While the topic of sex toys may be considered taboo, statistics reveal that 78% of Americans own at least one. With this growing demand, more businesses are emerging daily, aiming to fulfill diverse customer needs. Though the industry faces its challenges, the increasing shift towards body positivity and the rise of the sex-positivity movement have opened up more opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in selling sex toys online.
This in-depth guide will walk you through the essentials of the sex toy market, offering expert advice on selling sex toys online. It covers everything from building a strong brand to ensuring customer satisfaction. Additionally, we’ll share insights and real-world examples from industry experts to help you navigate this exciting business.
The Sex Toy Industry: Current Landscape
Not too long ago, in the 1990s, buying and selling sex toys was a discreet affair, often confined to strip mall stores with opaque windows and products hidden in paper bags.
It wasn’t until the past two decades, with the rise of body and sex positivity, that adult brands were elevated from niche markets to mainstream acceptance. This shift coincided with the internet boom and e-commerce: niche communities found each other online, and anyone could now sell sex toys online, with customers enjoying the privacy of shopping from home.
However, selling adult products still presents unique challenges. Privacy is a top concern, and those in the industry must diligently protect their customers. Furthermore, while technology makes it easier to reach customers, it also presents hurdles, with social media and financial institutions imposing restrictions. Adult brand founders have to find creative ways to navigate these challenges.
With the right tools, a distinct product idea, and thorough research, anyone—whether a beginner or an experienced entrepreneur—can build a thriving brand in the online sex toy market.
How to Sell Sex Toys Online
Selling sex toys online can be an advantageous business, though it requires creativity and strategic planning. Suppose you’re ready to enter this industry. In that case, this guide will cover everything you need to know—from designing sex toys to building a recognizable brand and overcoming common obstacles like censorship.
Learn from the experts behind successful brands like Emojibator, Strange Bedfellas, Clone-A-Willy, and Little Jane, and get practical tips to help you kickstart your own sex toy business.
1. Find an Idea—and a Market for It
To start selling sex toys online, you first need to identify a niche or specific product category. What unique angle will you take in the sex toy market? Perhaps you’ll even create a new niche. Regardless of what you choose, conducting thorough research is key. Kristin Fretz, co-founder of Emojibator, advises: “Identify a strong product-market fit before investing capital and resources into your idea.” Here are some areas to consider:
🍌 Target Audience:
- Products tailored to specific groups (e.g., LGBTQ+ community)
- Kink-specific items (e.g., BDSM-related products)
🍆 Product Type:
- Vibrators, massagers, and masturbation devices
- Dildos and other adult toys
- Lingerie, apparel, and adult cosplay
- Complementary products (e.g., lubricants, condoms, and merchandise)
🍑 Trends and Themes:
- Novelty and fantasy products (e.g., unicorn-themed toys)
- Innovative tech-driven sex toys (e.g., AR or smart devices)
- Long-distance sex toys
- Focus on sexual health, wellness, and self-care
Emojibator capitalized on the intersection of women’s sexual empowerment and the cultural relevance of the eggplant emoji. The brand’s concept not only stood out in the sex toy market, but it also resonated with a broad cultural movement. Kristin explains, “When you offer a product with strong differentiators compared to your competitors, it becomes easier to market in compelling ways.”
Additionally, Sarah Starkey, founder of Little Jane, emphasizes that positioning a brand as part of the wellness industry is crucial. “Brands that market themselves as part of the self-care and health movement are reaching wider audiences,” she says. “There’s less stigma now, and more people are open to exploring these products.”
2. Building a Strong Sex Toy Brand: Steps for Success
Kristin and co-founder Joe Vela launched Emojibator in 2016 after Joe came up with the idea for an eggplant-shaped vibrator. The duo sought to create a sex toy brand that felt “approachable and relatable”—qualities Kristin notes are rarely associated with sex toy companies.
While Emojibator’s success can be attributed to launching during the height of emoji mania, the founders’ strategic decisions to position the brand with humorous and shareable content played a significant role in its popularity.
