Knock First Retail Buyer and resident sexologist, Claire Sass, explains how shifting consumer exposure is reshaping the customer spectrum and what it means for adult retailers.
(Note: This article was written by Claire Sass and appears in the February issue of SE Magazine.)
As retailers, we notice trends on a micro level. Doing our jobs well means being intimately involved in our customers’ journey, and at the close of 2025, many of us recognized a significant shift in the customer spectrum. While adult retail customers have always ranged from “newbie” to “experienced,” the qualities that define those ends of the spectrum are blurrier nowadays.
Of course, there are many nuances to consider, but I used to recognize newbies by their timid demeanor and genuine amazement over how many toys we carry. Their inexperience would become even more evident when I showed them the cock-cages or the creature cocks. Discussions about prostate play were often a first for them, and the frank language we use was almost too much for them to take in.
Newbies typically weren’t looking for the most powerful toy, but for something non-threatening at an intro-level. They weren’t yet wed to a specific toy type or brand, although they were primed and ready to make that alliance if they found the right product.
Then, at the other end of the spectrum, the seasoned shoppers were easily recognizable. Typically older than the standard newbie, experienced users often searched for products that solved specific problems caused by health conditions or general aging. They may have left a long-term relationship and wanted to explore their options.
Now that there’s no longer a clear divide between the two customer types, we’re seeing a shift toward products that address consumer needs across the spectrum. Manufacturers are shifting towards toys with more realistic shades, lifelike materials, natural sizes and less intimidating technology upgrades. More attention is being paid to the emerging consumer, who is younger, better informed and desensitized to the adult industry.
Bygone is the era of adult magazines, VHS tapes and DVDs devoid of sex toy ads. Today, porn is easier to access and often features ads for the latest adult products, using vivid imagery of people enjoying them to entice clicks. As a result, that initial shock that retailers look out for to recognize when a newbie walks into the store is fading. Comments like, “Wow, I didn’t realize dildos came in so many sizes,” have been replaced by, “I’ve seen that, but never in person!”
For the desensitized newbie, we can put the tester in their hands and let them marvel at it, excited for the opportunity to take that association from the abstract to the tangible. Even if they aren’t ready to invest in the product, it opens the door to exploration and entices them to save up, as those toys are now a priority in their pleasure journey.
And while our seasoned customer is also excited about the new products we introduce them to, they’re frequently chasing the elusive toy that we probably don’t have: the new and improved version of their old yet reliable “favorite toy.” People develop a loyalty to the feel, look and fit of a specific sex toy, and when their bodies naturally crave a stronger version of that same toy, they very often can’t find it without changing brands.
Examples we see in our store are customers seeking a dramatically stronger Magic Wand with the same vibration style, or a more powerful Aneros Helix Syn with the same fit. We, of course, try to accommodate them by steering them towards similar toys which can up the game, and sometimes we are successful. But, ultimately, what they’re looking for doesn’t exist. Are these customers the forgotten tribe? Are there best sellers out there that could be redesigned with boosted power as an easy sell to the OG shoppers?
As a considerable purchasing demographic, we hope the seasoned user is considered more directly in 2026 and beyond, as more and more people are enjoying the sexual journey into their later years.
Claire Sass is a lifelong consumer of adult toys and the Director of Wingman Services at Knock First in Rockville, MD. For more information, call 202-492-9244, email askClaire@knockfirst.net or visit knockfirst.net.
