Why You Shouldn't Buy Sex Toys at Amazon

There are a lot of reasons you shouldn't shop at Amazon in general, but there are even more reasons you shouldn't shop on Amazon when it comes to sex toys. I know that the unbelievable prices are tempting, but they’re just that: unbelievable.

There is no way to know if something you buy from amazon is what it says it is. You have no way to know if it’s been damaged, is a knock-off product made of potentially toxic materials, has a fake electronics certification, and a plethora of other issues. There have been some reports of getting what look like returned products that have been hastily or not cleaned at all.

There are potential issues with buying products from trusted manufacturers and retailers already because of the lack of regulation; just recently, Screaming O found out that their factory had been lying about the materials many of their products were made of, and only found out otherwise after concerned educators (myself included) argued with them on twitter that the material, ‘SEBS Silicone’ doesn't exist and they had a third party test their products. Although companies are getting much stricter with their materials and overseeing their factories with this in mind, we’re still a long way from an ideal world where all sex toys are made of body safe, non-porous materials.

That said, Amazon is a tough place to find legit, safe sex products. There may be some dependable sellers on Amazon, but no matter who you buy from that product has been given a number and comes from the Amazon warehouse nearest to you. While this is convenient and expedites service, it also means that there is no guarantee you’re getting the product you’re buying because everything with that item number is pooled together on Amazon’s warehouses. The real stuff, the fake stuff, the potentially used stuff, the knock off stuff that didn't pass a safety test or had malfunctioning electronics: all kept together. It’s a gamble every time you buy something and not worth it no matter how much you saved on the stock price.

In short: don’t buy sex toys from Amazon. Support amazing retailers and get a quality product every time, which will last you for a good long while if not forever. Always feel free to ask for tips in the comments.

Caitlin is a writer, sex educator, consultant, and product reviewer who focuses primarily on issues of sex toy and accessory safety, pleasure, sexuality, gender, and more. You can learn more, or ask any questions, at their website- www.sex-ational.com.

 

 

Image by Pete via Flickr with CC BY 2.0 licence