Page 37 - AVN Intimate Fall 2019

Everyone chews gum, so our GumBALLS
and Laid! gum are great impulse buys. Why
not chew an adult brand vs. a mainstream
one? They are great add-on items. Customers
may not be looking for them, but they are
inexpensive and easy impulse buys,” Pellham
added. “Why not increase each customer’s
orders by a couple bucks?”
In addition to the more “romantic” holidays,
some items are perfect to stock during
the summer months for wedding season.
Pipedream’s Bachelorette line offers edibles—
many with a penis theme—with packaging
and branding that makes them easy to find and
sell. But the company can help retailers stock
throughout the entire year.
“Although the company’s bachelorette-
branded items sell mostly during wedding
season, Pipedream offers plenty of other non-
bachelorette edibles that are day-in and day-out
sellers,” Rodgers said. “Most retailers stock
edible items year-round in order to capture
other events like Ladies’ Nights and birthday
parties.”
“There are so many avenues for creativity with adult candy! It’s space-efficient, budget-friendly, can be cross-merchandised ...
and it ties into
so many holidays!”
Retailers who are not yet stocking some form
of edibles are leaving money on the table, many
manufacturers’ reps said.
“Edible items serve as a perfect add-on/
up-sell for retailers,” Pipedream’s Rodgers
said. “These candies are fun and offer an easy
entry point for customers to try something new.
Edibles are usually inexpensive and are a great
complement to customers’ purchases. Nothing
goes better with Pipedream’s Oral Sex Dice
than a packet of its oral sex candy, BJ Blast! Just
by pairing a toy with an edible, a retailer can
create a true experience for its customers.
“Edible items are a great way for many
couples to start a conversation about what else
they may like to try,” she added. “If edible
panties make ‘date night’ a success, then let
customers know that remote-controlled panties
could be an exciting next step.”
Sweet Treats Opposite page, Rock Candy Toys gave away samples of
its Poppin’ Rock Candy at ANME. This page, top right, some of the Hott
Products items at ANME (photos by Rick Garcia). Bottom left, Flirty Flavor
Edible Kit for Lovers from Pipedream Products. Right, GumBALLS from
Kheper Games.
The reps all agreed stocking candies and
other edibles for the first time is enough to
make any retailer a bit nervous, but all said the
benefits outweigh the concerns.
“So many consumers connect with candy
on a genuine and psychological level almost
instantly—regardless of gender, budget or
experience level,” Rock Candy Toys’ Murphy
said. “Adult candy takes a very familiar
concept and puts it into a ‘grown up’ container,
where you can ‘have your cake and eat it
too,’ so to speak. The time-honored candy
shop experience, and other cherished parts
of youth, seem to slip away as time goes by;
so the combination of sex and candy really
lights up consumers because they can re-
live that nostalgia. Mainstream stores like
Spencer’s and IT’SUGAR have jumped on the
adult candy train and it seems to be working
really well for them. Also, the ‘bubblegum at
checkout’ theory is something that will always
remain to be true—whether it’s a candy bar or
a packet of popping candy. It’s so easy to toss
in the shopping cart without much thought,
because price points are accessible for just about
everyone. At the end of the day, candy isn’t the
main course, or even a side dish to foreplay
and sex, it’s simply a fun garnish! Candy items
appeal to the couple who wants something
quick and fun that will sweeten up their routine.
Ultimately, offering candy items in-store isn’t
just about the sale—the sale is a by-product.
Curating a product selection that sparks
happiness for customers is what facilitates the
sale, and keeps people coming back for more.”
Rodgers said there’s essentially no reasonFALL 2019 | INTIMATE | 37