Data and trend forecasts for Valentine’s Day from our retailers nationwide, courtesy of an online poll sent out exclusively to STOREROTICA readers!
(Note: This story appears in the December 2023 issue of SE Magazine)
T
ami Rose is the Owner of Romantic Adventures in Jackson, Mississippi, and she has been for 10 years. When Valentine’s Day rolls around, she isn’t taken by surprise anymore. In fact, she has been planning the anticipated retail surge since Christmas!
“I actually buy a lot of extra red stuff when I’m decorating for Christmas, because it’s that perfect red,” says Rose. “As we’re decorating for Christmas, we’re keeping in mind that we’re going to transition this into Valentine’s Day. Usually by the end of February, we’re all so sick of red and white, we can’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day!”
Our STOREROTICA Retailer Poll showed that Christmas and Valentine’s Day were nearly tied for overall sales in a year across the country. But compared to previous years in the market, Rose says that this last year was “nothing to write home about.”
“But it has been fabulous because we haven’t had any eruptions,” she shares. “In Mississippi, we deal with a lot of storms, and we haven’t had any storms or shutdowns this year, so everything has just kind of cranked along. Profits are good. 2021 was the banner year. I don’t think we’ll get back to that for another four or five years, because everybody was on lockdown and the government was passing out checks, so it was great. 2021 made a new ceiling, and a lot of times the ceiling becomes the floor. I’m still looking to climb back to that.”
Rose has an eye for trends, and a thumb on the social media crazes. Here’s what she predicts for Valentine’s Day 2024:
“I really have to keep an eye on it, and TikTok is a huge driver of fashion in the toy industry right now,” she says. “They made the roses go crazy! Now we have roses for men, as well as for women, so I expect those will be hot. Because who wants a dozen roses when you could have an orgasm?”
Since 2020, Rose has noticed a lot less shame expressed by her customers around the toys. Spending time alone has become much more normalized, as has some of the activities people like to do alone.
“I think that we kind of found peace with ourselves and creating our own pleasure during lockdown,” she says. “And, man, I think the new generation of buyers, they have zero shame about it. They want to feel good, and they don’t care who knows about it.”
Rather than discounts, Rose offers cheap bullets for the thrifty shopper on Valentine’s Day, the one who maybe doesn’t go to adult retail stores often, or just wants something ultimately disposable for the holiday.
“Even if you don’t have a big budget, we’ll make sure that we have some inexpensive things there that you can have a good time with. Sometimes, you just want something you can take to the hotel room and be done with. If you need a booty-call bullet, we’re there for you.”
– Tami Rose, Owner of Romantic Adventures
“So even if you don’t have a big budget, we’ll make sure that we have some inexpensive things there that you can have a good time with,” she offers. “The difference between a cheap toy and an expensive toy is how long it lasts. And sometimes, you just want something you can take to the hotel room and be done with. If you need a booty call bullet, we’re there for you.”
She starts planning for and stocking Valentine’s Day products as soon as she clears Christmas.
“And I might buy a whole case of edible MDs, the things that I know that are going to be in solid demand,” she continues. “There’s always one thing you don’t think of, though.”
When asked what the unexpected hot seller was last year, she shared it was a ball gag!
“I’m like, ‘I love you, just don’t talk,’” she laughs.
But it makes sense, BDSM thrives on Valentine’s Day because it’s a practice of intimacy and trust.
“Bondage is a natural go-to, because it eliminates one of the senses or a sense of control,” she says.
The products which Romantic Adventures always sells the most of on Valentine’s Day are those items which heat up the room.
“Anything that is foreplay-related, anything oral or edible or tasty, things that delight all of our senses,” Rose explains. “In a lot of ways, Valentine’s Day is a food holiday, so I actually have an ad for flavored lubes where I’m like, ‘You could have it for dessert, or you could be the dessert.’”
Our STOREROTICA Poll showed that 20% of our retailers believe that interpersonal connection is more valuable than ever before, with 10% noting polyamorous couples as a steadily increasing customer demographic, while the overwhelming majority of retailers simply don’t know if customers are shopping for themselves, for a beloved(s) or a…uh, very good friend.
“Polyamory is huge in Mississippi, and it’s really interesting,” says Rose. “I mean, we’ve been buffeted by all the cultural things that they might talk about on MSNBC, like the Dobbs decision (overturning Roe v. Wade) originated in Mississippi. And the one thing I noticed about that is it drove everybody to anal. Everyone has become a lot more interested in creating their own pleasure, because it’s not a given when the consequences are so dire, for women and for men. There is that level of people who are comfortable in their relationship, and you hear a lot more people talking about polyamory, and bringing in friends and different things. When you think about it, it hasn’t been that long since we lived as tribal people.”
Are remote and app-controlled adult toys for two or more going to be all the rage this year? Do they really increase intimacy, or are they just a novelty? 60% of our retailers admitted that weren’t sure if these advanced toys are worth the price tag, with one retailer sharing, “Most couples don’t come back to tell me their reviews.” 20% say that the right toy will have a customer forgetting not just where they are, but who they are and what day it is! And another retailer adds that “People are trying to spice up their relationships, and the remote-controlled toys add fun and playfulness!”
Are remote and app-controlled adult toys for two or more going to be all the rage this year? Do they really increase intimacy, or are they just a novelty? 60% of our retailers admitted that they weren’t sure if these advanced toys are worth the price tag, with one retailer sharing, “Most couples don’t come back to tell me their reviews.” 20% say that the right toy will have a customer forgetting not just where they are, but who they are and what day it is!
“I’ll be interested to see what the new thing is,” says Rose. “I think it’s still maybe a little too early to tell. It has been a while since fetish has been a thing, and every once in a while, it surges, so it might come back around. We’ll see.”
Our STOREROTICA Retailer Poll showed that couples toys are the number one product segment expected to sell out this year, followed by lubricants, air pulse toys, kink toys and masturbators.
We asked retailers what they’ll be recommending for lusty lovers this year, and toys for two or more will definitely be on the list, especially We-Vibe Chorus. Other recommendations are the Lovense Lush 3 and the Pink Vibes Selfie Stick. One retailer says they haven’t stocked it yet, but they’ll probably be recommending the Magic Wand Micro.
“Still recommending the roses,” another retailer wrote. “All styles, men’s and women’s.”
One retailer simply put “a good bullet vibe,” while another retailer recommends for lovers, mysteriously, a product called “Time.”
Lastly, Rose emphasized the importance of showing appreciation to staff during the busy holiday season.
“The thing to think about when you get your Valentine’s Day surge is prep your bags, prep your staff and really support them being happy and in a good mood,” she explains. “I always do a big buffet in the break room, because we know we won’t get a chance to sit down and have lunch. It’s really actually a bonding time for me and the staff, even though we work so hard. You want to create that happy atmosphere because a lot of people you don’t see throughout the year might only come in on Valentine’s Day, and you want them to have the best impression of your store that you can. So, for me, it’s a retail strategy, but it’s also a great time to connect with my staff. They work harder on that day of the year than maybe any other.”
Thank you to all our members of the adult community, especially the participants in this Special Focus. Have a sexy and sold-out Valentine’s Day!
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