Working In An Adult Lifestyle Centre
Working In An Adult Lifestyle Centre offers a unique and insightful experience unlike any other retail job. This article provides a firsthand account of the daily activities, challenges, and rewards of working in an adult store. Employees gain a deep understanding of human sexuality and the diverse needs of customers.
The environment fosters open-mindedness and promotes sex positivity. Staff members often serve as educators, helping customers find products that enhance their intimate lives. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of adult retail, shedding light on what it’s really like to work in an adult lifestyle centre.
People Are Always Shocked At The News
When I tell people I work in an adult store, I am always slightly surprised by their reactions. Usually they look around to see if anyone is listening then begins the barrage of questions in hushed tones.
Oh My God, Wow! You work in a Sex Shop?
What is it like to work there?
Don’t you get tired of all the creepy wierdos?
And once they relax…Do you get to try stuff? That must be cool… I might pop in and see you.
Newbies Overwhelmed Before Realising It Is Normal
All the newbies come in a little shy and are not sure what to expect and almost with out exception are overwhelmed with how “normal” it all is. Gone are the days of elderly men in raincoats, low lighting and darkened rooms…. I always get comments on how approachable the staff are and almost everyone is overwhelmed with the range of products we have and impressed by how unintimidating the atmosphere of the shop is. Yes, times have certainly changed, thank goodness.
It’s Our Job To Make You Feel At Ease And Help Out
Our job as sales consultants is to make the customer feel as at ease as possible. We try and rid them of unhelpful preconceptions, and basically welcome them into our magical world.
It is great that we have so much choice but to someone who has never been in an adult store before it is really helpful for them to have it all simplified for them. I always think sex is like food, it is not only necessary it can be intensely pleasurable. If you had never tasted chocolate, you simply wouldn’t have a taste for it. It is our job to present the customer with an easy to understand tasting menu of what is really available out there for carnal pleasure. There is nothing more satisfying than introducing customers to ideas and toys they would never have thought existed.
I have had many retail jobs in my time and although I have enjoyed them, I have often thought I was a bit of a money making machine for the company and my primary goal was to sell as much product for them as possible. The reward for me was the satisfaction of the results I achieved while at the same time maintaining customer satisfaction. I have found this job works inversely. My main goal is to satisfy the needs of the customer, the money makes itself. By establishing their needs I can help them discover things that can be truly life changing.
There Are Similarities With The Medical Field
Now this will sound odd, but I have a couple of friends that work as carers or in the medical profession, and I often feel I have much more in common with them than I do with someone who works in a shoe store. We are very privileged to get to know such personal things about people. I may well spend half an hour helping someone who has recently had prostate surgery, by showing them a penis pump, a prostate massager and explaining how cock rings work.
My Job Has Helped Others Enjoy Sex Again
I have a regular customer who is 35. He had had a terrible child hood and had never been able to have sex. Now he often comes in with friends to extol the virtues of our herbal version of Viagra and our sex drops. He tells me I have genuinely changed his life. It is great fun to show the younger guys what a masturbator is for. I love to see their eyes light up when you explain how a cock ring can make them cum harder and satisfy their partner at the same time. It is satisfying letting customers young and old feel a lube like superslyde when they have only ever improvised with products like baby oil.
We Advise People On The Most Intimate Aspects Of Their Lives
The staff here are in a unique position of advising people on the most personal and intimate aspect of their lives. We are lucky enough to have time given to us to learn about everything to do with sex, love and relationships. Take a look around the blog and you would be hard pushed to find a subject not tackled or a toy not reviewed at least once by somebody. With all that knowledge comes responsibility.
Young Couples Have Unrealistic Expectations
I have lost count of all the young couples who come in with expectations that relationships are like the ones you see in 5 minute free porn clips online. Guys often come in with girlfriends wanting anal toys and numbing creams for the girl. How scary would that be for an inexperienced girl? I always try to get to the bottom of the motives. If it is just the guys idea, which it often is, I always try and persuade him to buy a prostate toy for himself too.
It’s Important To Recognise The Customers Needs And Motives
That way he can experience the wonders of his own male g spot, and at the same time sympathise better with what his girl will be experiencing. For her, the experience becomes a mutual exploration of each other’s bodies. Not just an anal invasion by a boyfriend she feels she has to impress. Instead of a cream to make her feel less of the sensation, why not buy enough some superslyde lubricant or non numbing anal lube from Pjur to help her relax into it.
