The sexual wellness industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade, moving from whispered conversations and hidden corners to center-stage visibility in some of the world’s largest and most respected retail destinations. What was once considered a niche category has matured into a mainstream consumer interest — driven by cultural openness, health and wellness awareness, and a broader shift toward de-stigmatizing conversations about intimacy, pleasure, and self-care.

Today, consumers can encounter sexual wellness products in national retail chains, specialty boutiques, independent stores, home party environments, social media commerce and even medical offices. Each of these touch points plays its own unique role in the modern “path to purchase,” proving that sexual wellness is no longer defined by one type of shopper or one type of store. Instead, it thrives across a wide, diverse, and increasingly sophisticated retail ecosystem.

Mainstream Retailers Normalize the Conversation

Major retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and supermarket chains have dramatically expanded their intimate care and sexual wellness assortments. What used to be a small, awkward aisle with minimal selection is now a curated section featuring:

• Personal lubricants
• Condoms and safer-sex products
• Vibrators and various pleasure devices
• Men’s and women’s sexual wellbeing products
• Hormonal and non-hormonal support items
• Modern brands with wellness-focused messaging

This mainstream visibility is powerful. It normalizes sexual wellness, makes products easier to access, and removes the stigma around purchasing items that support pleasure, health, or relationship intimacy.

Consumers who might never step into a specialty store feel comfortable adding these items to their weekly shopping list — right alongside toothpaste and vitamins — and over time, may just realize a specialty store is exactly where they want to personally evolve to and go to next.

Mainstream retail is, for many, the first point of introduction to the category. And that is a great thing for every body and every brand to consider.

Specialty Retail Thrives on Expertise, Experience and Comfort

While national chains offer accessibility, specialty destinations such as Adam & Eve and Hustler Hollywood — among many other adult retail leaders — deliver something equally important: expertise, education, and curated experience.

Shoppers who want:

• Personalized guidance
• Expanded inventory assortment
• Expanded category assortment
• Product demos and sample opportunities
• Deeper education
• Personalized conversations
• Varying price points and niche merchandise

… naturally gravitate toward specialty stores. These retailers have built trust within their communities by offering safe, welcoming environments where customers can ask questions openly and receive informed, judgment-free support.

They also often carry advanced products, premium brands, BDSM/kink selections, and wellness tools that are not widely available at mainstream stores. Additionally, many of these stores offer experiences and in-store events that support the growing interest of “shoppertainment” and sexual wellness education alike.

In essence, specialty retailers serve as the heartbeat of the industry, offering education and connection that greatly enhance consumer confidence and product satisfaction.

Independent Brick + Mortar Stores Bring Community and Authenticity

Independent retailers play a crucial and often uncelebrated role in the sexual wellness landscape. These stores — scattered across small towns, suburban neighborhoods, and tight-knit communities — bridge the gap between mainstream access and specialty expertise.

Independents are known for:

• Personalized relationships
• Community-driven events
• Locally curated assortments
• Warm, familiar customer experiences
• Deep understanding of regional preferences

Because independent operators often know their customers by name, they build long-term loyalty rooted in trust and comfort. Many consumers lean into these businesses for the privacy, authenticity, and connection these stores offer, as well as the unique experiences, inventory and overall shopping environment they offer.

Social Sellers + Home Party Operators: The New Retail Entrepreneurs

The sexual wellness category has experienced explosive growth in the social selling and home party sector — a modern evolution of the traditional home party model. Without a large-scale, marketing tiered platform to formally lean into (such as the now closed Pure Romance), today’s social sellers use:

• Social media
• Community groups
• Personal branding
• In-home events
• Live selling
• Educational posts and videos
• Mobile vans for pop-up shops
• And more

…to reach audiences in a personal, relatable way.

These entrepreneurs — often women, LGBTQ+ leaders, and community connectors — have built strong, profitable businesses by creating safe spaces for conversation and offering hands-on education. Their customers often trust them the way they would a friend or wellness coach.

This touchpoint is especially influential for consumers who prefer:

• Privacy
• Authentic conversation
• Product demonstration
• Peer-to-peer recommendations
• Relationship-driven shopping

The rise of social selling has expanded access to sexual wellness far beyond traditional retail walls. It’s also been an exciting avenue for brands to meet new consumers through these

Medtail: Where Healthcare and Retail Meet

A rapidly growing category within sexual wellness is medtail — the blending of medical expertise with retail product offerings. Providers like Dr. Amy Pearlman at Prime Institute in Coral Gables are redefining what it means to support sexual health by offering:

• Clinical expertise
• Personalized patient care
• Professional product recommendations
• On-site retail purchasing opportunities

Medtail environments create a bridge between medical legitimacy and consumer curiosity, encouraging individuals to explore intimate care with confidence and clinical support. For many consumers, healthcare-driven education feels safer and more credible, especially when addressing concerns related to libido, pelvic floor health, erectile function, hormonal changes, or post-surgical intimacy.

Medtail is helping to normalize sexual wellness through trusted medical voices, further expanding access and acceptance.

The Modern Path to Purchase Is Dynamic — Not Linear

One of the most important insights in today’s sexual wellness marketplace is this — no two consumers take the same path to purchase.

Some browse at their local CVS, others prefer a specialty store, many enjoy recommendations from a social seller, and some prefer to purchase from an independent retailer. Others may start with their doctor and then explore their options online or in-person. And yet many others simply discover new brands from social media, influencers, or peer recommendations.

The result?

A multi-channel, multi-touchpoint journey that looks different for everyone — and that’s exactly what makes the sexual wellness category so vibrant.

Consumers now engage with intimate care in the same way they engage with any wellness category: openly, confidently, and across a wide variety of retail experiences.

A More Inclusive Future for Sexual Wellness Retail

From mainstream chains to boutique destinations, independent shops to social sellers, and medical offices to digital storefronts, sexual wellness is flourishing because its access points are expanding. Each channel plays a vital role in supporting consumers wherever they are — in comfort, curiosity, education, or exploration.

As consumer confidence grows and the industry continues to evolve, the future of sexual wellness retail will depend on exactly what it has now… multiple touch points, diverse access, personalized experiences, and a commitment to normalizing the important conversation around intimacy and well-being.

 

Written by Nicole Leinbach Hoffman, Founder of STIMULATE. Hoffman is a frequent guest and contributor to various media outlets that have included The Today Show, Forbes, Entreprenuer.com and countless B2B publications – including having a regular column with Smart Retailer Magazine. Additionally, Hoffman has supported American Express’s Small Business Saturday as a Spokesperson and is the Author of the book “Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business” from McGraw-Hill. In 2022, Hoffman was recognized as one of Women Wear Daily’s “25 Most Inspiring Women in Retail” and has been on the list of the world’s most influential retail leaders from Rethink Retail since 2015. In 2023, Hoffman was recognized by fashion retail leader American Eagle on a billboard in Times Square as a Global Change Maker with her work in retail, specifically highlighting her support of making sexual health products more accessible in retail destinations. Additionally, Hoffman has been an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College where she has taught retail marketing. Connect with Hoffman at nicole@retailminded.com.