Hard Sell: Adult toys manufacturers aiming for a wider audience, industry experts say

New gadgets and gismos are fun, fancy and often times, expensive. Tech-hunters tracking down the latest Droid or iPhone can attest.

The same goes for sex toys, according to the folks at adult store Fascinations.

"These aren't your mother's vibrators, anymore," says Jocelyn Echols the manager at Fascinations' south Tempe location.

Just like cell phones, vibrators and dildos come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, designs and prices. And the wide variety of toys actually appeal to a wide variety of people, according to Shanna Katz, Fascinations' resident sexologist.

"I think dildos and vibrators are for everyone, not just ladies, not just gay men," Katz says. "Everyone has such unique taste. There's so many different kinds of clothing stores because everyone likes different kinds of clothing. It's kind of the same with sex toys."

Katz, who has a master's degree in human sexuality education, says nearly two-thirds of women need something extra to help them climax. Still, she says, guilt all too often stands in the way of seeking out outside help.

"I think a lot of the shame stems from this dream sex experience where everything is perfect, and everything is easy, and everyone orgasms at the same time, over and over again," she says. "The thing is, while sex is very fun, it isn't always an easy ‘wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am' kind of situation. A lot of people are afraid if they need a vibrator or some kind of extra stimulation, there's something wrong with their partner or something wrong with them.

"It shouldn't be shameful," Katz adds. "And I think that with stores like Fascinations, and there are other stores out there, and as the conversation continues, all the assumptions and shame around sex toys will go away."

As the market for sex toys changes, so do the toys themselves. Becoming increasingly popular are sex toys notshaped like realistic genitalia, but rather ones in fun bright and neon colors, with glitter and bling.

"There are some people who really like that realistic look and there are some really great companies who do really well with the realistic-looking realistic-feeling dildos," Katz says. "But then there are companies who are like, ‘Maybe someone wants something sparkly or maybe someone wants something purple.' They're fun, and this way, people have a whole array of options instead of being like ‘This is what I'm supposed to want, so therefore it's what I have to have.'"

Still, despite the "sea of dildos and vibrators" on the market, as Echols puts it, selecting the right toy is a relatively simple process.

First, Echols instructs, know your body.

"Really find out what your erogenous zones are because when they come in here and say they've never had a toy, I can recommend a couple of toys, but I cant guarantee that that's going to be the toy for them."

Second, she says, know where you want to use it.

"In the bathtub, with a partner, or solo time? Are you okay with having a big toy in your sock drawer? Or are you okay having something you can take in your purse with you, in the club?"

Then, Katz adds, start with something basic.

"You don't have to try everything under the kitchen sink the first time, but try something simple and see what you like," she says. "If you like something specific about it, then you can move to the same thing next time, and if you don't like something about it, then you can try something else."

Ultimately, Echols says, some might be completely happy without the use of sex toys, and that's completely fine. And some, she says "are just kidding themselves."

"I think a lot of times, they don't realize it could be easier, the manual stimulation could cut the time in half, almost," she says. "And bringing a vibrator into the relationship helps you to say ‘We tried this, what else can we try? What else can we learn from each other?'"