With the housing market, stock market, employment and banking industries being affected by the financial crisis and continued speculation of yet another economic downturn in 2010 things may look sketchy for most online retailers but AdultSexToys.com reports that in the past twelve months the online sales of sex toys has actually risen.

Certain segments of the multi-billion dollar sex entertainment industry did, however, not go unscathed. “Business overall is down by 5 percent or more,” said Tony Lovett, editor and publisher of Adult Video News, a trade publication. “But if consumers are spending their money on anything, they are spending it on a good-looking quality product.”

“We’re not alone in seeing the increase in sales during harder economic times. I know of other leading online sex toy retailers that have seen a noted increase in sales as well” remarked Nicole Irvin, AdultSexToys.com’s product manager. Lelo, a high-end designer and manufacturer of adult novelties and one of the brands carried by AdultSexToys.com, has reportedly seen its business double every month this year,

The rationale behind the rise in sales during hard times? And why the rise in sex toys but not adult movies?

“The amount of free adult content on the web may be in part undercutting the adult film industry at times like these but staying at home and finding inexpensive ways to increase a sense of intimacy and pleasure make sense, especially when the cost of going out for the night will make a far greater dent in someones budget.” Irvin states.

The tabu of buying sex toys has also been slowly being erased since the late 1990’s when the rabbit vibrator was mentioned on an episode of “Sex and the City.” That coupled with the convenience and privacy of shopping online and the economic challenges that have people spending more time at home may all be a part of the explanation as well.

“AdultSextoys.com has also implemented different savings strategies such as a lowest price guarantee and free gift offers with purchase as well as free sex toy giveaways,” Irvin noted. “We feel lucky to be in an industry that has been relatively insulated from the economic decline and we like to find ways to thank our customers for that. We don’t take anything for granted and want the customers we gain during the downturn to feel as if we’re they company they know they can count whether things are boom or bust.”