Page 42 - AVN February 2016

Experts talk
about
Valentine’s
Day trends
by TODHUNTER
FEATURE
V
Valentine’s Day is still the time of year when the
average vanilla shopper is more likely to venture into
an adult boutique. What are they buying? AVN spoke
to retailers and distributors to find out about the latest trends.
Although the same words can have different definitions
depending on the user (note “romantic” directly below), we
spotted some similarities in their observations.
42 | AVN.com | 2.16
I think a lot of people are looking to
make a more drawn-out sensual
evening of it, so we encourage, and
see an uptick in, anything that helps
make sex a full-body experience.
—Searah Deysach, Early to Bed
Romancing the Body
“We use ‘romanic’ to refer more to things that are not toys but more body
products,” Searah Deysach, owner of Early to Bed in Chicago, told AVN. “Massage
oils and candles, nipple nibblers, edible body oils and the like. Stuff that I think of
as more R-rated rather than XXX. For Valentine’s Day, I think a lot of people are
looking to make a more drawn-out sensual evening of it, so we encourage—and
see an uptick in—anything that helps make sex a full-body experience, rather than
going right for the genital-pleasing toys. I think massage candles will be warming
up a lot of folks this V-Day.”
“The first thing that comes to my mind is ‘setting the mood,’ basically,” said
Eldorado Senior Buyer Dennis Jones. “That category of products. Candles, stuff
like that. There are romantic board games, body flavorings, edible undies, honey
dust and flavored body dust. Body paints.”
“Romance items are big,” said Tamara Bell of the Home Pleasure Party Plan
Association. “Colors like pinks and reds in vibes, a lot of very soft items like
massage oils, massage mitts, candles. creams, rose petals, things that are ‘non
threatening,’ unlike like toys that vibrate.”
“People are getting more creative,” according to Crystal Goldberg of 69 Adult
Novelties in Sherman Oaks, Calif. “I’m getting people asking for rose petals.
System JO’s Dona line has fake rose petals in different colors and they’re infused
with pheromones. The massage candles are really popular right now. You burn
them and they turn into massage oil. Chivalry is coming back, I’d say: I’ve gotten
a lot of men in the store trying to get nice, romantic things for their women.
They’re also incorporating pink.”
Chelsea McCain, director of novelties at
AdultEmpire.com, is also on board with
massage oils and massage candles: “Great
foreplay items! Light the candle to set the mood,
it melts, pour the wax on the partner. ... Same
with just the basic oil. Who doesn’t like a good
massage? Also, with items like these, there also
comes the purchase of rubber sheets, which we
have noticed a major increase in sales.”
Bundled Up
Whether assembled by manufacturers or retailers,
kits or bundles make multi-item purchases easy for
consumers and retailers.
“A majority of the manufacturers are putting kits together. We also
suggest that our party planners put bundles together. That’s our number-one
thing,” Bell said. “We stress bundling because it makes it better for our consumer.
They don’t have to try to figure out what little pieces they need. We put it
together, because we know what works together. It makes it easier for consumers.
It’s important to have different bundles because sometimes people like different
flavors: Some people like fruity, some people like hot/cinnamon. Variety is
important.”
“For Valentine’s Day, Wet is offering a new Sweet Kisses Flavored Gift Set,” said