Kristian Broms, Pipedream Products’ Chief Design Officer, explains why quality always outshines cheap knock-offs and how cutting corners to save a few dollars can ultimately sink a business.
(NOTE: This story appears in the August 2025 issue of SE Magazine.)
In the rapidly evolving world of adult retail, standing still is the fastest way to disappear. Today’s market is teeming with copycat chaos vendors; containers of low-cost, inferior-quality toys are flooding in from re-sellers on platforms bored housewives like to stroll through after too many glasses of wine, like AliExpress, Amazon and Temu. These resellers aren’t just undercutting prices — they’re undermining consumer trust, vendor legitimacy and the very foundation of professional adult brick-and-mortars.
It’s a volume game for them, not a value game. They churn out generic lookalikes at breakneck speed, skip safety inspections and carry no liability insurance. Your genitals? Your health? Fair game. Often, these black-label brands bypass typical retail channels entirely, selling directly to consumers at prices legitimate businesses can’t (and shouldn’t) match. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, China now accounts for nearly 29% of all U.S. imports, a significant chunk of which fall under the “Cheap Goods” umbrella. In the adult sector, it’s not uncommon to see knockoffs appear online mere days after top brands drop a new product. The unassuming consumer, who is led more by personal curiosity than consumer education? None the wiser.
For established adult retailers, this deluge isn’t just a nuisance, it’s crisis control.
“Let’s be honest, the quality isn’t there,” says Kristian Broms, Chief Design Officer at Pipedream Products. “They rarely offer compliance reports or insurance. One bad review or injury, and it’s your business that’s exposed, not theirs.”
And that’s exactly why Pipedream is drawing a bold line in the sand. As the creative force behind powerhouse brands like Fetish Fantasy, King Cock and Jimmyjane, Pipedream is doubling down on what it does best: quality, innovation and brand protection.
For over 50 years, the company has been a cornerstone of adult retail, merging sexual wellness with craftsmanship and technological modernization. Their products don’t just aim to excite, they’re built to last, built to be safe and built to perform.
Their latest release, Pounders, is a testament to that ethos. It’s the first stroker to feature Pipedream’s patented Squeeze-Core Technology, allowing users to control pressure on the inner core in real time, adjusting grip, tightness and intensity for a fully customizable experience. It’s disruptive, it’s original, and, unlike the barrage of knockoffs, it’s patent-protected.
We sat down with Kristian Broms to dig into the development of the Pounders collection, the risks of racing to the bottom, and how retailers can fight back.
SE: Let’s start with the big one. Why are Pounders and Squeeze-Core such a game-changer?
Broms: It allows users to do something no other stroker ever has — reach inside and apply real, physical pressure during use. They are no longer stuck with whatever tightness the sleeve gives them. With Squeeze-Core, they are in control of every stroke.
Most importantly, it’s patented. That means no copycats. No one else can legally sell a stroker with this feature. For retailers, that’s huge! In a market where everything blends together, this one stands out; more importantly, it stays protected.
SE: What advice would you give to resellers who are struggling with sales and considering turning to low-cost Chinese suppliers?
Broms: I would tell them that buying cheap imports may feel like a quick win, but they’re essentially feeding the monster that’s eating their business. A lot of those resellers are selling the exact same products on Temu or Amazon for even less than what they offer them wholesale. So, they’re setting themselves up to compete with their own inventory. Think about it like this, they are stocking the ammo that the competition will use to shoot down their sales.
At Pipedream, every product is independently QC-inspected before it leaves the factory. Adult retailers’ documentation, compliance testing and liability coverage. That’s how we protect our partners, and that’s how we protect their margins.
SE: How do the Pounders and Squeeze-Core compare to previous Pipedream patented successes, like Body Dock?
Broms: It follows the same playbook. When we launched Body Dock, we didn’t just tweak a harness — we reimagined the whole system. No more o-rings, no more fiddly snaps. We created a suction-based docking plate that instantly locks in most flat-based dildos. It was faster, cleaner and way more user-friendly. That one design became a quiet juggernaut. Why? Because it solves real friction points for users and gives retailers a product with no direct competition. It sells across categories — pegging, queer, hetero, couples play — and it grabs attention on shelves with its sleek and modern look. Once people try it, they come back for more. That’s what patented innovation does: it creates loyalty. Retailers tell us Body Dock became a category anchor. Now we’re giving them the same edge with the Pounders.
SE: Can you speak to the R&D process behind these innovations?
Broms: We don’t chase trends or gimmicks, we solve real problems and then engineer products with staying power. Our R&D starts with insight, not impulse. We test prototypes in-house and with external users, then run multiple design iterations until we get it right. Every shipment is third-party inspected, every detail is checked and every claim is backed by documentation, which includes certifications, compliance reports, safety data and insurance. That’s the difference between a product and a brand.
SE: Does branding play a big role in all this as well?
Broms: Branding plays a huge role! When people see a name like Pipedream, they associate it with quality and trust. Brand recognition is what creates confidence on the shelf and loyalty at the register. Retailers who stock real brands see fewer returns, higher conversions and more repeat business. Why would you gamble on no-name imports when you can partner with a powerhouse? Don’t compete on price, compete on protection. This isn’t simply about new features, it’s about retailers reclaiming their margins, rebuilding customer loyalty and finally offering something the algorithm can’t copy.
SE: Why is having exclusive, legally protected products critical for retailers in today’s market?
Broms: The bottom line for retailers is that in a marketplace where margin-eaters hide behind digital storefronts and product sameness is the norm, innovation with legal protection isn’t optional — it’s essential.
So, whether it’s the gripping control of Squeeze Core or the universal adaptability of Body Doc, Pipedream is giving retailers something most suppliers can’t: Real product differentiation, legal exclusivity and peace of mind. If you want to protect your shelves and sales, start with products no one else can legally sell.
For more information, visit wholesale.pipedreamproducts.com.
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