Some Customers Are Just Curious
Some customers are just plain curious to see what secrets lie inside these stores that you have to climb stairs to reach (although our Kogarah store is at street level for wheel chair access) They might even just want to come in and take pictures of the blow up dolls and giant dongs to show their friends.
We Are Conditioned To Think Of Sex As Taboo
From a very young age we are conditioned to think of sex as something naughty and taboo. Our kids find anything they are told not to talk about in public completely fascinating…whether it be farts, bums, boobs, poos or SEX. We carry those feelings into old age. It is great fun to watch a customer open up and embrace the world of what we have to offer and start asking the questions that they haven’t felt able to before.
The Job Is Self-Rewarding As I Love Helping Others
The rewards for what we do are amazing. My favourite story is of a lovely guy who came in and wanted to buy a present for a girl he was trying to woo in Hawaii. They had met in Australia and really got on. She was splitting up from her husband. She had had a mastectomy and felt this was the reason he was leaving her. Mr nice had also split from his wife who had run off leaving him with their 5 children.
He was going over to see her In Hawaii and his intentions, although not entirely honourable, were that he wanted her to see herself as the sexy person he thought she was. (lets face it we all like it when someone’s intentions aren’t totally honourable) He was going to buy her some lingerie, but I suggested he bought diamante nipple tassels instead. He was unsure, but bit the bullet and did it anyway.
A few weeks later he was back to thank me, she had cried with happiness. She planned to come over and meet his kids. Since then they have maintained a long distance relationship. I was able to suggest getting a We-vibe so they could maintain sexual relations while so far apart ….and the last I heard was that she was going to come live over permanently.
An Elderly Man Was Assisted After His Wife Passed Away
There are numerous other stories too, the guy in his 80’s I sold lube and a stroker too after his wife had passed away and he had moved into an old people’s home. He came back to tell me he couldn’t believe such amazing things existed!
Honestly, some days I leave work feeling like I am saving the world one dildo at a time, well perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration but it is a great place to work and visit. The shop isn’t full of “creepy wierdos” at all. It is mostly people like you and me who just want to have fun.
Nearly every day I am asked by one or more customers “What is it like to work in an adult shop?” People seem to be curious by this profession. I cannot speak for every adult shop, but as far as working at Adult Lifestyle Centre goes – we absolutely love it!
I thought I’d give you all a small insight of my experience working at an Oh! Zone Adult Lifestyle Centre. I’ve only been working here for a few months so maybe sometime in the future I’ll give you an update. Keep in mind though that the experience is different for everyone and this is just one person’s perspective.
My First Sales Role In An Adult Store At Adult Lifestyle Centres
I’m going to go all the way back to the beginning. I’m 22 years old and had never worked in any industry that even came close to what it’s like to work in an Adult Sex Toy Shop. I previously worked with both animals and babies. These jobs are at the opposite end of the spectrum.
At first I must admit, when I stepped into a sex shop it was a little overwhelming. I had only ever tried two sex toys in my entire life. They were a straight vibrator and a double ended dong. I think I had been to an adult shop maybe once or twice before. I-went to the Sexpo once when I was 18. I-knew little to nothing about most of the products on the shelves. There were so many sex toys that I had no idea existed. There were BDSM products which I couldn’t figure out how they could possibly pleasure someone. or where they even went.
“4 cuffs and collar? What?? How does that work? Silicone lubricant and water based lubricant? Huh? What’s the difference? Glass dildos? OUCH! Wouldn’t that hurt?”
Now that I look back on it, I laugh at myself for being so naive and clueless. Four months later and I have three draws full of different sex products at home that I can’t get enough of. This is by far the most interesting job I’ve ever had and I absolutely love it!
From learning about different fetishes, seeing the newest advanced toys on the market, learning about how some toys actually help with common health issues, having people walk through the shop and open up to you about things they wouldn’t even talk to their closest friends or even their partner about. Just seeing the smile on their faces when they walk out the door.. I can’t even explain how great of a feeling that is.
When a customer walks into the store I can instantly tell if it’s their first time in an adult shop. They usually pull the same faces I did on my first day working here. Making customers feel as comfortable as possible is my aim, no one wants to watch a customer walk out of the store looking more uncomfortable than they did when they first walked in. What’s even more important is asking the right questions and having them walk out with the best possible product that will work for them and their personal preferences.
