A fixture in the glass lampworking industry since 1998, XXX Glass launched XXXGlass.com in June 2002. Located 50 miles north of San Francisco in Santa Rosa, California, there are four glass blowers working under a master glass blower, developing all sorts of exciting glass creations for equally exciting functions.
It should come as no shock that I’m a novice on all things blowing glass, especially when said glass ultimately finds itself into a body cavity; thus, I happily sought out XXX Glass owner/designer Jennifer Walker for a tutorial on the glass sex toy business and that rubber dildo vs. glass dildo debate.
Tripp Daniels: Tell us what XXX Glass is all about?
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Jennifer Walker: At XXX Glass, we’re all about quality. Years in the glass business have shown us that if you maintain the highest standard in craftsmanship, everything else will fall into place. XXXGlass.com is a Web-based business with both retail and wholesale sites. We've been on the Web with other products since 1998, but now are focusing all of our efforts on glass sex toys. The fantastic reaction to our XXX Glass Dildo line has led us to going to trade shows and expanding our advertising beyond the Web.
TD: Can you point to a specific reason as to why XXX Glass has been so successful?
JW: Again, I’d have to say quality. Top quality combined with excellent color work. Our designs and products are beautiful works of art as well as functional toys.
TD: Where do you come up with the ideas for your merchandise? Is it developed in-house or do you work with outside help?
JW: We do most of our designs ourselves and with the adult film stars who are on contract with us: Victoria Givens, Lisa Sparxxx, Samantha Sterlyng, and Dave Pounder right now. We’re also developing lines for Jennifer Steele, Layla Jade, and Cherokee. All of our designs are rigorously tested by our testing team and the stars.
TD: What is the secret to building a Website that will be popular with consumers and successful as a means to sell your product?
JW: A lot of hard work, for sure. Our site is going to be remodeled in the next few months and should be fantastic when we get done. We’re taking the lead from Web giants like Amazon and GameLink. It’s all about the customer experience, confidence, and ease of use. Our Web developer has worked hard on our site’s HTML to make sure that everyone can see our site and use it, and also so the search engines can see us. Today, as I speak, we’re number one on most of the major search engines under “glass dildos” and most of our other keywords.
TD: Do you have specific marketing strategies to keep the brand and product visible?
JW: I believe our success in the glass sex toy market comes from our wonderful designs and color work. Our pieces are elegant and sexy. We have spent the last six years adapting centuries-old European glass-blowing techniques and brand-new state-of-the-art colors to Pyrex glass. The techniques we use are primarily for hot glass; most art glass is made from hot glass, which is soft. The problem with soft glass is that it is, well... soft. Soft and brittle, not stable or strong enough to be used safely for sex toys. We use Pyrex because of its strength and workability. Its been used in scientific lab glass for years and years.
TD: What is your background and what led you to the adult industry?
JW: We’re all about glass here. We all come from artistic families. I draw and paint, work wood, all sorts of cool stuff. We dig the adult industry and wanted to be part of it for a long time. One day, in our shop, our master glass blower decided to make a dildo. He can't even remember what motivated him to make it, though I'm sure it had something to do with a woman. That was in 2001, and we've just developed it from there. People all over the world like our products. It puts smiles on our faces to put smiles on theirs.
TD: How important is it to keep your thumb on the pulse of the consumer community, to know what it is they want, and being able to stay ahead of the creative curve?
JW: Very important. We get tons of e-mails and letters from our customers. We pay total attention to all forms of feedback that come our way so we can bring the public extremely pleasurable works of glass art and still stay one step ahead of the market.
TD: What is your opinion on the state of the adult Internet industry? Is the market in an upswing or have things slowed somewhat? Has your business fluctuated much over the last year?
JW: I have no idea what it’s like for porn sites. The glass dildo market is in its infancy, so our business keeps going up. I can't wait to see what business will be like in a post-Bush economy.
TD: What is in store for XXX Glass? Are there any major developments forthcoming?
JW: Well, I mentioned the remodels on our Website. We’re working with more and more adult film stars, developing their signature lines. They’ve come up with some designs that are fresh, new, and exciting. This year we’re going to introduce over 50 new models with a lot of color, inside-out glass work, and some unique shapes.
TD: Is there a specific demographic to which you market and sell, or does it vary?
JW: It seems that all kinds of people are buying our products: young, old, and lots of couples. We have been getting many requests from adult film producers and directors, and lately we have been getting tons of orders from exotic dancers who use our toys in their private shows and send them home with the fans afterward. We even provide toys for a sex therapy counselor, who then suggests the use of our toys to the couples she is counseling.
TD: What makes a glass dildo better than a rubber dildo? It’s not for me… uh, a friend of mine wants to know.
JW: We temper each piece at high heat for up to 24 hours and then inspect them with a scientific apparatus called a Polariscope to insure safety and integrity. Pyrex is hypoallergenic and dishwasher safe. Glass sex toys can be perfectly cleaned and sterilized, and, properly cared for, they will last a lifetime. You can heat up or cool down our toys, and, I almost forgot – since our glass is non-porous, a little lube goes a long, long way.
Thoughts, opinions, comments, suggestions, cheap shots, love letters, haranguing, personalized erotica? How about a cool site I should know about? Drop me a note at [email protected]. Or don't. I really don’t care. I have a healthy self-image.
