A collaboration between Versea Health and Doc Johnson, the Doc Johnson Wellness Centers have high ambitions to change the American perception of adult health and wellness.
(Note: This story appears in the February 2024 issue of SE Magazine)
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merican adult manufacturer Doc Johnson prides itself on being “a one-stop shop” in sexual health and wellness. But what does that sort of claim encompass within the context of modern day healthcare and technology? Healthcare in the US has transformed drastically, not just in the aughts, but especially in recent years, in the 2020s. Founded in 1976, Doc Johnson has remained relevant in adult wellness by providing cutting-edge technology to American consumers at all times.
“When you think about it, there are few things that don’t fall under the umbrella of sexual health,” explains Scott Watkins, VP of Sales & Marketing. “Sexual health encompasses everything — from physical well-being, to desire, which is why we try to offer products that can make every aspect of sex, and therefore life, better!”
In a brand new exclusive partnership with Versea Health, Doc Johnson has reached new heights in sexual health technology. The partnership launches the Wellness Center, which Doc Johnson believes to be a first-of-its-kind retail display program bringing the comprehensive health and wellness category to the adult retailer marketplace. Doc Johnson Wellness Centers provide advanced diagnostic technologies and over-the-counter treatments with state-of-the-art resources, including pregnancy tests, ovulation tests and even six-panel drug tests, to a storefront consumers are comfortable exploring uncomfortable topics in — adult retail stores.
The program aims to eliminate shame from the important conversations surrounding adult wellness by transporting products historically found in generic drug stores — where clerks are untrained in their specifications — to the stores staffed with adult retail professionals.
“At an adult store, you can ask those awkward questions,” says Watkins. “We’re training retailers in these products, so that they can answer those questions. And for those who aren’t comfortable asking, we’re providing digital information that they’ll be able to achieve online, via QR codes.”
Designed to empower the consumer, the Wellness Centers offer products such as female contraceptives, entitled, “Empowered Choice,” and fentanyl test strips, entitled “Party Safe,” marketed to emphasize the right of the consumer to decisions concerning their own body, a core value Doc Johnson carries through all of its sexual health product lines.
Watkins celebrates: “Having items like pregnancy and fentanyl tests readily available in a judgment-free zone could help save lives.”
“When you think about it, there are few things that don’t fall under the umbrella of sexual health. Sexual health encompasses everything — from physical well-being, to desire, which is why we try to offer products that can make every aspect of sex, and therefore life, better!”
– Scott Watkins, VP of Sales & Marketing
Anticipation for the collaboration has been high. By partnering with Versea Health, Doc Johnson is able to offer its customers access to adult health in every aspect.
“The more places our Wellness Centers are, without stigma, the happier we are,” says Watkins. “This product line in collaboration with Versea Health helps to expand what adult health and wellness really means.”
Premiere adult health and wellness
Versea Health has been in the business of manufacturing high-value diagnostic and therapeutic point of care (POC), over the counter (OTC) solutions, supplying wellness products for the consumer and professional markets, since 2018.
As Watkins describes: “Versea Health is a transformative healthcare company focused on making sure everyday people have the ability to know and make choices about their own health. Your health is in your hands.”
However, in spite of its positive legacy, this collaboration with Doc Johnson is Versea Health’s first venture into the adult retail category. And for adult retailers, it’s the beginning of bringing comprehensive care into adult consumer’s homes, according to Watkins. Working together to develop a program that would transform care on both sides constituted what is now the Doc Johnson Wellness Center.
“This is an entirely new retail category in the industry!” declares Watkins.
Until now, diagnostic testing and female contraceptives were not readily available to the end-consumer, except in a drug store.
“In the majority of Food/Drug mass locations that you would find these products at throughout the US, they would be found behind glass, so a consumer would have to ask a clerk for access to this care,” Watkins explains. “Our greatest fear is that the shame of asking keeps consumers from getting the care they need.”
And previously in the adult world, sexual health and wellness has largely been focused on hard goods, like products such as vibrators, lubricants and dildos.
“But it’s so much more than that!” explains Watkins. “This product line really helps to further close the loop in terms of what health and wellness really means. Really, it doesn’t make sense that we were missing it for so long. The Wellness Center offers so many more ways to keep informed about your own health.”
