Photo source: Magnific.com Stocking a sex shop does not mean ordering an entire catalog from the start, but choosing the right purchasing strategy. Find out when it makes sense to buy wholesale, when a distributor can help you more, and how to test the market without tying up your money in inventory. 🧭 Start with a mixed model. Buy small quantities from a distributor, then move validated products to wholesale orders. 📦 Check actual stock availability. A large catalog is of little use if products are frequently unavailable or have unclear lead times. 🧪 Do not treat materials as a minor detail. Specifications, traceability, and supplier documentation directly influence customer trust. 🛒 Build your assortment by category. Include products for women, men, and couples, but avoid filling your warehouse with untested items. ⚖️ Calculate the full cost. Your margin is not simply the difference between the purchase price and the selling price; it also includes shipping, processing, returns, and slow-moving products. 🧭 Wholesale or distribution: what are you actually choosing? Wholesale describes how you purchase products, usually in larger quantities and at a better unit price. A distributor is the business partner that can provide you with a catalog, stock, delivery, support, and B2B terms. The two concepts are not mutually exclusive. You can buy wholesale from a distributor, and when starting out, you can work with the same partner for small orders. Model Main advantage Main risk When it is suitable Wholesale Lower unit cost and control over inventory Money tied up in slow-moving products When you have predictable sales B2B distribution Flexible orders and operational support Potentially higher unit price When you are testing the market or have a varied assortment Direct shipping You do not store the products Less control over packaging and delivery When validating an online store 💰 Wholesale makes sense once you have data Large orders make sense for products that sell consistently, not for those that simply look good in a catalog. Compare sales over the past few weeks, replenishment lead times, and how long it takes to recover your investment. A simple calculation is enough: the quantity ordered should cover estimated sales until the next delivery, plus a moderate buffer. If you buy too much just to get a discount, your warehouse becomes an expensive showroom. 🔄 An adult products distributor is useful when starting out A good sex shop distributor allows you to test categories and models without buying dozens of units of each product. Ask about minimum order quantities, how often stock information is updated, average delivery times, and the terms for defective products. An entrepreneur looking for a supplier for a sex toy store reported that some wholesalers did not respond and that minimum order quantities varied considerably; for small orders, an intermediary could be more practical, even at a higher unit cost (u/rvathrowaway1, Reddit, 2012). 🧾 How to check a supplier before your first order 📦 Stock, minimum order quantity, and delivery Request an up-to-date B2B offer rather than relying solely on publicly displayed prices. For each product, note the product code, minimum quantity, delivery time, availability, and backorder policy. Is the product physically in stock, or is it sourced only after an order is placed? Do you receive an invoice and complete commercial documentation? Can you order samples before placing the main order? Who bears the cost of defective products? Is there a stock feed or are regular stock updates provided? 🧪 Materials, documentation, and quality Do not publish claims such as “body-safe” if the supplier does not provide clear specifications regarding the material and its intended use. For products intended for intimate contact, request information about composition, instructions, warnings, batch identification, and the manufacturer. A 2023 study analyzed microplastics and phthalates in a sample of sex toys and reported phthalate concentrations ranging from 24% to 60% by weight in the products tested. The findings cannot automatically be generalized to all products, but they demonstrate why supplier documentation is not merely an administrative formality (Sipe et al., 2023). 🤝 The business relationship matters A Polish sex shop owner described a small business with both a physical and online store, where they personally handled orders, packaging, and sales. The experience shows how quickly tasks can accumulate when a supplier does not provide clear data and straightforward processes (Buraczynka, Wykop, 2017). 🛒 What to include in your initial inventory Your initial inventory should cover several purchasing needs rather than trying to target every niche at once. Separate test products, products with likely turnover, and products intended to differentiate your assortment. Vibrators with different functions, across several price segments. Products for women, with clear descriptions and specified materials, from the sex toys for women category.