The land of Kamasutra can’t seem to get enough of sexual wellness products and erotica accessories, it seems. According to a survey by ThatsPersonal.com, an online adult sexual wellness accessories retailer, the size of the erotica accessories market in India is expected to cross Rs 10,000 crore by 2020. And the Indian woman is steering this sexual revolution as she accounts for almost three quarters of all sales.
Can’t stop at one
Amrita Patel has built quite a collection over the years. “My partner first introduced me to adult toys in 2008 and I loved them so much, I started looking for more new and exciting products,” says the Mumbai girl. Earlier Amrita would have to shop for these only on foreign trips, given there were no physical shops in India.
“I’m very particular about quality, especially the texture of the product,” says the 29-year-old fashion consultant. “I was uncomfortable purchasing products online because you cannot touch and feel them. But now that I am familiar with the brands, I feel more confident buying them online. Also, now we have some very good e-commerce sites that use discreet packaging.”
Raina Jain, 35, who is originally from Indore, but now lives in Pune remembers trying out an erotica enhancer back as a college student in New Zealand. “I tried it in 2007 and have been dying to get my hands on something as exciting in India but you don’t have any shops that sell the product! I walked into a party products store once. They were showcasing items for a 50 Shades of Grey-themed party, but the most exciting product was a whip that looked like it was better suited to removing cobwebs and dusting book shelves!”
Jain is trying to bring back intimacy in her marriage and hopes to find something exciting online.
Hopping over the hurdle
While the sale of sex toys is banned in India, sexual wellness includes a variety of products within its ambit. Typical online stores sell everything from contraceptives, performance enhancers, naughty lingerie, role play outfits, lubricants to hygiene and arousal products along with erotica accessories. Also many retailers are careful to stay within the purview of sanskaari boundaries of the law and pitch their products as intimacy builders for married couples.
Neil Dosanjh, founder and CEO of Guptt.in, says, “The misconception around sexual wellness products is that they are to be used alone. However, we can’t stress enough how using couples products will take your sexual experiences to another level completely. These are the ones which receive the most attention from our customers.”
Start the marriage saucy
This is perhaps why sexual wellness products are becoming an increasingly popular gifting option during the wedding season. Dosanjh elaborates, “Over the wedding season we have seen a 82 per cent increase in couples products such as The Noa and Passionate Play. The bride’s girlfriends, sisters and cousins are the ones most open to making the purchase.”
According to a survey by ThatsPersonal.com, while Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi are the biggest demand centres, new customers and inquiries are coming from several tier two and three cities such as Jaipur, Surat, Lucknow, Kochi, Vadodra, Bhuj, Hissar and Bhatinda. Customers’ age range from 18-55 years, with 25-34 year olds making the maximum transactions.
