EAN Adult Retailing Industry Survey

Glasgow-based adult consultancy Lascivious Marketing and EAN are joining forces to provide the international adult retailing industry with an unprecedented degree of insight through the launching of a new research programme, commencing next month.

Adult retailers across Europe and beyond will be given the opportunity to provide feedback on a range of key business and industry issues like never before. Whether selling their own products or those of other companies, the survey will not only enable retailers to offer their completely confidential opinions on industry-wide issues but also let them evaluate other key areas, including supplier relations and marketing.

The lack of research conducted in the industry was noted by Lascivious Marketing Founder and project director Brian Gray, who highlighted this in an interview with EAN last month.

“Whether it’s the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ factor, the increasing mainstream acceptance of adult pleasure products or the array of exciting new lingerie designers entering the market and selling directly to consumers online, there’s no denying the importance – and interest – in the adult retailing industry today,” noted Gray.

“But from an external perspective, adult retailing needs to further improve its overall visibility. Not only as an area of economic activity in its own right but also one that is attractive and welcoming to future employees and new companies. It also needs to be viewed positively in the eyes of other industries as well as governments, regulatory authorities and the like.”

“Industry-wide data and subsequent insight is one way in which the industry can work to achieve this,” Gray continued. “But despite all sorts of figures proclaiming the sex toy and lingerie sectors to be in rude health, it’s bizarre there have been no established opportunities for firms within the sector to give their opinions in a structured fashion. This upcoming survey directly redresses that, and will generate an insight-rich snapshot for the industry that will drive discussion and debate not only among retailers themselves but other adult industry marketers.”

The first state of the industry survey is scheduled to take place in late June / early July. To take part in the survey, respondents will voluntarily opt-in to a special adult retailing industry research panel maintained by Lascivious Marketing. When the survey is launched, panel members will receive an email with a weblink to a secure online survey.

As with all professional research surveys, all details are confidential, and run in accordance with the UK Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Personal contact and survey data will not be passed onto third parties for marketing purposes, and no data provided in the survey will be personally attributable unless respondents give their full consent.

“For EAN, the partnership with Lascivious Marketing is both logical and timely,” says editor Randolph Heil. “As an editor covering the adult retailing industry it’s often not easy gathering facts about this industry. Add to this a lot of assumptions floating around without any supporting evidence. Having someone of Brian’s calibre leading this initiative, with his many years of national and international marketing research experience is a real bonus. All of us at EAN are really looking forward to working together to bring some more clarity and objectivity to the industry, step by step.”

While acknowledging the first survey is yet to be launched, Gray has a keen eye for what potentially lies beyond this, in particular the establishing of a longer-term industry-level research capability which can regularly call upon industry respondents of all levels of seniority to anonymously voice their opinions on key issues.

“Of course it’s early days, and the success of this survey – and hopefully of others in the future – completely relies on the genuine enthusiasm among adult retailing professionals at all levels who want to make their opinions count,” he stated. “But there’s a real opportunity to make something of this especially when it’s sorely needed. It would be a really positive development if there is enough interest and enthusiasm for not only repeat survey waves, but perhaps even the introduction of regular monthly industry trackers to monitor retailer confidence and performance over time and measure attitudes to key areas of interest.”

With the first industry survey fast approaching, both Lascivious Marketing and EAN will be busy spreading the message about the survey and its benefits – including free summary reports for all respondents – to existing industry contacts, and new ones who have heard about the survey across social media.

For Randolph, EAN’s responsibilities are clear. “With our existing readership base spread across the continent – and beyond – EAN will be emailing them very soon, urging them to be a part of this initiative and sending details of how to participate. And when the survey findings are released you can rest assured that EAN will be covering the key issues, not to mention leading the subsequent conversations that will surely arise.”

To join the research panel, visit http://eepurl.com/cQZPjH. For more information about any of the industry survey, or to discuss other marketing assistance, Brian can be contacted at lasciviousmarketing.com. To read Brian’s interview with EAN, click here.