovating and evolving, launching new products that win the consumer’s attention. I have found that the key to success is support with samples for our sales staff to test out products for themselves. It is always easier to sell products you know and love.
Each month, XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.
