Unlikely Bedfellows

We’ve all been there. You’ve had a rough day of too much work, even if you’re working at home at your desk. You’re just pounding away at the keyboard, hoping for the time to pass more quickly than it does. But it doesn’t. You’ve resorted to a cup of coffee or two, then decide to treat yourself with a dash of sativa to pick up the pace of your day.

And then you’re done. Now what?

Here’s where the combo of pleasure products and cannabis come into play.

As we know, cannabis can light up every cell in your body and brain, whether it’s for relaxing or heightening sensations. No matter how it enters your body, through gummies, vaping, flower, resin, or through delicious bong hits, it’s the way to relax after a hard day or, depending on the strain, increase your energy to experience even more of the day (or night).

How about increasing your high with adult toys and products and pairing them in your smoke shop? You don’t need to offer a ten-inch dong to go with the ten inch-bong(!) but you could start displaying pleasure combos such as a CBD/THC massage oil next to some personal lubricants and a little sex toy, all gathered together next to a popular edible. People often need to view a suggested collection to let them see what would make a nice addition to their standard purchase. Perhaps offering a special price for the collection would introduce them to expanding their pleasure horizons.

Grouping things by color makes for exciting and eye-catching displays, while changing things up in your displays will always refresh your store, no matter what segment of retail you’re representing. In the years I’ve been in the pleasure products biz, I’ve seen so many stores keep products grouped together (anal toys, g-spot toys, dildos, etc.), never diverting from this predictable formula of categorization. Organization is great, but a little strategic displacement can go a long way to exposing a customer to something new they wouldn’t have otherwise purchased. It’s easy to take one or two of the same product and put them in a different department, which encourages customers to see other things, especially when a staff member is unable to personally guide them around the store. It is also a gateway to upselling if a customer is interested in one of the different products.

Here’s a thought: Have you ever done secret shopping in a similar store? It’s a great way to get a feel of how other stores are offering products you’re already familiar with. I’ve always found this is a fun thing to do, especially when I am traveling and won’t get recognized! See where they have their smoke section in an adult store and, if you’re in the smoke business, see if they offer adult products. In a smoke shop, specifically ask the staff for adult products and see what their reaction is. It’s a great way to learn the way a customer may respond in your own store and a way to have staff expand their knowledge to offer these products.

When it comes to adult products, there’s so much more to offer to your customers than just information about tokes, vapes, glassware and kratom. Many pleasure product distributors offer free product training provided by manufacturers through various video platforms, which is a fantastic way to learn more about the adult product world. Expanding your knowledge and retailing horizons is always available at your fingertips.

There are many pleasure product companies that are devoting a variety of gizmos to appeal to stoners of every age. There are vibrators that have pot leaf designs right on them and many even have clever names to appeal directly to the toking crowd.

Just flip through the pages of HQ and support those manufacturers that pay attention to YOU! You’ll be glad you did!

By Kim Airs