Sexual pleasure is an important aspect of sexual health, which can be enhanced with sexual products. Despite being widely used and accessible, sexual products still remain relatively under-researched. Amazon is a popular online retailer that offers a vast selection of sexual wellness products. It therefore provides a great opportunity to examine current sex toy users and uses by means of the product review function.
Using the method of quantitative media content analysis, this study investigates the prevalence of product characteristics, utilization, and reported user behavior in online customer reviews on Amazon. Overall, 778 reviews of four different types of sexual products were analyzed. The most salient product characteristics of sex toys are general quality, product shape, and material. The majority of
reviewers report using sex toys for solo sexual activities. Furthermore, some mention a positive impact of sex toy use on their personal pleasure and emotional well-being.
Findings from this study show that Amazon customer reviews of sexual products contain valuable information about specific product characteristics, sex toy utilization, and self-reported user experience. As a considerably large and versatile data source, they offer great potential for academic as well as practical purposes. In conclusion, researchers and professionals from all sexual health-related fields can use this information to further investigate and promote healthy sex toy use.
Buying Sexual Products Online
A Media Content Analysis of Amazon Reviews