Welcome back to “This Week in Wellness” - Sciart’s weekly round-up of what we’re seeing, hearing, and tracking across the sexual wellness space.
From backend pricing strategy to Reddit-fuelled product comparisons, here are five insights from this week’s Mention alerts, market updates, and social listening efforts - all focused on helping regulated brands grow smarter in 2025.
1. Tariff surcharges are showing up again in Shopify checkouts
We’re seeing more brands - following Dame’s lead - reengineering their pricing UX by adding a visible “import fee” or “tariff surcharge” at checkout.
It’s not about raising prices. It’s about building transparency into the purchase flow while protecting margins.
✨: Your checkout strategy is now a marketing decision.
2. Reddit users are comparing airpulse toys like they’re trainers
In product threads, users are breaking down the pros and cons of wand vibrators vs airpulse toys (think Satisfyer vs We-Vibe) in incredible detail.
They’re not just shopping - they’re researching.
✨ Are your PDPs and ads speaking to these conversations in the same language your buyers are?
3. Cervical dilators made a femtech trend list
A new market report from OpenPR highlights growth in the cervical dilator space, adding to the broader momentum around femtech crossover categories.
✨ The lines between intimate health, sexual wellness, and healthcare continue to blur. Positioning is everything.
4. Affiliate is quietly becoming Plan A
As Meta continues to reject or restrict ads for wellness brands, founders are turning to affiliate strategy and community-based selling - not as backup, but as a first channel.
✨ Paid social may still be blocked. But growth doesn’t have to be.
5. Pricing transparency is now conversion design
More posts and comments this week referenced how shoppers respond to fees - whether it’s surprise shipping, taxes, or surcharges.
What used to live in ops or logistics now directly impacts brand perception and conversion.
✨ How you present cost matters as much as the cost itself.
Want help applying these insights to your brand?
We offer free trend + tool audits for founders and marketers working in regulated categories like sexual wellness. Whether you’re trying to fix your funnel, scale on Shopify, or rework your messaging, we’d love to chat.
👉 Get in touch with Sciart
