Lovehoney
Lovehoney is a British business that sells sex toys, lingerie and erotic gifts on the Internet. Their tagline is “the sexual happiness people”. In 2014 the company was the focus of a television show entitled Frisky Business, which looked at their day to day operations.[1]
Background
Lovehoney was founded in Bath, Somerset in 2002 by Richard Longhurst (former editor of .net magazine and PC Format) and Neal Slateford (former member of DNA). The company employs 180 people in the area, and is an official UK distributor of Durex products.
In 2009–10 Lovehoney had a turnover of £10.4 million and profits of £1.5 million[2] In 2010-11 it had a turnover of £13.4 million, and in 2011-12 it had a turnover of £16 million.
Retail
Lovehoney has over 400 own brand products, including the Lovehoney Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator (the first winner of Lovehoney's Design A Sex Toy competition). Sub-brands owned by Lovehoney include BASIC Sex Toys, Bondage Boutique, Death By Orgasm, Pin Ups, Shag Factory, Swoon, VibraExciter and a range of sex toys developed with Tracey Cox.
Lovehoney Ltd holds the official license to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products based on the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E. L. James. This includes the Fifty Shades of Grey Official Pleasure Collection and Fifty Shades of Grey Sensual Care Collection. Lovehoney also hold the official license to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products inspired by Bettie Page.
History
- 2002 – Lovehoney launched its online store, which operated from Richard Longhurst's bedroom.
- 2003 – Lovehoney moved into a small warehouse and became a limited company.
- 2005 – Lovehoney developed its first product, a music-activated vibrator called iBuzz.
- 2006 – Apple Inc. threatened to sue Lovehoney over the iBuzz.
- 2007 – Lovehoney launched the world's first sex toy recycling scheme, called Rabbit Amnesty.
- 2009 – The first Lovehoney Design A Sex Toy Competition is launched and the winner of the competition is Trevor Murphy with the Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator. The Lovehoney Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator is the best selling oral sex simulation sex toy in the world. Lovehoney USA was launched to sell Lovehoney own brand products wholesale to the United States.
- 2011 – Lovehoney expanded its warehouse and workforce.[2] The company is rebranded, with the cartoon mascot 'Honey' being dropped and the tagline “the sexual happiness people” adopted.
- 2012 – Lovehoney featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled 'More Sex Please, We're British.[3]
- 2012 – Lovehoney secures exclusive world rights outside the Americas to design, manufacture and sell adult pleasure products based on the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E. L. James.[4]
- 2013 - Lovehoney television advertisement is the first ever commercial to say "sex toys" on British television.[5]
- 2014 - Lovehoney releases television show 'Frisky Business' where viewers get an inside look into the Lovehoney business.[6]
Awards
- 2004 – Startup Regional Winner (South West), E-commerce Awards[7][8]
- 2008 – Platinum Award for Customer Service, Shopzilla Circle of Excellence Awards.
- 2008 – Best Online Retailer, ETO Adult Industry Awards.
- 2009 – Platinum Award for Customer Service, Shopzilla Circle of Excellence Awards.
- 2009 – Best Online Retailer, ETO Adult Industry Awards.
- 2010 – Best Online Retailer, ETO Adult Industry Awards.
- 2010 – Outstanding Distributor – East, AVN 'O' Awards.[9]
- 2011 – Best Online Retailer, ETO Adult Industry Awards.
- 2011 – Success Story of the Year, ETO Adult Industry Awards.
- 2011 – Best Customer Service Award, eCommerce Awards for Excellence.[10]
- 2011 – Richard Longhurst voted Business Person of the Year, Bath Business Awards
- 2011 – Hitwise Top 10 Website Award: Intimate Apparel and Accessories, Experian Hitwise
- 2011 – Outstanding Packaging, AVN 'O' Awards
- 2012 – Best Internet Retail Site, Xcite Books Awards
- 2013 – Best International Deal, South West Insider Media International Trade Awards
- 2013 – Best Online Retailer, ETO Adult Industry Awards
- 2013 – International-Based Pleasure Products Company of the Year, XBIZ Awards[11]
- 2013 – Internet Retailing Award, Internet Retailing Awards
- 2013 – Best Customer Service, Bath Business Awards
- 2013 – Best Business Website, Bath Business Awards
- 2013 – The Collect+ Pre-Play Etailer of the Year, Retail Week Enterprise Awards
- 2013 – Retailer of the Year (Highly Commended), Retail Week Enterprise Awards
- 2014 – Pleasure Products Company of the Year, XBIZ Awards[12]
- 2014 – International-Based Pleasure Products Company of the Year, XBIZ Awards[12]
- 2015 – Soft Bondage Product/Line of the Year (Fifty Shades of Grey), XBIZ Awards[13]
- 2015 - Online Retailer of the Year - Pleasure Products, XBIZ Awards[13]
Notes and references
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- ↑ Organised by the DTI and InterForum, an organisation that helps British businesses trade electronically.
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- ↑ XBIZ Award Winners 2013, XBIZ, January, 2013
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- ↑ 13.0 13.1 XBIZ Award Winners, XBIZ, January, 2015
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