This stage is critical in building any business. Aside from offering a groundbreaking product, your brand is a powerful tool to encourage customers to purchase. A strong brand should tell a compelling story, resonate with your target audience, and have a clear mission. When selling sex toys, branding is also essential for establishing trust with your customers.
Developing Your Sex Toy Brand
Clone-A-Willy is a brand that specializes in molding kits, allowing customers to create safe sex toy replicas of genitalia. Initially, the company gained recognition in the medical and film industries, supplying prosthetics for various applications. They established a more consumer-oriented brand identity by shifting their technology from B2B to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model.
When developing your sex toy brand, you will need to determine your target market and develop a narrative. However, there are several crucial questions to ask at this stage. The answers will guide every decision as you grow your sex toy business.
Ask yourself:
- What do I stand for?
- What value does my brand or product bring to the market and customer? What’s my value proposition?
- What tone and voice will I use in my brand communications? Will we be informative and professional or daring and playful?
- What are my brand values?
- What are my business goals?
- Where do I envision my brand in five, 10, or 20 years?
- Does my personal story play an essential role in the brand’s story?
A clear set of brand guidelines will influence all aspects of your business, from your partnerships to the content in your press kit. It will also help you scale your sex toy business and maintain consistency across all marketing materials as you hire staff or outsource tasks.
Branding for Your Sex Toy Business
Once you’ve completed the exercises outlined above, your branding will serve as the tangible representation of those decisions.
During this phase, you will make key choices about logos, color schemes, and creative direction. You’ll select a brand name, slogan, and domain name. Branding guidelines will guide you and any future team members as you create your website, design products, and packaging, and develop marketing materials.
For a DIY approach, tools like Canva, Shopify’s logo maker, and a business name generator can help bring your brand vision to life. If you prefer professional assistance, hiring a design expert can ensure that your brand stands out in the competitive sex toy market. Shopify Experts are vetted professionals who specialize in helping e-commerce business owners craft potent brands.
3. Choosing Your Business Model: Create, Manufacture, or Resell Sex Toys
When starting a business that sells consumer goods, such as sex toys, you have several business model options, depending on how involved you want to be in the process. You can choose to make your sex toys, outsource the manufacturing, or resell pre-existing products. Each option has its unique set of benefits and challenges.
Creating Sex Toys and Adult Products
Meesh and her team design and manufacture silicone sex toys by hand in their facility. When transitioning from 2D designs to 3D products, Meesh discovered that information on creating and selling sex toys was readily accessible online and not heavily regulated in the U.S. However, this also meant that she had to diligently ensure that her materials and processes were safe.
“There are plenty of resources available for those who take the time to look,” Meesh says. “Additionally, a large community of collectors discussed these topics and provided valuable information when I started.”
🍌 Benefits:
- Complete control over the business from start to finish
- Creative and fulfilling for makers
- Unique products not available elsewhere
🍆 Challenges:
- Steep learning curve
- Responsibility for meeting safety standards and conducting tests
- More difficult to scale
Manufacturing Sex Toys and Adult Products
Emojibator designs its products in Philadelphia, with a remote team spread across various cities. All manufacturing is outsourced to factories in the U.S. and China, allowing the founders to focus on marketing and product development while scaling quickly and reaching global markets.
The most challenging part of this business model is sourcing and working with manufacturers. Since sex toys must be produced safely to prevent harm, thorough research is essential. It’s vital to ensure that your chosen factory has experience in the industry and follows safety guidelines. A third-party auditor or liaison can help facilitate communication if there are language barriers.
Once you’ve partnered with a reliable manufacturer, you can focus on expanding your product line. As Emojibator introduces new items, Joe and his team ask themselves two key questions:
- Does the product align with our brand mission to provide accessible, affordable, and fun pleasure for all genders?
- Is it exciting, innovative, and newsworthy?
