September 7, 2007
Coitus Interruptus for Good Vibrations
Smut dealers Good Vibrations -- famous for its clean and female-friendly space where ladies can purchase dildos, fruity massage oils, and other orgasm-achieving aids -- is on shaky ground these days.
According to the Chronicle, "revenue this year is likely to end up $3 million short of the $13.9 million they had projected. They are seeking a $500,000 line of credit to buy inventory for the holiday season, along with investment of $1 million to $5 million..." Duuuude. Yikes
And just who is to blame for their mess? Why, you and the Internet, of course! Although Good Vibrations' online catalog [NSFW] proved a hit when it launched in 1992, sites like Amazon and Drugstore can afford to sell the stuff at a lower price. And since the Internet is also a clean, friendly, and safe convenient way to buy the aforementioned items -- as well its mammoth competition -- the retailer is getting hit hard, and not in a good way.
The Internet, the cruelest dominatrix of them all.
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Unfortunately, this is case of "be careful what you wish for". They wanted to create a niche for sex-positive, woman-friendly products, and they succeeded. But no small business can compete once their bigger competitors move in.
The Good Vibrations brand still has value even if the products are available cheaper elsewhere, but that doesn't last forever. The writing is on the wall; I think their only move is to sell the company :(
I think there is more to this story than meets the eye, the explanations that they offer are very weak. Take a look at this comment on SFGate...
Maybe they should be a little more welcoming to straight women who are, roughly, 90% of the women out there.
How can a large shipment of dildos cost so much wholesale? They're all made by slave labor in China, right?
God only knows what kind of toxic waste they are molded from, so materials are cheap too.
I heard today that Mattel pays the Chinese factories just 35 cents for each Barbie doll, so how much more could a 3xXL pulsating "Big Ben" cost?
Why don't they just melt down the lead tainted Barbies that are being sent back and use the muck for making adult toys. That would drive production costs further down, and would save Good Vibrations!
I already chimed in on this and got shot down in the new tradition of SF liberalism. (Shout down your opponent instead of considering their ideas)
These places are owned and operated by angry, het-hating people (a wonderful new trend in SF) who cop an attitude with everyone because they are making 8 bucks an hour in SF. Listen up you little shitz, I dont care that mommy and daddy didnt love you for being gay, I'm trying to buy a toy for sex use with my woman - spare me your agony. Not my problem, don't care. I care as much about your personal issues as I do the Mexican with 8 kids who flips the burgers at the local diner. Stop whining you over pierced and tattooed freak.
They despise straight/bi women and especially straight men trying to buy toys for their gals not to mention their own employer for paying them slave wages. Isn't that where it all really comes from in the first place? Let's see - why dont we piss off the biggest money earners (straight white men) in the Bay Area by showing a complete disdain for them and maybe they will go away.
This company should sink and go away immediately. I now buy my sex toys at some funky fun little place in North Beach that has a staff (haha) that appreciates everyone who walks in the door and opens their wallet. (Whores eh? youre selling effin dildoes for chrissakes!!!)
In fact, I spent $75 tonight on a cool toy there for ME AND MY WIFE to play with. And I didn't buy it at GV because my money is dirt to them so they get nothing from me.
Note to GV owners & investors: Hire someone with business experience to run your business, not some jaded idealistic young super pierced and tatt'd fags & dykes who hate 85% of your customers. Retards. Sheer freaking retards the whole bunch of you.
Wow, why ever would you get shot down with suck reasoned and helpful comments? Hey buddy, here's a newsflash: saying hateful things about people isn't going to make them want to listen to your ideas or sugestions.
And I have to totally disagree with you regarding the service at the GV stores. As a straight white male according to you I'd be at the top of their despised list. However, everytime I've been shopping the staff has been incredibly helpful and pleasant. Maybe you need to look beyond your own stereotypes and reasize that just because some has a piercing or tatoo doesn't mean they hate you. . .
Oh and BTW the quality silicon toys are made by companys such as Vixen Creations here in San Francisco, not by slave labor in China. Who in their right mind would want to put that toxic stuff in themselves anyway?
Something doesn't seem right about the level of contempt in Guest #5's comment. I've never felt unwelcome in Good Vibrations; quite the contrary, actually. Either he's simply projecting his own paranoia and narcissism onto Good Vibrations, or worse, he's going to bat for a competitor in the unpleasant tradition of guerrilla marketing. I sure hope it can be easily dismissed as the former.
Gee, people don't want to spend $82 on something they can buy elsewhere for $55? How shocking. I'm sure Amazon gets a volume discount, but I doubt it's enough to justify a nearly $30 price difference.
And it's not just big sites like Amazon that are undercutting them -- even other independents are much more competitive. For a 4oz bottle of silicone lube, a small internet-only competitor charges $12, and says list price is $16. GV wants $18. And they're out of stock.
I'll admit I've never been to GV in SF -- but they took over the local shop Grand Opening! here in Boston a few years back. It'd be sad to see them close due to this mismanagement.