JOIN USBad time becomes bed time:adult toy sales rise by 65%
The sale of sex toys has risen by 65 per cent since the first lockdown, according to a report.
Bengaluru recorded the second highest sales, following Mumbai. The report, curated by ThatsPersonal.com, says most female customers are from Karnataka and Telangana.
Bobby L, co-founder, GetSetWild.com, says the lockdown forced many to reflect on their lives and their sexual well being. “Sex toys fulfil a basic physiological need. They could also help find an escape from reality,” he says. Reprioritisation of income, says Samir Saraiya, CEO of ThatsPersonal.com, is another cause for the increased sales.
“Across income groups, people are changing how they spend their money. They are focusing on home and personal needs. Decor, kitchenware, household products and sexual wellness products fall within this trend,” he says.
Raj Armani, co-founder of IMbesharam.com, expects the trend to continue through the rest of the year. “Many individuals and couples have found more time for intimacy. Consumption of porn has shot through the roof, and knowledge about these products has reached more people, thanks to the Internet,” he says.
What’s most bought?
Products for couples as well as singles are doing equally well across stores. Massagers and male penile pumps rule the roost, contributing to 19 and 16 per cent of the total sales at ThatsPersonal.com.
At GetSetWild, dildos, vibrators and masturbators are bought the most. “These are popular generally because they are easy to use and are recognised by many,” says Bobby. At IMbesharam.com, Fleshlight, a toy for men, sells the most, followed by vibrators. Lubricants and performance-boosting products, pleasure rings, strokers and lingerie are also popular.
Who’s buying?
In Bengaluru, 67 per cent of all customers are male, and 33 female. Since 2014, when the first such report came out, the male-female ratio has more or less remained the same, but the absolute number of female customers has gone up dramatically. Many female customers use the credentials of a spouse or male friend to make purchases.
The stores receive their highest sales from Tier 1 cities. Exposure and access to information are cited as reasons.
“Smaller towns have a heavier cloud of taboo around them, creating a dilemma for those exploring their bodily desires,” says Armani.
However, affluent people in small towns can be more adventurous. “We see Tier 2 consumers try out our more unique products. Take for example, our Sybian sex machine (masturbator for women). We sold four last year, at about Rs four lakh each, and all to Tier 2 cities,” he says.
A good 56 per cent of buyers are between 25-34, 16 between the 35-44, and 15 between 18-24. Factors such as age, sex and even relationship status determine what people are buying. Adult games are not popular among older groups but very much so in the 18 to 24 category. Romance products like edible body paint or massage oil are popular among the younger crowd. Those over 40 usually choose products that can medically help their sexual wellbeing.
Methodology
The growth was mapped by comparing sales in the last 43 days of the second quarter (May 18 to June 30), with the first 43 days of the first quarter (January 1 to February 12).
This methodology was adopted since the company’s warehouse was shut from March 20 to May 18, with no deliveries taking place because of the countrywide lockdown.
Nokia phone preferred
Forget using the phone for sexting, many women in India rely on their phones as a masturbatory aid. According to a survey conducted by Agents of Ishq in 2017, the old Nokia 3310 phone was the most preferred sex toy among women in India. The high prices of adult products push many women towards alternatives. Toothbrushes, shower jets, pillows, ice cubes and vegetables were other popular choices, the survey found.
Online vs offline
India has never been home to a physical adult toys shop. People are more comfortable buying these products online because that automatically guarantees them privacy. An online store introduced a customer self pick-up option in 2014, meant for those who had difficulty receiving packages at home: college students and young professionals living with their families and couples with children at home.
Legal or not?
The sexual wellness market in India is on an upswing. However, ambiguity about the legal status for such products remains. The law says ‘obscenity’ is an offence even though there is no clear definition as to what constitutes ‘obscenity’.
Section 292 of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act explain ‘obscenity’ to mean anything that is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest, or if its effect is to deprave and corrupt people. There is no existing legislation governing the sale and purchase of sex toys in India. However, sex toys that exactly resemble a human body part can’t be sold. Another online store says all its products are imported, genuine and customs-paid. The stores use discreet packaging, generic labels, and allow customers the option of self-pickup.