“These questions help us create niche products and exceptional experiences for our community,” Joe explains. Use your brand exercise to define criteria for your product development.
🍌 Benefits:
- Fast scalability
- Working with an experienced manufacturer ensures safety and reliability
- Outsourcing production allows you to maintain a lean in-house team
🍆 Challenges:
- Less control over the manufacturing and quality assurance processes
- Navigating sourcing and managing relationships with manufacturers can be complex
- High minimum order quantities for small businesses
Reselling in the Sex Toy Industry
The most hands-off approach involves sourcing and reselling existing products through your store. If product design and development don’t interest you, or you want to launch a brand quickly, this option is ideal. There are several ways to resell sex toys:
White Labeling
Manufacturers produce “blank” products that can be customized with your brand’s labels. This allows you to sell pre-made sex toys under your branding.
Reselling
Your brand may focus on a specific theme, and your efforts will center on brand development while curating products that fit that theme. This is an excellent option for beginners looking for a quick start.
Alternatively, you can become a local reseller for a brand that doesn’t sell directly in your region. You would purchase products in bulk and then warehouse and ship them to customers.
Dropshipping
With drop shipping, you don’t have to handle any inventory. Instead, customers place orders through your online store, and the suppliers ship products directly to them.
🍌 Benefits:
- Low-effort, ideal for launching a side business
- Opportunity to work with well-established brands
- Dropshipping doesn’t require inventory, so you can start with a smaller budget
🍆 Challenges:
- Other businesses may sell the same products, so you must focus on strong marketing and branding
- You are reliant on suppliers for decisions, such as discontinued products or shipping delays
4. Create an online store to sell sex toys
Selling sex toys online is entirely feasible with platforms like Shopify. However, you might encounter obstacles related to payment processors and gateways. While some sex toy brands can use Shopify Payments, certain products (e.g., cannabis-related items) may be restricted. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to get started, recommend useful apps to integrate, and offer advice on selecting a payment partner.
Setup, Themes, and Design
Once your branding guidelines are developed, you’re ready to build your online store and start selling sex toys! Instead of creating a site from the ground up, you can integrate your logo, colors, and other brand assets into customizable website themes. This simplifies the process, even if you lack design or coding expertise.
Here are some recommended themes for selling sex toys online:
- Dawn (Default): Free
- Galleria (Boutique): $$
- Boost (Flourish): $$$
- Prestige (Vogue): $$$
- Pipeline (Bright): $$$
If you need additional customization, you can collaborate with a Shopify Expert to tweak a theme or build a unique site tailored to your brand.
💡 Tip: Need help choosing the right theme for your store? Take our quiz.
Essential Pages for Your Website
There are several essential pages to set up when building an online sex toy store.
Collection Pages
If you offer an extensive range of products, organize them into categories such as type, sexual preferences, kinks, or any other classifications that help your customers easily navigate your site and find what they’re looking for.
Product Pages
Given the nature of your products, your product pages need to do more than present a description, image, price, and purchase button. Consider using an app to create tabbed information to avoid clutter. Applicable content could include usage instructions, safety warnings, cleaning tips, and warranty details—this enhances customers’ confidence and encourages purchases.
FAQ Page
An FAQ page is crucial for online sex toy stores. Since many sex toys cannot be returned due to hygiene and safety concerns, this page should clearly state your return and exchange policies. Additionally, you can address common questions about materials, product use, privacy, and shipping here.
About Pages
Here’s your chance to showcase your brand story and build customer trust. Whether you focus on your journey or not, an About page allows you to highlight the real people behind your brand. Include your mission, brand values, company history, and any press links to establish credibility.
Product Photography for Sex Toy Brands
Most online businesses lack the advantage of letting customers touch or demo products before purchasing. Therefore, your product pages must be as descriptive as possible, with copy and visuals. Ensure your product images are taken from various angles and include accessories (e.g., charging devices).
In addition to clear, uncluttered images to highlight the product, a lifestyle shoot can help create engaging visuals for other areas of your site, such as social media, ads, and press kits.
