Sex toys for women are exploding.
No, that’s not a reference to some kinky new dangerous vibrator, it’s the conclusion of a serious marketing research company predicting a rosy future for the business of sex toys for women.
A combination of increased acceptance in society of lesbians, use of sex toys for health treatments and the increase of e-commerce sales all will help drive the market.
Technavio, a global industrial research company, concludes in its latest report disclosed this week that the worldwide female sex toy market is expected to “witness rapid growth” with a compound annual growth rate of almost 11 percent through 2021.
“The top three emerging market trends driving the global female sex toys market, according to Technavio research analysts are:
- Increase in lesbian population
- Gaining popularity of vibrators for therapeutic purposes
- Rapid growth of e-commerce.”
Amber Chourasia, a lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on the health and wellness sector, said sex toys are more accepted in today’s changing world.
“This growth can be attributed to the fast-changing perceptions of individuals toward sex toys, coupled with the exposure that these products are getting in the media in recent years,” she said.
The company’s report concluded that the “lesbian segment is very significant today with over 3 percent of the overall population being attracted to the same sex.
“There is an increase in acceptability of lesbians into the society in the developed nations such as the U.S. and Canada. The number of people admitting to their true sexual orientation has increased over the past decade, with society gradually becoming more accepting.
“Thus, the demand for dildos and vibrators has increased in the last few years. The LGBT population presents a large market for sex toys worldwide. Also, there has been an increased provision for health awareness and healthcare programs for this group. Thus, with the growing acceptance of lesbians across several countries worldwide, users will be more confident and broad minded, and the consumption of sex toys may increase further in the coming years.”
The report also concluded that health problems that some women face may create an increased demand for “genital vibrators for therapeutic purposes.
“Women (may) experience vaginal dryness, changes in firmness and elasticity of the vaginal muscles, and imbalance in hormonal levels, which affect the vaginal moisture,” according to the report. “Due to giving birth several times, women are likely to loosen their vaginal walls due to the high levels of stretching of muscles involved during the delivery process. This may lead to reduced levels of pleasure during intercourse, resulting in sexual dissatisfaction. With the advent of technology and surgeries, healthy skin can be retained even in late ages. Doctors recommend the use of sex toys such as genital vibrators for therapeutic purposes as they help in relaxing their vaginal muscles.”
In fact, “most of the chemists in Europe provide sex toys on doctor prescription. Consequently, the increased availability of sex toys, both online as well as in retail outlets, is expected to have a positive influence on the market,” Chourasia said.
Another factor in the anticipated growth of the female sex toy industry is the growing popularity of e-commerce which is “making it easier for customers to browse and purchase from a wide range of products across different vendors through their online portals. This not only helps the customers in making their shopping experience easier but also allows manufacturers to improve their brand visibility and improve customer retention.
“The ability to market and sell these products online opens new avenues for the vendors in expanding their business in terms of product availability and accessibility. Further, the availability of innovative products such as external use of vibrators, vibrators used for insertion, and dual-purpose vibrators will considerably increase the potential customer base for these products. Every product category has seen a surge in terms of availability and the ease of buying.”
Technavio describes itself as “a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.”