BEIJING — Chinese e-commerce site JD.com has released a consumer analysis on the sale of pleasure products after the original outbreak of COVID-19.
According to JD.com, the company “saw dramatic changes in related search keywords when people in China went into lockdown as it drove a huge increase in demand for contraceptives and stimulated long-distance partners’ desire to make purchases for their counterparts from afar,” marketing news site The Drum reports.
“The aircraft cup, also known as the masturbation cup, and vibrator ranked as the top men’s and women’s adult products respectively, followed by simulation dolls and egg vibrators,” The Drum explained.
Lingerie and other adult toys were also sought after by quarantined Chinese buyers.
The largest adult doll merchants, The Drum explained, are from Wuhan, where the global pandemic originated.
Among other findings, the analysis revealed that demand for family planning products increased over 30% in the first half of 2020 compared to 2019.
“This was roughly equivalent to every person who has bought related [sexual] products on JD buying 44 condoms and two boxes of emergency contraceptives each,” The Drum wrote.
"The tropical Hainan province, dubbed 'China’s Hawaii,' saw the fastest turnover of adult products on JD in June, increasing 111% compared to 2019, and 208% month-to-month."
In the first half of 2020, “the purchase of products for the opposite sex by women consumers has increased by about 30% and intercity orders increased by about 120%," perhaps, according to The Drum, “suggesting an attempt to ensure their partners’ needs are taken care of even when they are not together."
The report also revealed a significant increase in purchases "by women with higher education backgrounds.”
The top 10 brands on JD in terms of turnover in 2020 are Durex, Okamoto, Wanaike, Jinge, Bililing, Jissbon, Cialis, Mizz zee, Duzihate and Svakom.
Though seen abroad mostly in terms of its manufacturing sector, China also has a thriving local pleasure product market and archeologists have revealed China as having one of the oldest, continuing traditions of manufacturing and using pleasure products as sexual aids.
