The Sex Doll Genie company observed an increase in production orders of 51.6% between February and March alone, and orders in April increased by 33.2% compared to 2019. Co-founder Janet Stevenson explained: “We have a lot of supplies in the winery, but what cannot be adapted to the demand are the production processes ”. "We have been hiring temporary staff and creating multiple new positions in order to match the growing demand in both the United States and Europe," he said.
The sudden increase in demand, however, seems to come naturally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are far from their loved ones. It is very easy to be interpreted as something ridiculous, but in reality it is very common for people to look for the support of a real person in a doll.
As researcher Kate Devlin pointed out in the book "Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots," sex dolls are often associated with single men, but there are indeed couples and people with disabilities who also purchase these products. In addition, some parents with older children who still live at home are also potential buyers.
Historically, it has been found that people can treat products like people in almost institutional ways. In 1966, the language “ELIZA”, a pioneer in artificial intelligence, was developed based on very simple standards and only had short dialogues. However, people quickly started to treat “ELIZA” as a person, instinctively.
On the other hand, the adult toy manufacturer, CMG Leisure, also had a staff shortage due to increased sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. The price of the vibrator (company emblem) is now $ 112 (about 12,000 yen), so the increase in sales is perhaps due to some people rushing to buy expensive products now that there are not many means of entertainment available.
On the other hand, the price of a life-size sex doll is around $ 800 (about 86,000 yen), and the most expensive is around $ 8,000 (about $ 860,000). Until now, many have been reluctant to buy one of these products due to high prices, but it seems that the pandemic and social isolation have created a certain need for buyers.
There is also the issue of curiosity, as several buyers of adult merchandise commented in March that they only "had an interest in trying something new." According to Stevenson, the Sex Doll Genie company receives production orders not only from single men and women, but also from couples who are trying to try a new experience during this pandemic.
Finally, a recent survey revealed that, on the Adult Friend Finder dating platform, 12% of respondents mentioned that "most likely" they would consider buying sex dolls during the pandemic. However, only 5% mentioned that they would never do so, while 62% agreed with the phrase “I realized that there is nothing that can replace a real person during this pandemic. I would never buy a sex doll. "