This is also an opportunity to express your brand’s tone visually. Emojibator embraced the playful side of its products, using humor in its lifestyle photography. “We were clever with our decision to have our friend’s cat hold the Eggplant Emojibator for our press release,” says Kristin, “and the internet loved it.”
Consider also creating video assets for customer education or marketing purposes. Hire a professional for core assets that you can reuse, and explore DIY video content for platforms like TikTok.
Choosing Payment Providers
When Meesh transitioned her brand to Shopify, her products aligned with Shopify Payments’ acceptable use policy; however, her peers faced challenges. To mitigate risk, Strange Bedfellas secured a backup payment provider.
As industry reports highlight, financial institutions often have a complex relationship with sex-related businesses. “We face unjust financial discrimination as a sex toy company, which limits our ability to compete fairly,” says Kristin.
That said, many brands successfully sell sex toys on Shopify, using a variety of payment providers. “It’s crucial to review the terms of service and what’s permissible to sell,” says Sarah. “These terms vary not only between payment providers but also by country. Restrictions may include nudity in images, prostitution, weapons, bondage, and injury risks.”
🍑 Resources:
- Shopify’s Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
- Shopify Payments FAQ
- PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy
- Stripe’s list of restricted businesses
Apps and Tools for Adult Stores
Shopify integrates with various apps to enhance the customer experience and customize your site to suit your needs. Shopify offers several free tools to help you launch and run your business.
Here are some helpful apps for brands selling sex toys online:
- Loyalty App (e.g., Rise.ai Gift Cards & Loyalty): Retain and reward your most loyal customers.
- Help Lab FAQ: Set up a straightforward FAQ page on your Shopify store.
- Terms and Conditions Box: Formalize your policies and ensure customer understanding.
- Video Maker (e.g., Vimeo Create): Create professional video ads and educational content.
- Privacy Policy Generator: Easily create a privacy policy.
- Age Verification Apps (e.g., Hulk Age Verification or Real ID): Ensure customers know your site contains adult content.
- Personalized Shopping Apps: Create customized shopping experiences with quizzes and size guides.
5. Invest in Sex Education
Education plays a crucial role for sex toy companies, ensuring customers make informed decisions and protecting both customers and businesses from potential harm. “The products we offer are inherently intimate, and I aim to assist people in making choices that lead to positive experiences,” says Meesh.
Educational content can be integrated into product pages, FAQ sections, and packaging. It can also be a vital component of your content strategy. Offering valuable sexual health information positions you as a reliable expert, and such content can encourage purchases.
Emojibator took its educational efforts to new heights with an annual month-long campaign. “In May, our Masturbation Month site gets nearly double the traffic of our shop’s site,” says Joe. “Creating this content allows our brand to embrace our educational mission fully.”
Consider Additional Sales Channels
Given the restrictions and challenges surrounding online advertising for sex toy businesses (which we will explore shortly), many brands find it necessary to think outside the box by diversifying their sales channels to increase visibility and reach.
Here are some options to explore:
Sex shop founder Amy Unicorn highlights events such as drag shows as key to her business. Music festivals, artisan markets, and similar events may also be beneficial, depending on your product type.
Trade shows and consumer events are another avenue for attracting wholesale buyers and customers to your brand.
Wholesale selling through established retailers can extend your market reach. Joe notes that 70% of Emojibator’s sales come from wholesale.
A physical retail store could be a natural next step for your online sex toy business, allowing you to benefit from foot traffic and local presence. Starting with a pop-up shop can be a great way to dip into in-person sales.
Consider listing your products on online marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy. Stay updated on the terms of service for each platform to ensure your products are compliant. For instance, Etsy updated its sexual content policies in the summer of 2024, introducing strict limits on the types of adult products permitted.
“The biggest challenge has been raising awareness about our brand and products,” says Joe. “That’s why we’ve focused on our wholesale sales channel. We’ve been fortunate to partner with reputable and certified businesses worldwide.”
