Valentine: peak season for lingerie, sex toys sales
In recent times, people attribute the decline in Valentine celebration to people’s inability to spend during the season.
However, according to the owner of The Body Shop, Ms Gifty Abena Quarcoo, it is during that period that she recorded the highest sales.
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The Body Shop, located in Kanda, is an outlet which retails lingerie, sex toys, massage oils, lubricants and sex accessories.
While men bought them as gifts for their partners, women also patronised them to spice up bedroom activities.
Ms Quarcoo, who has been in business since 2016, said the men usually showed pictures of their partners or described their body type to get the right fit.
“Most of my customers are men. Some can’t tell the size of their partners but tell me their age or features and I choose the right designs and sizes.
“For the women, the focus is not only on the design but the texture, how comfortable they are and how long it would last,” she explained.
Business not for ‘faint hearted’
A public servant who runs this business on the side, Ms Quarcoo said the business was lucrative because people always looked for ways to excite their partners.
Cuffs are popular sex accessories
“So, basically, The Body Shop started in my home, migrated to social media, Instagram especially, then to my car boot for about a year, then to a shop.
“The challenge, however, has been my background. Coming from a Christian home and from Ghana in particular, "sex" is literally a taboo word. Selling products which are seen as sex enhancers worsens the situation. Some see it as“worldly” or “devilish”. I’m, however, encouraged by the feedback I get from people who buy from us, particularly the married women.
“Because of how we see sex, most people don’t visit the Kanda shop but prefer to buy on Instagram @Thebodyshop_gh or Facebook @The Body Shop Ghana so it’s delivered to them.
Valentine fever
Whoever tells you Ghanaians are not enthused about Valentine may not know the current trends.
Check social media pages like Facebook and Instagram and you will come across different packages, gifts and events from many vendors and businesses.
This year, February 14 is a Tuesday and because it is a working day, most of the events have been planned as week-long, which climaxes on Sunday February 18.
On Friday ,February 17, Graphic Showbiz hosts the Special Weekend of Love at the Accra City Hotel.
Patrons at the ticketed event will be treated to a special buffet, variety of drinks, chocolate, live music and relationship talk.
There are other offerings on social media ranging from food baskets, customised balloon decors, customised chocolate and assorted gifts.
In recent years, the day has been promoted as Chocolate Day in Ghana and so during the period, chocolates, made in Ghana, are promoted extensively with many vendors stocking a variety.
As of last Thursday, this reporter was yet to see the usual chocolate “buzz”.
Perhaps, it is still too early and the vendors are waiting for the Valentine’s week to hit the streets.
