The site, developed by David Levine in 1995, was one of the first online stores when it was launched April 28, 1995.
And after a decade in the business, the Convergence Inc. division has become a leader in adult toy and novelties sales over the Internet.
"The fact that my business is adult-oriented is incidental," Levine said. "My dream, since the beginning, has been the same — to make $1 billion working from home by myself, without employees or a corporate office."
The company’s success has been in offering business-to-consumer advantages such as discreet mailings and wholesale prices, and business-to-business incentives like drop shipping and turnkey virtual store solutions, Levine said.
But Levine said that the online market is now getting tighter.
“I would hate to start from scratch in today’s competitive environment,” he said.
The Boston native said he created the first revshare program for the sale of adult products. It proved to be a wise decision, he said, as the move prompted a growth spurt of more than 200 percent over a three-year period.
SexToy.com currently offers a 30 percent commission on adult products for affiliates, except for 20 percent on video and video-on-demand sales.
The online toy tycoon compares himself to porn mogul Hugh Hefner, complete with a Hollywood Hills mansion where he hosts after-hours parties.
"Unlike Hef," he said, "I don't have to pay the girls to hang out with me."
