Why Are Sex Toys So Expensive?

They say that money can’t buy happiness, and there is some truth to that, but what money can buy is good sex toys and that makes a lot of us happy — even though we may be wondering why good sex toys cost so much money.

First, it is worth noting that there are some good basic sex toys for those of us on tighter budgets. But there are also some sex toys that are anything but basic (and inexpensive), and we’d like to explore what makes them so costly. Our technology reporter, Andy K, is here to talk about pleasure tech and price tags.

Quality Components

It may feel a little uncomfortable to pay the freight for the sex toys of your choice, but we promise that it will be a lot more uncomfortable to deal with infection, irritation, or just plain frustration from sex toys that aren’t safe for your body or don’t work right. Vibrating sex toys have motors and controls that need to be balanced and calibrated, which can be complicated when the products are as compact as some are these days.

And all sex toys, whether they have internal electronics or not, should be made from body-safe materials that are at least splashproof. We don’t need to explain why body-safe materials are important, and some degree of water resistance is necessary for thorough cleanup (plus, well, sex toys are often exposed to some degree of moisture and they need to be able to take it!).

Andy recommends stainless steel, borosilicate glass, and medical-grade silicone for sex toys. These are premium-grade materials, but again, you get what you pay for and your health is priceless. Also, it doesn’t necessarily help the ouch at the point of purchase, but sex toys made from these materials are likely to enjoy a nice long life, so you will be saving money in the long run since you won’t need to replace them frequently.

Research and Development Costs Money

These days, pleasure tech includes wireless remote controls, Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone apps, fully customizable vibration patterns, integration with virtual reality content, and much more. Sex toys are also more realistic-looking than ever before, which requires skilled artisans who can detail and shade the veins, folds, and other variations of human anatomy.

Good sex toy companies also employ industrial designers to ensure that the toys are ergonomically comfortable, as well as medical professionals and even psychologists to help create the best experience for each and every person who uses the toys. MysteryVibe is a good example of that.

We appreciate all of this very much — today’s sex toys are leaps and bounds ahead of what was available even a generation ago — but the professionals who have contributed to the development of these highly advanced personal electronics did not come cheap even if we ourselves would like to climax more cheaply.

Testing, Testing, 1-2-3

Good sex is safe, sane, and consensual. Some of us might be used to hearing that phrase in other contexts, but it applies to sex toys as well. And extensive, rigorous product testing is what keeps sex toys safe and sane (because it really isn’t “sane” to put something in your body that has not been thoroughly tested for safety).

Andy explains that safety testing for pleasure toys typically includes testing the materials for allergens and contaminants, testing the motors and internal batteries for electrical safety, and testing the whole product for durability; durability is a safety issue as well as a quality one because scratches and scrapes can harbor bacteria, and a short in the electric system can be problematic.

Many of the best adult manufacturers contract with outside laboratories to do this testing, which adds credibility but also adds cost. When we launched our own line of sex toys (because who knows sex toys better than us?) we had teams in the United States and Japan test our products and report back to our engineers, and we repeated this process until we felt good about the results.

Feeling Good About Feeling Good

Over the past two decades or thereabouts, sex toy companies have not only gone mainstream but they have also become market leaders in a few different areas, including technology, e-commerce, and ethical production. Some sex toy companies, like TENGA, don’t think that pleasure should come at the cost of others’ pain (unless they want it to, and that’s a different article), so they establish and maintain production facilities that also serve social good — but doing the right thing often costs a little more.

Reaching the Right Audience

We (and by we, we mean Americans) have really weird hangups; it’s more acceptable in media and advertising to show a woman being tortured than one being pleasured. But this means that it’s very difficult for sex toy retailers to advertise openly and honestly. Much advertising and promotion is done through social media channels, and at least for now, this requires humans who are active and articulate.

Another way that sex toy manufacturers and retailers promote their products is through education. This is a great way to get the word out there, but producing and distributing high-quality content is not an inexpensive venture.

Customer service is another aspect of reaching the right audience. Since sex toys are often not advertised openly, word of mouth carries a lot of weight in certain communities. Good manufacturers and retailers understand this, and they invest in the customer experience including extended warranties, payment processing (adult content and products are considered a high-risk industry and it can cost twice as much to process each transaction than mainstream retailers pay), and quick and discreet shipping.

Specialization Is Spendy

Some sex toy manufacturers or product lines cater to more specialized tastes or needs. We are very glad that these exist, but niche markets mean small markets, and small production runs mean higher cost per item. We hope that in the future, true inclusivity and accessibility will come at less of a cost, but we also understand how economics works.

True Luxury

We can’t write this article without mentioning the truly luxurious sex toys that are available on today’s market. We have explained why some of the higher-end sex toys feel expensive; sophisticated materials, engineering, and user experience *are* expensive. But there are toys out there that are well beyond that, like LELO’s Inez G-spot vibrator that comes in 24-karat gold and costs (a lot) more than my first car did.

So, Do You Get What You Pay For?

Yes and no. When you buy mid-range or higher sex toys from reputable manufacturers and retailers, you get advanced engineering, body-friendly materials, and an excellent customer experience. Most people would agree that you get what you pay for in this case.

You can also buy more basic toys from these same sellers. You’d still get body-safe materials (although they might not be as pleasing to the senses) and reliable technology (although probably not the latest developments). An argument could be made that you would actually get more than you pay for, since you are benefiting from the same attention to safety and reliability that goes into the costlier toys.

In every industry, there are social media sensations that need to charge high prices because they know that their products are such that they won’t get any repeat buyers. There are established, respected companies that produce quality goods and the prices reflect what goes into that. And there are hidden gems where the value is higher than the price tag. Our final answer: you can get what you pay for or more if you shop conscientiously, and we are here to help you do that.

Happy vibing!

Andy

Andy is a tech analyst covering major industry trends and emerging innovations. With more than 15 years of experience in Silicon Valley, he brings sharp insight and real-world context to every story.