Xgen Turns 10

As Xgen Products celebrates its decade landmark, founder Andy Green looks back at what has made it possible as well as what he look forward to in the next decade.

Andy Green needed a break. He had been in the adult industry for a decade and was getting ready for something else.

But he always felt he may wind up back in the adult business sector.

“I kept in touch with a lot of my former customers and we discussed the trends that were taking place, namely the decline of DVD and needing to draw in more female customers, couples, etc.,” says Green, president of Xgen Products. “I was looking for things that I could distribute; I never even thought about manufacturing until later. So I started with one line. We were distributing Seven ‘Til Midnight lingerie, and everything just grew from there.”

Indeed, Green’s Xgen empire has been growing and celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, though Green is already looking ahead.

“We are looking toward the next 10 years,” Green says. “We will keep coming out with new and exciting products as the markets shift.”

Storerotica spoke with Green on various things he’s seen in his 10 years at the helm with Xgen, including the relationship between distributor and retailer, tips for retailers, and fostering growth in the social media age.

SE: Can you elaborate on your sales staff and how they push sales from a wholesale perspective?

GREEN: I truly love our staff. They are dedicated, loyal, and hard working. We all spend time with each other away from work too. We genuinely are all friends. It’s always a blast to work a trade show together. They each have their own techniques, but it is generally a combo of phone/email/text. For larger customers, we go on the road and train them and their staff and get into the stores to see what they need and want. Always looking for customer feedback to improve our items and procedures.

SE: How has the relationship between distributor and retailer changed over the course of a decade?

GREEN: Consumer knowledge and interaction has changed dramatically with the internet, social media, etc. I am full-on right now educating store staff and consumers about our items. I hired a person to literally travel the USA 48 weeks out of the year to do trainings, store events, etc. We will spend a week canvassing a particular city and teaching anyone who will listen.

SE: What advice would give to retailers, based upon your dealings as a distributor and manufacturer?

GREEN: We stay true to our retailers. We do not sell direct on Amazon or eBay. We do not want to be in competition with our customers who have supported us from day 1. We will continue to train and educate and promote.

SE: What are your plans for this year? What can we expect from Xgen for the rest of 2019?

GREEN: All of our major brands have something new coming out this year. New items from Zolo, Bodywand, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Teacher’s Pet and more. We are also going to be introducing some brand new collections and brands, so be on the lookout!

SE: In terms of growth, where do you see yourselves now? How are the markets developing globally for you?

GREEN: We are continuously adapting to the markets and industry. With our recent acquisition of new brands in the last 14 months, we now offer a very diverse range of products. Female-focused pleasure products, male-focused products, couples kits, lingerie, apparel, shoes, jewelry, accessories and more.

SE: What are the keys to promoting yourself and creating awareness via social media, tradeshows, etc.?

GREEN: We host an annual warehouse show where we invite our top customers to see all of the newest products and go on a “shopping spree” in our warehouse. We also attend and exhibit at the majority of the shows in the industry, across the globe. ANME Founders, Expomark, Altitude, XBIZ, etc. You can always find us there. As for social media, we have really just begun to scratch the surface. It is an additional way to reach our best customers, and possibly find new ones. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@xgenproducts).

For more information, visit xgenb2b.com or call 877-450-9436.