6. Become Well-Versed in Safety and Privacy Protocols for Adult Stores
Launching in the sex toy industry presents distinct challenges due to the intimate nature of the products. Dedicating time to ensuring that your business adheres to the necessary safety and privacy standards is crucial.
Product Safety and Testing
As highlighted earlier in this guide, safety is a primary concern when selling sex toys. Depending on your location, regulations may affect your business, so conducting thorough research is essential.
“I don’t provide instructions on how to use our products because I’m not a sex educator,” explains Meesh. “My best approach is to include clear disclaimers on our products and advise customers to research before buying.”
Disclaimers, detailed FAQs, instructional videos, and accurate labeling are essential to promoting safe product usage. Work closely with your manufacturer during production to ensure their safety protocols meet high standards. Expecting the same from any brands you collaborate with is equally important. “The community is vigilant, and identifying unsafe stores is part of that responsibility,” adds Meesh. “You don’t want to be on the bad list.”
To further safeguard your business, consult a lawyer to ensure you meet legal safety and labeling requirements. Additionally, consider securing product liability insurance to protect your company.
Customer Privacy
Even though attitudes toward sexuality have become more open, many customers still prefer to keep their purchases private. “Many of our customers live with family or roommates who might not be accepting of their purchases or could react negatively,” says Meesh.
As a result, Strange Bedfellas ships products in unmarked boxes and uses a generic LLC name for return addresses. Similarly, Kristin mentions that the brand name does not appear on shipping labels or credit card statements due to “societal realities.”
Privacy extends beyond shipping and includes the data you collect from customers. While there are already laws governing data usage, sex toy businesses should be transparent about how they handle customer information. “We don’t share personal data with third parties unless necessary,” says Joe. “If anyone requests their information to be deleted, we ensure it’s fully erased from all our systems.”
7. Market Your Sex Toys and Adult Products
Selling sex toys presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to marketing. Reaching your target audience requires navigating platforms that may restrict adult content.
“Many paid ad networks have fully censored or heavily restricted any ads related to adult toys,” explains Joe. Since 2018, Instagram’s policies have become even stricter, limiting organic content for businesses in the sex industry.
“Censorship is a major obstacle that we constantly work around, and we’ve had to be extremely creative in marketing our products to the masses,” adds Victoria Nelthropp, the marketing and brand coordinator for Clone-A-Willy.
Even on popular platforms like Instagram, gaining traction with organic marketing is challenging for any business, especially in the adult product sector.
Despite these restrictions, social media remains a valuable tool for sex toy brands. Meesh uses it for customer service, and Joe notes that Emojibator has successfully built a strong community online.
When paid and social advertising options are limited, there are still effective ways to grow your business:
- Influencer Marketing: Partner with sex-positive influencers who resonate with your target audience. Even emerging brands can collaborate with up-and-coming influencers who may have lower fees.
- Affiliate Networks: Develop a network of websites, blogs, affiliate marketers, and advertisers who earn a commission for referring sales.
- PR and Media Outreach: “We have a publicist who keeps our brand in the news, and we focus on creating products that spark conversation,” says Joe. “This strategy has worked for us from the very beginning.”
- Email and SMS Marketing: Build your email list before launching your products. Use a simple “Coming Soon” page to generate interest and offer exclusive perks or early access to those who sign up before your launch.
- Content and SEO: Optimize on-site content to establish customer trust and increase traffic through strategic keyword targeting.
8. Focus on Customer Satisfaction
“I genuinely appreciate when customers ask detailed questions before purchasing,” says Meesh, who finds that such communication helps her suggest the most suitable products. However, there are times when she realizes another brand might be a better match for their needs. “I have many industry peers whose work I trust, and I’m more than happy to refer customers to them if I believe they’ll be a better fit.”
Given the nature of sex-related products, returns and exchanges are generally not feasible. Customer support at every process stage is crucial to preventing dissatisfaction.
