This article was written by Erin V., is the marketing and vendor liaison at Williams Trading Co., for AVN's Intimate magazine.
The “bachelorette season” has now evolved into a broader selling opportunity as the wedding season has stretched from May to October. So what was once a small spike in adult retail sales can now be a bigger part of a store’s net profit.
Kitschy penis items, fun erotic candy and blinged-out pimp cups are still very much in demand. However, those items are more for the social media aspect of a bachelorette party. Every special event in our lives gets posted on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Vine. A selfie with a six-foot inflatable penis or the bride carrying an extreme-sized dildo is amusing and gets attention. That’s ultimately what the person posting the picture wants: lots of attention on the bride and the bridal party sharing pics of an awesome girls’ night out.
Which leads into another shift in this category. Bachelorette and “girls night out” party favors now come in a wider range of styles, providing alternatives for a low-key or more mature bride. For example, there are more color choices on the market now. The traditional pink, fuchsia and purple bachelorette items are now competing with more merchandise (goblets, boas, sashes, et cetera) that comes in subtle hues of white, powder blue and silver.
The surge in same-sex marriages has opened up a subcategory: the bachelor party. There have always been party favors such as boobie hats, drinking mugs and DVDs for the bachelor. But guys generally didn’t invest in merchandise to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. This year, we’ve seen male wearables for the groom(s) enter the market, such as sashes and crowns.
The largest trend in this industry has involved the actual bachelorette party; pre-gaming the festivities with an adult toy “honeymoon party” is becoming more common. Home party reps are often asked to have available cash-and-carry items or present pleasure items for both the bride and groom. And home party reps who can add a little “101” instruction on blow jobs, oral sex and beginner’s bondage can bank on higher product sales. This is also a great time to offer couples’ intimacy kits, which are perfect for the honeymoon.
Regardless of taste, age or gender, the bachelor/bachelorette party is about having fun celebrating the couple’s future together. May it be filled with great sex, prosperity and endless love!
Pictured above: the Williams Trading Co. booth at the International Lingerie Show; photo by Hew Burney