Revolution in healthcare
According to Watkins, one reason that it may have taken so long for diagnostic testing and OTC treatments to be as readily accessible to the consumer as they are now is the actual availability of products like these. He argues that the at-home testing popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic created more of a demand from consumers for at-home tests. Today, the general American public is far more familiar with at-home testing than they once were.
“Having items like pregnancy and fentanyl tests readily available in a judgment-free zone could help save lives.”
– Scott Watkins, VP of Sales & Marketing
“Years ago, when it came to female contraceptive products, we would run to the store right after a night of pleasure to get a pill, because we didn’t want to have it at our house,” says Watkins. “But now, everybody’s got COVID tests in their house. They’re used to doing testing. And they know that it’s much better to be safe than sorry. The mindset of our consumers has changed, and these products couldn’t have come at a better time for supporting that shift.”
Additionally, as contraceptive access laws are changing dramatically, state-by-state, many more consumers understand the necessity of having their reproductive care made private.
“I hope that by putting products like drug and ovulation tests as well as day-after pills in sex stores, we can make an impact on how people think about these items.” says Watkins. “Many of these items can literally save lives, so we hope that more people will feel freer to use them more liberally.”
Why should every adult store in the country stock the Doc Johnson Wellness Centers?
“Short and simple answer is: these products will sell!” replies Watkins. “The products comprise a logical category for sexually-active adults, and are essentially ideal for our clientele.
“Retailers can refill the Wellness center with any combination of the available products, so if one or two specific boxes sell better in their market, they can focus their sales on those products,” he continues. “This category is one that once a customer knows it’s available, they will come back to purchase again and tell their friends.”
A complete Wellness Center, includes the following items:
• Pregnancy test (1 test per box): 4 boxes
• Pregnancy test (2 tests per box): 4 boxes
• Ovulation Test (5 tests per box): 2 boxes
• 6-Panel Drug test (1 test per box): 2 boxes
• Empowered Choice Emergency Contraception (1 tablet per box) – 6 boxes
• Party Safe Fentanyl (5 tests per box): 6 boxes
It’s also important to note that each item available in the Wellness Centers is also available for individual sale.
Adding to the privacy of an adult store setting, all of the testing can be done privately in-home, so the results are yours alone. Not only is this potentially an entirely new source of revenue for adult retailers, providing more essential health care in adult stores may also help to de-stigmatize the adult world to the general public.
Doc Johnson Wellness Center as its own planogram
One of the biggest challenges for adult retailers in merchandising this category is alerting consumers to their sudden presence and availability in their stores. Doc Johnson has therefore provided retailer support on the Centers themselves with merchandising suggestions, as well all the information a consumer needs about the product. QR codes are located on the Centers, so that customers can be redirected to more information about these products — what they are and how to use them — at DocJohnson.com.
“The products comprise a logical category for sexually-active adults, and are essentially ideal for our clientele.”
– Scott Watkins, VP of Sales & Marketing
“These items have been readily available at any food/drug mass store for quite some time, but the vast majority of adult retailers haven’t had them in their stores,” explains Watkins.“Designing our Wellness Center, we saw it as a priority to inform consumers that the product line is even available.”
The Doc Johnson Wellness Center provides, in-and-of-itself, everything a retailer would need to make these products available, as well as suggestions and recommendations for cross-merchandising in a store.
“We made it really easy for retailers to launch this program in stores,” delights Watkins. “The Wellness Center is basically its own planogram! And as the program expands, we’ve launched a slew of further marketing support. We offer floor clings, window clings, tear sheets, bag stuffers, table tents, product videos, social media assets, digital banners and more. We also have seller retailer information available on each product, and, as always, we offer in-store trainings, to help retailers help consumers with all their questions concerning adult wellness.”
With an emphasis on increasing accessibility, Doc Johnson ensures that all of the MSRPs for their products are reasonable retail price points. Doc Johnson Wellness Centers have been available since November 2023, and in the months ahead Doc Johnson will continue to expand the meaning of adult health and wellness.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to grow and add more options in the future,” shares Watkins.
For more information, call (818)-764-1543, email sales@docjohnson.com or visit DocJohnson.com.
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