Sex and the City: Sex shop owner Jenny Wong
Sex shop co-owner Jenny Wong, 30, started her Causeway Bay store nine years ago. It's been an eye-opening experience, she says.
HK Magazine: Why did you start the business?
Jenny Wong: I was being opportunistic. Starting the business was a solely commercial decision - my partners and I saw the market potential. We thought a sex shop would be profitable, and we were right. The industry is expanding and I now earn more than $10,000 a month.
HK: Is it an interesting job?
JW: It is as challenging as any other occupation. I'm just like other salespeople, selling my products. I enjoy meeting the customers - they come here with all sorts of requests and expectations. I learn people's needs and motivations to try the sex products.
HK: Is it embarrassing telling other people what you do for a living?
JW: It probably was at the beginning but as society has a more open attitude now, I don't encounter many problems anymore. All my family and friends know about my job. They have been pretty accepting.
HK: What are your customers like?
JW: We serve adults from all sorts of fields, but there are more Chinese than Western customers and more males than females. The number of female customers is continuously growing. Guys tend to be more straightforward with their requests. Girls are quieter and get embarrassed more easily. Generally, I have to take the initiative to ask them what they are looking for to get them talking.
HK: Are they many funny moments?
JW: People can be very impractical. Some customers try to buy giant vibrators, which cannot even be used because of the exaggerated sizes. Some male customers come three or four times a month to buy blow-up dolls that are not for practical use. They claim to buy them for decoration.
HK: What is your most unusual product?
JW: We have vibrators that can be remotely controlled, which are pretty popular. People use them on their partners.
HK: Do men and women buy different products?
JW: Vibrators are the hot picks of both male and female customers. Men buy them for their sexual partners; women buy them for their own satisfaction.
HK: Have you noticed any change in consumers' behavior over the years?
JW: Customers seem to find it easier to accept new products. It owes much to the gradual change in society and increasing openness towards sex. Comparatively speaking, Westerners are more knowledgeable, accept more innovative products and are more open about it.
