PRINTRolling back and vibrating
Wal-Mart spreads its doors for erotic novelties
Meredith Purcell
April 3, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
The worlds of one-stop and “Oh, don’t stop!” shopping have collided on the shelves of your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart. And what’s creating the hushed, mechanical buzz? The gargantuan retailer now carries a variety of sex products, including vibrating cock rings and feminine arousal fluid.
At the Wal-Mart near Highway 63 and Broadway, step through the doors and head to the right. Look up at the sign that says “Toys.” It refers to the aisle with action figures but points in the right direction nonetheless. Walk toward the pharmacy, and there, in the same aisle as the razors and shaving cream, you’ll find the goods.
A yellow smiley face grins at the end of the aisle. On one side, they’ve stocked baby shampoo, wipes and cotton swabs. On the other side, there is a 4-foot-wide display containing condoms, personal lubricants, oils, male enhancement formulas and titillating cock rings. The discreet packaging of these marital aids helps them blend in with the run-of-the-mill ribbed, studded and flavored condoms.
Only about 25 yards separate the display from the aisle of children’s toys.
The decision to carry these products is somewhat hypocritical of Wal-Mart considering the store refuses to sell unedited versions of CDs and keeps risqué magazines such as Maxim out of checkout lanes.
Wal-Mart offers a bargain on hunting rifles but not gangster rap. The store pulled the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated in 2002, but it’ll proudly sell a Durex vibrating cock ring for $4.64.
Wayne Anderson, a professor emeritus of psychology at MU, says that these products might draw complaints. Wal-Mart says it will still carry the products, despite the risk of negative feedback. “When Wal-Mart carries these items, it is a sign our culture has moved another step forward in accepting sex as a normal behavior,” Anderson says.
He also adds that many of the products are aimed at women because they can have more trouble achieving orgasm. “Very few men have to learn what an orgasm is,” Anderson says.
One product, Zestra Feminine Arousal Fluid, seems like it could be part of Wal-Mart’s Great Value brand. After all, its slogan, “Love Better. Live Better,” is nearly the same as Wal-Mart’s own “Save Money. Live Better.” Now that Sam Walton’s empire is stocking the botanical-based, tingling oil, saving money and lubing up are no longer strange bedfellows.
Wal-Mart, which brought in $29 billion in February alone, can sell sex products at a lower price than its competitors. The TrojanWear WebStore sells its vibrating ring and condom set for $9.95, but Wal-Mart beats this price by nearly $4. Amazon.com offers a good deal on Lifestyles Excite Gel — $7.25 — but Wal-Mart, in all of its glory, sells it for $4.94. Zestra on the
Wal-Mart shelves sells for about 40 percent of the price of the same box ordered from the retailer’s Web site.
These deep price cuts are often threats to small businesses when Wal-Mart comes to town. But are they pushing out mom-and-pop sex retailers?
Debbie Simon at the Olde Un Theatre says the juggernaut corporation doesn’t worry her. Condoms and lubricants have been available at grocery and drug stores for years. Someone might pick up condoms at Wal-Mart for the sake of convenience, but specialized stores, including the Olde Un, offer a friendly atmosphere and knowledgeable staff. “It’s not like buying a can of green beans,” says Simon, who believes that local stores such as her own provide superior customer service. Betty in the Wal-Mart aisle can’t replicate that.
The rolling back of prices knows no boundaries — except for magazines or CDs with racy content, of course. Bargain shoppers looking for a good time are lucky that Wal-Mart is the place to get it all: off-brand groceries, movies from the dollar bin and, yes, an agreeably priced vibrating cock ring.