“We have a comprehensive policies page, and we frequently link to it throughout the site: on product listings, information pages, and in all the emails we send,” explains Meesh. “We can’t emphasize this enough!”
There may be instances when you accept returns for open products, such as in cases of manufacturing defects. If you’re reselling products, the items you offer may come with warranties, allowing you to refer customers to the manufacturer for service.
Emojibator offers a one-year warranty on all of its products. The company emphasizes customer support to ensure that warranty claims are processed carefully. “We understand that every individual’s sex toy experience is unique,” says Kristin, “so we treat each customer with respect, patience, and kindness.”
What Are the Startup Costs for a Sex Toy Business?
Money—an almost taboo topic—can be as delicate as the subject of sex. The initial investment required to start a business selling sex toys online can vary widely, depending on the business model you choose.
If you decide to become a reseller, most of your startup expenses will involve purchasing inventory, renting storage (if necessary), and covering fees for your online store. Even if you handle much of this yourself (like using free tools for branding), expect to spend a few thousand dollars to get things up and running.
As a product creator, your startup costs might be lower since you can make products as needed rather than holding inventory. However, depending on your production process, equipment, and supplies, your costs may still run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You must also invest in branded packaging, often with minimum order requirements.
Minimum order quantities are a key consideration for manufacturing sex toys. Manufacturing partners may require you to buy hundreds of units to maintain cost efficiency. The product development process itself can be expensive. “If you’re designing a new or novel product,” says Joe, “you should expect the development to take at least one year and cost around $10,000 upfront.”
Dropshipping is the most affordable way to start your business. While there are drawbacks—such as no control over production or shipping—you can start with just a few hundred dollars for a basic website and essential tools.
How to Price Your Products
Pricing sex toys involves finding the right balance between ensuring a profitable margin and offering a price point that customers are willing to pay. Start by calculating your fixed and variable costs, then factor in your profit margin. Afterward, compare your pricing with competitors in the market. Are you within the typical price range for similar products?
Get Ready to Launch
Now that you have all the essential tools, you’re ready to start selling sex toys online. Those passionate about sex education, empowerment, or supporting communities marginalized by traditional sexual products may find this market a fulfilling space for entrepreneurship. As demand grows, there’s still ample room for new entrants in the sex toy industry.
Despite the challenges, anyone with the determination to break into the market and the creativity to overcome obstacles can sell sex toys and build a rewarding business. “I truly enjoy this job!” says Meesh. “I never imagined I could find so much fulfillment in making dildos.”
As more brands create space for open conversations about sex, collective efforts will help influence policy changes. And with the creator economy’s promising future, the web’s next phase has a distinctly pleasurable vibe.
Sell Sex Toys FAQ
How do I become a sex toy seller?
Becoming a sex toy seller involves some research to identify your target market and the product that best fits your audience’s needs. Start by defining your brand, selecting your business model, and reviewing safety and privacy protocols. You can source existing products or create your own—many businesses offer partnerships to help you achieve this goal. Once you have your products, you’re ready to market and sell.
What is the best way to sell sex toys?
Sex toys can be sold through various channels, including physical retail stores, online marketplaces, or your website. Having your store provides the most control over your brand and audience. When selling sex toys online, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for each platform and payment gateway to ensure your products are supported.
How can I market sex toys online?
Marketing sex toys online can be difficult due to content restrictions on certain social media and advertising platforms. To navigate this, create creative, organic social media posts that avoid triggering censorship and focus on building a strong, engaged audience. Growing an email list allows you to reach customers who have opted for adult content. Other strategies include getting your products featured on sex toy review sites or working with a PR professional.
What type of sex toys should I sell?
Before opening an online store, determine your target market and select the types of sex toys you wish to sell. Specializing in a niche or underserved audience can help your store stand out. You can choose from a wide variety of products, including vibrators, lingerie, massage oils, and other sexual wellness items.
