When over 8,000 people (as of 18th March) have died from the coronavirus, and goodness knows how many more face severe financial difficulties, it might seem a little crass and insensitive to trumpet about how much more sexual activity people are engaged in because they are confined to their homes. Which is why so much of our media – including the Daily Mail, natch – have done just that.
According to a recent Daily Mail article, sales of Womanizer products in territories affected by the coronavirus are significantly above forecasts: 31% in Australia, 40% in France, 60% in Italy, 71% in Hong Kong, 75% in the US, and 135% in Canada.
The Daily Mail helpfully explained: “The brand’s top seller is the Womanizer Premium which will allow for women to masturbate more often, particularly if they have less access to their partner due to quarantine.”
Womanizer’s Johanna Rief was quoted as saying: “We-Vibe Chorus is already low in stock as people have shown increased interest during this time. This could be due to the fact that the We-Connect app allows partners to control vibrations remotely, or for couples who are in work from home conditions together.”
The story was also covered in a number of other mainstream outlets, including The Sun, along with pictures of empty supermarket shelves and video clips of people fighting over toilet rolls.
Men’s wellness platform Manual was quick to join the party, commenting on the increased Womanizer sales in a press release: “Dating and coronavirus are not a compatible pair, so singles are driving their attention away from dating apps and more towards how they can pleasure themselves in this time of self isolation. Currently, people around the world are attempting to limit their exposure to others, which includes time away from dating and meeting new love interests. We all have sexual needs and, naturally, people are going to find a way to pleasure themselves if they’re not in a relationship. Similar to the winter months or during a blackout, romantic partners often use sex as their favourite way to pass the time. For those singles out there that still want to experience sexual pleasure in this time of social distancing, sex toys could be the answer.”
Susan Wolters of WOW Tech Group reassured us that there is no shortage of We-Vibe or Womanizer stock. She told ETO: “Johanna’s comment about We-Vibe Chorus being low in stock only referred to our Australian shop, and it was a temporary issue. This is no longer the case and we are well stocked with all current products to meet our customers’ needs. Please be assured that we maintain extensive stock in our global warehouses.”
