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.
Then I moved to another company. They had one computer, shoved in the back office. At first, it didn’t affect me. Some guy came in after hours, entered contracts and printed reports. But I was curious. I knew this was going to change everything. So after I clocked out, I stayed to watch what he was doing. I asked questions. I learned how it worked.
AI tools can help you stock less junk and more of what sells, using sales data to schedule smarter, retain great employees and more — without needing a degree in computer science.
A few months later, they rolled out computers at every desk. While everyone else was intimidated by the change, I was already fluent. I trained my coworkers, got promoted and realized something important: The people who lean into new tools early don’t just survive transitions — they lead them.
Today, we’re facing that same moment again. This time, the new tool is artificial intelligence.
What AI Really Is, and What It’s Not
There’s a lot of anxiety around AI replacing jobs — and in some industries, that may be partly true. But in most cases, and especially in retail, AI is not here to replace people. It’s here to replace repetitive tasks, guesswork and inefficiency. Think of it like a power tool: It doesn’t build the house for you, but it sure makes the work easier and faster.
Here are some things AI can do:
- Spot patterns in your POS data that you might never detect on your own.
- Forecast what SKUs are about to take off, or crash.
- Flag theft and shrinkage without hours of video review.
- Automate your payroll and employee schedules based on real traffic.
- Scan and categorize your vendor invoices — while you sleep.
- Flag dead inventory.
- Write job descriptions.
In other words, AI is the office computer of the 2020s.
The Pleasure Industry Is Ripe for AI
Adult retail has always been a balancing act. We serve a diverse, curious customer base. We juggle thousands of SKUs across categories, from wellness and fashion to tech and novelty. Our products are high-margin but high-turnover. And we deal with sensitive topics that require trust, personalization and discretion.
AI can support all of that — if we let it
Just like that old rental car office, many stores are still using outdated methods: gut instinct for ordering, spreadsheets for scheduling, and hours of manual entry for accounting. It works, but it’s slow and error-prone. It holds back growth.
Your Most Valuable Tech Skill: Curiosity
You don’t need a tech background to benefit from AI. All you need is curiosity. That’s it. You don’t have to understand how AI works, just like you don’t need to know binary code to operate a laptop. If you can upload a spreadsheet, review a dashboard and ask a good question, you’re already 90% of the way there.
Plus, the tools are getting easier and easier to use. Many of them integrate with platforms you know, like Lightspeed, Shopify, QuickBooks, iSolved, etc. Some work right out of the box. Others are like digital coworkers, quietly doing tasks you didn’t even realize were slowing you down.
When I say AI can transform adult retail operations, I don’t mean it will turn everything upside down. I mean it will help you accomplish the tasks you already do in ways that are faster, smarter and less stressful. AI tools can help you stock less junk and more of what sells, using sales data to schedule smarter, retain great employees and more — without needing a degree in computer science.
The Future Is Now
AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s already here. If you’re still on the fence, I invite you to think back to when email felt like a novelty, or when using a touchscreen cash register seemed “too complicated.” Change always feels daunting… until it becomes normal.
The AI wave is moving even faster. The sooner we hop on, the more we get to shape how it serves us. Ask the questions. Explore the tools. This is your chance to be the person who knows how to use the computer before it hits every desk.
Remember: AI won’t take your job… but someone good at using AI just might.
Zondre Watson is the general manager of technology and analytics for adult retail chain Ero-Tech. With a background in finance, chocolate and controlled chaos, he blends retail know-how with AI tools to keep 17,000 products moving smoothly.
