HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Managers and staff members from a number of adult boutiques in the greater Los Angeles area gathered Tuesday at the W Hotel in Hollywood, as guests of East Coast News, to participate in training sessions from six major pleasure products manufacturers.
The ECN Regional Training Event is part of a new program from the adult distribution company in an effort to get “back to basics,” explained Justin Vickers, retail coordinator for ECN.
“We will be hosting these events every other month from now through the end of the year,” Vickers told AVN. “Different manufacturers will participate in different regions. It’s a good way for us to get face-to-face time with the manufacturers and the retailers.”
Representatives from eight manufacturers—Evolved Novelties/Zero Tolerance Toys/Adam & Eve, Sensuva, CalExotics/Jopen, Sportsheets, System JO/Dona By JO, Doc Johnson, Perfect Fit Brand and Ovo Lifestyle Toys—gave 45-minute demonstrations during which they showed off their newest and best-selling products, and gave tips for stocking and displaying items. Tester models were passed among those in attendance so they could get a feel for the features, materials and other aspects of the items.
April from Evolved Novelties/Zero Tolerance Toys explained to the attendees the company’s partnership to manufacture toys, personal lubricants and more for Adam & Eve. She noted that all products manufactured by Evolved Novelties—no matter the brand—are water resistant (except for those with plug-in cords). She also highlighted the company’s five-year warranty program.
“Even though Adam & Eve might not have a return policy, we will honor the warranty on those products, too,” she said.
April noted the ECN Regional Training event helps not only retailers but also herself and other manufacturer reps. The ability to educate several stores at once, she told AVN, is invaluable, and helps to strengthen the bonds between the company and its clients.
“To have everyone in one place, all ready to learn and ask questions, is wonderful,” she said.
Ashley from Sensuva presented the company's four new flavors and intensities for Sensuva products designed to help women with arousal and stimulation. The company recently introduced three new flavors for its Lic-O-Licious Throat Coating Oral Delight Cream, including Blueberry Muffin. She also showed off the new On Hemp line, a hemp-oil infused female arousal oil that creates a pulsating and vibrating sensation when applied to the clitoris.
CalExotics/Jopen rep Cynthia showcased the Cheap Thrills male masturbators, as well as the Kroma collection of lipstick vibrators, which were created in conjunction with (and are only available from) ECN.
She also noted that several products from both CalExotics and Jopen have multiple uses that retailers can point out to potential customers.
“Don’t ever let the names of products dictate how you use the products,” she said.
New items from the Edge and Midnight collections were spotlighted during the presentation by Emily from Sportsheets. She covered the manufacturer’s Good, Better and Best classifications for its product lines, and started her segment by quickly detailing the history of Sportsheets and the story of founder and CEO Tom Stewart’s inspiration for creating the original Sportsheet, a Velcro-friendly sheet with detachable anchor pads that hold the ankle and wrist cuffs.
“With the Sportsheet, you’re only as tied up as you want to be,” she said.
Philip from System JO/Dona by JO introduced the company’s new counter-top display unit for its top six flavored lubricants and highlighted the new Agape collection of health-conscious products that are free from silicone, oil, glycerine and parabens.
During her segment, Kerin from Doc Johnson talked about the company’s new Vac-U-Lock kits, as well as products from its recent and very successful partnership with Kink.com.
“Kink was heavily involved in creating these products,” she noted. “We didn’t just give them products we thought they might like; they signed off on every product, so we stayed true to the community,” she said.
Perfect Fit Brand’s Steve talked about the company’s most popular sellers—including the Fat Boy and the Play Zone kit, a collection of nine incrementally sized cock rings—and the manufacturer’s newest venture: Collections. The Collections kits are attractively packaged products with a theme that are only available through ECN, he noted.
Samantha from Ovo Lifestyle Toys ended the day by discussing the company’s new packaging, which will roll out with its Phase 3 lineup of massagers and more. The new boxes feature a full-size image of the product inside, as well as silver foil on boxes of rechargeable items and ribbon hang tags at the top. She also noted that the company is working on standardizing the products as much as possible, including redesigning popular items to feature the same control panels in the future.
Retailers interested in attending ECN Regional Training Events in their area should visit ECN.com or contact their ECN representative for more information.
