Difficult New Normals
This pandemic has brought some interesting changes, hasn't it? One of the unexpected ones was what happened with sales of pegging equipment.
Let's start at the beginning. We've all had to adapt in ways we never could have imagined. Since we aren't as safe going out and about, we stay home. Consequently, we spend less on gas, and going out in general, whether that's to see a movie or shopping for clothes or other incidentals. So we have more money to spend, and online is the safest place to do that. For some of us, spending online has become at least a partial balm to the difficulties of feeling so restricted by the pandemic. The sale of goods in general are definitely up as people engage in online retail therapy.
Pandemic Webinars
How have I coped? When the pandemic hit, I instinctively cranked up my webinar offerings. Best choice I ever made. The timing appeared to be perfect, as people were home looking for things to do.
Right about that time the website FetLife.com, where I am very active, offered a new designation for event listings: 'virtual'. Finally! Previous to that, any time I listed a webinar event, I had to choose a geographic area to target. So mostly LA and New York got my attention, being the most populous. Now, anyone can just peruse the virtual offerings at a moment's notice. Don't have anything to do for the weekend or even a few hours? There are virtual offerings from all over the world.
I began teaching more and more folks about pegging. Teaching has done a lot towards keeping me productive and smiling. I offer a wide variety of days and times, which attracts people from all over the world. I love teaching, especially about my favorite subject! An added bonus is that attendees of my webinars purchase equipment from the links I send them. All of a sudden my commissions skyrocketed. I wondered, was all this due to my webinars?
Sex Toy Stores Shut Down
Meanwhile, sex toy shops, those bastions of brick and mortar progressive sex-positivity, had to shut their doors. Many tried to transition to selling online. Some already had an online presence, others were a little blindsided. With storefronts closed, customers went online to select their sexy-times accoutrement. Some shoppers used to visit brick and mortar stores for in-person education and informed recommendations, which are unavailable online. Now they didn't have a choice. Everyone had to shop online.
Sex Toy Sales Increase
Since the beginning of the pandemic, which I mark at about March, sex toys sales have increased dramatically. This wasn't a surprise. Sex toy sales typically increase during recessions and difficult times. Perhaps the reason the numbers are more impressive this go around is because people who still have money to spend are also staying home to be safe. Lots of home time is certainly a perfect opportunity for sex toy exploration.
Many people are suffering during this pandemic, standing in long lines at food banks and hoping to avoid evictions. There is a segment of the population who still have money to spend, though. (There would be more if congress could get their heads out of their asses.) The people who have disposable income are spending it on goods instead of services, because services are restricted. Sex toys are a common choice.
Pegging Equipment is Popular!
So given this scenario, guess what happened with the sales of pegging equipment? They went through the roof. Interesting, no? They are not the best sellers overall in the sex toy category (we're not that mainstream yet), but the extraordinary increase in pegging equipment sales caught some manufacturers short-handed and surprised distributors.
Personally, I would like to think that the 81 Webinars I've taught since the beginning of March, 2020, have added to the number of those pegging equipment sales, and perhaps they have! (I bought a few new items, truth be told. When commission checks are big, it's hard to resist.)
Of course some of those strap-ons are for lesbian, trans and gender-queer couples, many of whom use the term 'pegging', too. At times I forget this, because my focus is pretty singular, and most people still use the original woman-doing-the-man definition. Regardless, the reason for the phenomenal increase in strap-on purchases was a puzzle. Sure, people were buying more sex toys, but why the focus on pegging?
A Few Numbers
Lovehoney (in my estimation the equivalent of Adam and Eve = not a place to find quality toys) reported sales of strap-ons up by nearly 200 per cent in the last year. Also, they did an online survey May 2, 2020 - May 22, 2020 with a sample of 1.2k participants. Ten per cent of the women polled by Lovehoney admitted to pegging their partner and one in ten said they’d like to try it. According to the Lovehoney, the increase in sales of strap-ons comes largely from heterosexual women buying them to use on their male lovers.
So that confirmed what I'd been seeing, and then came more confirmation from a different perspective.
Why are so Many People Buying Pegging Equipment?
Tiffany (owner of Entice Me) who wildly shipped pegging equipment as fast as the orders came in (especially the Strap On Me Vibrating Double), began having distributor and manufacturer supply problems. She asked one of the marketers what the issue was. The marketer's theory blew my mind, and also brought a big smile to my face. It was more than just an increase in all sex toy sales. It was more then raw material supplies and manufacturing safety issues.
Seems that people can step past the taboo associated with pegging more easily because they are anonymous online! When they aren't standing there talking to a salesperson, no matter how comfortable that salesperson tries to help them feel when talking about sexual stuff, they seem to be more likely to dive into the pegging taboo. Perhaps under the cover of anonymity they are more willing to explore. While only a theory, I wouldn't be surprised if that is likely one of the main factors. The strange popularity of pegging on TikTok may have had a small effect as well. And maybe, this is just pegging's big moment. Maybe it's the wave I have been riding for a while now, meeting the perfect storm of circumstantial encouragements that perfectly paved the way for ass and strap-on explorations; pandemic silver lining and all that.
Whatever the reasons, some companies are really struggling to keep up with the increased demand.
Individual Companies Check In
Tiffany forwarded me a couple of emails she received from manufacturers.
Fuze really seems to be stepping up to the plate, assuring us that they are making sure that every toy in every size and color is in stock and ready to ship. They said they have also been 'keeping out of mischief' developing some new offerings, which are already available. More about those soon!
Aslan Leather was hit hard between the increased demand and safe production requirements. Their delivery time varies from 4 - 8 weeks. Toronto is going on lockdown again, so that won't help the situation. Every order will eventually be filled, and they ask for your patience. Aslan Leather's exceptional harnesses have always and unquestionably been worth waiting for, but that Santa suit pegging fantasy may be delayed a bit.
All manufacturers are simply doing the best they can to get everyone their orders in a timely fashion this holiday season. I cannot imagine the challenges they face, and I'm grateful they are rising to the challenge instead of shutting their doors, like all too many small businesses have had to do. Kudos to the manufacturers who are working hard to provide us with excellent products.
Lastly, three cheers to all the new pegging couples! Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of pegging. You're going to like it here.
