Page 23 - AVN Intimate Summer 2016

By ShARAN STREET
I need to reestablish the
brand: the trust, the
integrity and the quality,
the delivery and the
relationships.
— Autumn O’Bryan,
Topco COO
to a sex toy party. It’s very different now, where
adult toys are in the mainstream—Walgreen’s
and Wal-Mart and so forth. We have come a
long way, and I think it’s much more female-
oriented, which it wasn’t before, and so I think
a lot of the development needs to be aimed
toward females and couples. The technology
has certainly come a long way; however, I’m
concerned that the technology is getting too far
advanced for sex toys. ... It’s not iPhones and
it’s not software and hardware—it’s still this
really impulsive experience that you have with
yourself or your partner. So I think we’ve gone
really far out with technology and what I’m
seeing is we’re starting to pull that back a little
and get back to basics. ...
People are much more familiar with what
is body-safe and so I think that’s important ...
listening to the consumers and creating really
good products, quality products, that are body
safe. However, for Topco Sales and a lot of the
bigger companies, that has not been our focus.
A lot of the smaller manufacturers, that is their
focus and I applaud them. I think it’s going to
be a longer process for [a company of Topco’s
size] to get there because we still have the PVC
and the staple items and the inexpensive items,
because there are still wants and needs for
those. These items still sell. But we can make
sure that even those are the best quality that
we can make them.
How did you ENd up RETURNing to Topco?
The [Topco Sales] CEO, the largest
shareholder of WSM Investments, is William
Wu, and he is the owner of Lovers Health,
which is a large Chinese manufacturer of adult products. They also own stores, very big in Asia,
and he used to be one of my top vendors when I was at Topco Sales back in 2005 to 2008. So we
had a really good relationship. I knew his capabilities; he knew mine. It was always a relationship
we maintained, and one of trust, and so when he had found out that I had left CNV, he approached
me. I had had several other job offers, but for me this was sort of coming full circle, but at the same
time I think this is the greatest challenge. I love the underdog story, and I do believe we can be
what we were but better and more evolved. So I really like the idea of the challenge ... and I want
to be the leader of the team that’s made it happen.
WhAT will be yoUR first priority AT Topco?
My main focus right now is to get Topco to be what it once was, but more. Topco has been
around since 1972; however, it has too gone through a lot of changes over the years. ... My job now
is mainly to repair relationships, to be completely transparent. It’s gone through a lot of changes
so I need to reestablish the brand: the trust, the integrity and the quality, the delivery and the
relationships—and the innovation again, but unfortunately that’s on the bottom of the list right
now because all of those other things have to be fixed internally before we can start worrying
about releasing more products and demanding more sales.
What is really going to be the challenge is changing the perception within the industry of Topco
Sales. Topco Sales has been silent for so long—they made a lot of mistakes before and after the new
ownership, and because they’ve been silent there have been a lot of rumors and misconception
that it was a sinking ship ... so it’s really focusing on having a presence again, in doing store visits,
trade shows, marketing, et cetera, just really getting the message out there—the true message—
that we are here, that even though we moved manufacturing to China it’s still quality product.
Because we have a Chinese manufacturing facility of our own, that gives us a real advantage over
[continued on page 34]
Topco Sales Sets the Record Straight
Topco Sales recently reached out to its customers to clarify that
the financial woes of its former parent company, Vast Resources,
will have no effect on the pleasure product manufacturer.
Vendors had received a notice, dated March 25, 2016, that
informed them of the detailed financial state of Vast Resources,
which relinquished ownership of Topco Sales in 2012 and remains
legally and financially disparate from Topco Sales and its business
dealings. Owned and operated by WSM Investment after the
ownership transfer in 2012, the new Topco Sales has operated
successfully and maintained business relationships with most of
the vendors in receipt of Vast Resources’ notice.
“While certainly alarming, the financial distress outlined in
this notice has no connection to Topco Sales and its current
ownership, nor does it affect any part of our current business
operations, including relationships with our vendors,” Topco
Sales COO Autumn O’Bryan said. “We are sorry to have
learned of the concern and confusion that this has caused and,
as with all aspects of our business, Topco Sales is committed
to transparency and eager to address these important issues
personally.”
O’Bryan added, “The team and I became aware of Vast
Resources’ bankruptcy notice and its unfortunate misinterpretation
recently and we’re addressing the issue personally and industry-
wide. Please feel free to contact me to continue the conversation
or visit the new Topco Sales booth at the upcoming ANME
Founders show to see us in person.”
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