You know the old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun”? Not so, when it comes to dildos!
Like the rest of the industry, dildos have seen a veritable explosion of innovation. Where once there were only insertable phalluses in a couple of sizes and colors, we now have an absolutely massive selection of dongs in every size, shape, material and color — and they can do everything from shaking to thrusting to electrostimulation and more.
Dildos themselves, however, are anything but new. While we tend to think of sex toys as fairly modern inventions, archeologists tell us that for as long as humans have walked the earth, they have created insertable phalluses for sexual pleasure. That’s right, dildos have been around for literally thousands of years.
Let’s look at the history of dildos, and walk the evolutionary path from the carved wooden dildos of 3000 BC to the dizzying array available today.
Dawn of the Dildo
In 2005, a sculpted and polished stone phallus was found in a German cave. Scientists estimated it to be approximately 28,000 years old, and reported that its size suggested it was, in fact, a Stone Age dildo. Skip ahead to around 500 B.C., when it is believed that the Ancient Greeks used a type of dildo made from leather. The Greek word for dildo was “olisbos.” Dildos also made appearances in lavish Han Dynasty tombs and 16th-century European convents. They were popularly depicted in shunga, a Japanese art form, until it was banned — though it continued to thrive underground.
The earliest known rubber dildos date back to around 1850, and that material remained popular throughout most of the 20th century. In the early 1970s, however, Gosnell Duncan created what is believed to be the first silicone dildo. He devised it after an injury left him paralyzed from the waist down, intending it as a sexual aid for people with disabilities. Silicone would eventually become one of the most popular sex toy materials.
Beyond the Basics
These days, dildos have progressed far beyond their humble origins. One major change is the variety of materials used to make them. Moldable, durable and hugely popular, silicone is used to make multifunctional dildos designed to last. There are sterilizable toys made of borosilicate glass that look like works of art, or of stainless steel, which results in insertables with a uniquely weighty feel unlike any other material. Realistic-feeling and cost-effective thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) enables a unique dual-density construction that feels remarkably like a human penis. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a rubber substitute that allows for unique molded shapes at affordable prices.
Dildos have seen impressive tech advancements as well. The pleasure industry is an innovative, fast-paced, tech-savvy space where new products are constantly being unveiled and cutting-edge toys are always on the horizon, so gone are the days when a dildo was just a stationary toy that required the user to move and maneuver it with their hands or a harness. The past decade has seen the advent of dildos that do the moving for you, equipped with internal mechanisms that create a thumping sensation along with vibration. Others incorporate adjustable electrostimulation to intensify the experience.
The expanding dildo universe also includes functional capabilities like creating a realistic ejaculation experience, either manually or remote-controlled. Increasingly imaginative dildos enable users to enjoy otherworldly adventures with custom-molded phalluses made to look like monsters, aliens, sea creatures and other fantastical things. Today’s dildos can be double-ended, oversized, inflatable and even wearable.
Connecting Shoppers With the Right Dildo
When helping your customers navigate today’s huge selection, remember that you will be talking to everyone from experienced players who are ready for the most feature-packed option they can find to curious beginners who have never even tried a dildo. Here are some ways you can help everyone:
- Stock a wide variety of dildos with different shapes, sizes and features.
- Don’t skip “low-tech” designs or assume dildos with lots of functions will be the most desirable or popular. While modern dildos can do a lot of cool stuff, many folks, including longtime avid sex toy fans, simply want a “classic” model that does nothing more than penetrate.
- Create cohesive displays that put everything shoppers need in one place: dildos, compatible lubes, harnesses, bullet vibes and more.
- Be ready to answer shoppers’ questions about what each product does and, in some cases, why it does it.
- As with all pleasure products, never assume what your shopper is looking for or will want. Ask questions and let them lead, rather than thinking you know best.
Dildos are constantly evolving, as every product category should. As these products become more advanced, it is more important than ever to help shoppers understand the latest innovations while helping them find something they personally will love. That’s how you create loyal customers who come back again and again, and bring new customers along with them. In short, dildos have been around for a very long time, and they certainly aren’t going away. We’ve come a long way from the polished stone in that German cave!