For example, if a woman was to walk in and tell me she’s never had an orgasm before. She also likes to have her g-spot and clitoris stimulated at the same time. I’d show her a few of the rabbit vibrators from my favourite brands including Lelo, Fun Factory and L’amourose.
The reason I will show her these 3 brands is because they are my personal favorites. I own sex toys from all three of these brands. They are the ones sitting at the front of my draw ready to go when I need. I would also show her the more affordable products we have on the wall. I’ll show her the difference between a battery operated and a rechargeable toy.
I’ve given you this as an example because this is actually my favourite sales experience since working here. I ended up selling the woman a Lelo Ina 2 with water based lubricant and toy cleaner. Two weeks later she came back in and thanked me for selling her a product that gave her, her first ever g-spot orgasm experience.
It’s an amazing feeling to have helped a customer. Having customers come back or even just call up to give us their feedback is great. They’ve gone to the effort to tell us how happy they are with their product, that we’ve suggested to them. How could that not put a huge smile on your face?
Working in an adult shop is an experience a lot of people probably wouldn’t ever consider but I promise you it’s an unforgettable one! There’s always cool new toys to check out and the different information that’s out there about our bodies, toys, lubricants and sprays. The product’s are endless! I hope you’ve all enjoyed this small read and have at least a tiny idea of how fun it is to work in an adult shop.
Top 10 Reasons Why We Love Working In An Adult Store
Working in an adult store can be an eye-opening and fulfilling experience. Those who choose this path often find themselves in a unique position to impact people’s lives positively, providing a comfortable space for exploration and self-discovery. Here are the top 10 reasons why individuals love working in adult stores.
1. Fostering Sexual Wellness and Positivity
Employees in adult stores play a crucial role in promoting sexual wellness and positivity. They provide valuable information and guidance to customers seeking to enhance their sexual experiences, ensuring a safe and positive exploration of sexuality. This aspect of the job allows workers to contribute to the overall well-being of their customers, making the role deeply fulfilling.
2. Embracing Diversity and Inclusivity
Adult stores are spaces that celebrate diversity and inclusivity. Employees have the opportunity to meet and assist a wide array of individuals from different backgrounds, orientations, and walks of life, fostering an environment of acceptance and understanding.
3. Educating and Empowering Customers
One of the most rewarding aspects of working in an adult store is the ability to educate and empower customers. Employees provide knowledge and insights about products and practices, empowering individuals to make informed decisions that can enhance their personal lives and relationships.
4. The Excitement of a Dynamic Environment
The adult retail industry is anything but dull. Employees encounter a variety of products, trends, and customer needs, ensuring that no two days are the same. This dynamic environment keeps the work exciting and engaging.
5. Personal and Professional Growth
Working in an adult store offers unique opportunities for personal and professional growth. Employees become knowledgeable about sexual health and wellness, communication, and customer service, skills that are valuable in many aspects of life.
6. Breaking Down Stigmas
Employees in adult stores play a significant role in breaking down stigmas surrounding sexuality and sexual health. By providing a judgment-free environment and promoting open communication, they contribute to a more open and accepting society.
7. Building Meaningful Relationships
The nature of an adult store allows for the building of meaningful relationships with customers. Employees can provide support and guidance during significant moments in customers’ lives, leading to lasting connections and a rewarding sense of community.
8. The Satisfaction of Helping Others
Helping customers find the right products to fulfil their needs or enhance their relationships can be incredibly satisfying. Employees often witness the positive impact of their advice and recommendations, adding a layer of personal satisfaction to the job.
9. Potential for Financial Rewards
Like many retail positions, working in an adult store can offer financial rewards through sales incentives, commissions, or bonuses. This performance-based aspect of the job can be highly motivating for those who are driven by results.
10. A Sense of Empowerment
Finally, working in an adult store can be empowering. Employees gain extensive knowledge about sexual health and wellness, becoming confident advocates for positive sexual experiences. This empowerment not only benefits the employees but also the customers they assist, creating a mutually beneficial environment that makes working in an adult store a truly unique and rewarding experience.
By Eliana a consultant at Oh Zone Adult Lifestyle Centres
Jennifer is a marketer and sex toy reviewer at Adultsmart! Embracing a non-judgmental stance, she believes in pleasure without limits—if it feels good and right, why not?
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