Lovehoney in an online sex toy and lingerie retailer and has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2002 to establish itself as the UK’s biggest online adult retailer. The pureplay was founded in Bath by Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford, with a mission to take the sleaze out of purchasing sex toys. They have aspirations to be “the world’s biggest supplier of sexual happiness”.
The retailer stocks a range of more than 400 own-brand products and is an official distributor for global giant Durex. It is also the license holder to design and manufacture products based on the international best-selling 50 Shades of Grey trilogy of books.
Lovehoney opened its first bricks-and-mortar location in London in 2019 - a move designed to help the business drive sales and learn more about its customers. The retailer also started selling its products through health and beauty stalwart Boots to give it a bigger presence on the high street.
As well as its domestic market, Lovehoney also operates transactional ecommerce platforms in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France and Germany, and has also begun opening overseas fulfilment centres as it targets further international growth.
Lovehoney chief executive Sarah Warby has stepped down from her post for “family reasons” after just 12 months in the role, the retailer has confirmed.
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Lovehoney has launched its first physical pop-up store in London in a bid to “experiment” with educating customers about their sexual happiness offline.
Boots has partnered up with several adult toy and sexual health retailers for the launch of its new sexual pleasure and wellbeing category.
Lovehoney’s profits and global sales both grew in the 2017/18 financial year in the retailer’s “biggest year to date”.
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