Ultra-realistic sex dolls: That's the premium product being sold by Mimicon (a.k.a CybOrgasMatrix), RealDoll, and many other niche novelty producers. We say ‘niche', because the R&D, material, and craftsmanship costs associated with these ultimate sex dolls put them in the multi-thousand dollar price range as a rule.
Who is forking out the big bucks for the Rolls-Royce of sex toys? And what are they looking for in these products? To find out, ANB spoke to Kyle Bronson, CybOrgasMatrix's vice president of operations; and, Amanda Thompson, RealDoll's media and public relations representative.
ANB: Just how big is the market for premium sex dolls?
Thompson: The short answer is that we really don't know. The adult industry as a whole is a multi-billion dollar industry. Now, we don't make anywhere near that amount, but we're certainly a portion of it. What percentage of that total we are, I couldn't tell you. On average we sell a doll a day, and have done so for the ten years we've been in business, for a total of roughly 4,000 dolls, give or take.
Bronson: In as much as Mimicon and RealDoll are redefining the industry, the night is young. Once the public becomes aware of the difference between our current product offerings (and the degree of realism we are able to achieve), then the stigma of the prior art of sex dolls (with seamed vinyl beach ball construction and a gaping mouth reminiscent of Edvard Munch's The Scream), attitudes change.
ANB: Is there a specific demographic that buys these products?
Bronson: Not at all. Our customers come from all walks of life: We have had everyone from doctors, nerds, and divorcees hitting male menopause, to cool wives who are bi-curious or want to experience a safe three-way within the context of a committed relationship. I could go on and on with other examples, but there is no common characteristic other than a demographic of people with enough disposable income to buy our entry level products like the Torso Front (or sections of the Torso Front). The Torso Front, with all the options, including shipping and crating, is $1,359.
Thompson: We don't keep demographics on our clients, in order to protect their privacy. However, we estimate that the majority of our clients are middle aged, single men. We sometimes sell dolls to married couples, but that's fairly infrequent. We almost never sell to women.
ANB: Is the price a deterrent for many consumers? If so, has adding ‘partial body dolls' at lower prices to your product line expanded sales?
Thompson: The price doesn't appear to be much of a deterrent. Generally, when people make the decision to buy a doll, they do their research first. RealDolls are not an impulse purchase. Those who are serious about getting a doll, understand that quality costs money, and RealDolls are the Ferrari of sex dolls.
We do offer a couple of smaller torso products that are not considered partial dolls (they don't have heads, arms, or legs) for lower prices than the dolls, but even those cost more than your standard sex shop toy. Our torso products range from $750 up to $1,699 depending on the exact product and specifications.
Bronson: We were the first company to offer a Torso product, and since then the Torso or Torso Front has become an entry level product from all doll manufacturers. Our desire to include as many eligible customers as possible in our flock is precisely the reason we released the Torso Front product. It has most of the features of the Full Body Doll, but at a fraction of the cost.
Although we have never made a consistent profit from sales of the Torso Front, this works well for us, as a significant percentage of our Torso front customers later purchase the more complete products (with a healthier profit margin). We have seven years' pent up demand for the Full Body Doll (retail product roll-out date is Q1, 2009, but we are close enough to the finish line now that we have already begun accepting advance orders. We offer them at almost half price, and they are bundled with a free Torso Front to keep the customer happy while he waits for us to fill the orders in front of his.
ANB: What features are your customers looking for?
Thompson: The features our customers look for most is the one thing that sets us apart from other doll companies-the ability to design your dream girl in every way. Clients can choose from ten bodies and sixteen faces (the faces are interchangeable, which is another thing that sets us apart from the competition), and they also get to choose eye color, hair color, and style (from about 15 different styles), makeup colors, nail polish colors, and pubic hair color and style. No two RealDolls are ever exactly alike because they are all made by hand.
Bronson: The defining quality of our brand is realism, and our dolls are also known for their durability and longevity (compared with our silicone competitors, or anyone, for that matter). But by far the most compelling (and commercially attractive) feature is the visual and tactile realism we provide.
ANB: Will your customers pay more for robotic sex dolls? If so, are you developing any?
Bronson: We used to make pelvis robotics a standard feature in our Full Body Dolls, but we received so many requests to exclude this option (to bring the price down) we decided to make it an optional feature. Our original design schedule called for an upgraded robotic capability in nine years, due to three recent technological breakthroughs earlier this year, we have been able to condense the 10 year schedule down to four years. We are currently developing the new design. That means we will be a serious player in this market within the next two to four years.
Thompson: I'm sure there are some people who would pay more for robotic sex dolls, but our intention has never been to encourage doll use instead of real relationships. To that end, we won't be turning our dolls into robots because that makes them too much like replacements for real women. There is a line drawn between toys and real life, and we're not interested in crossing that line.
ANB: Finally, is there any way that your advances can be brought to a lower-priced mass market?
Bronson: Absolutely. Because it is a niche market, and because we have never advertised, our current business model is one of low production hand-crafted dolls. Whereas the big car manufacturers in Detroit crank out a car a minute, at Rolls-Royce it takes one man one day to hang one door (so that it closes with a barely audible "snick").
Today we are more like Rolls-Royce than Detroit, but there is plenty of room to ramp up production, decrease mold cycle times, use multiple cavities (molds) for each casting, add a second or third work shift, etc., if demand calls for it. High-volume injection molding equipment would enable us to increase production dramatically (and lower the unit cost at the same time), but right now, existing demand doesn't justify the investment in $250K worth of new equipment. If we see a way to bring the cost down and put one of our dolls in every other home, then we will certainly seize the opportunity, but we'd go broke if we tried to do that in today's market.
Thompson: Our dolls will never be mass-marketed. Each one is handmade by a handful of people, and a lot of love and attention to detail goes into each one. That's partly what makes RealDolls so special. If we started churning them out by machine, they would lose that human touch and would cease to be unique. We believe that part of the reason people are willing to spend so much on our dolls is because of that human touch. Anyone can buy a dime-a-dozen, factory built doll that's one of thousands of copies. Not everyone can get a one-of-a-kind, built by hand, work of art.
To see these products online, go to CybOrgasMatrix.com and RealDoll.com.
