February 9, 2006, London: Erotic gifts are fast becoming the way to tell that special someone how you feel on Valentine's Day, according to Amazon.co.uk sales figures.
Sales of kinky books, DVDs and games have increased exponentially compared to January 2005, with particularly notable surges taking place in wicked Wiltshire (1,200%) and the sexy suburbs of London (1,000%). However, Scots seem to be going soft, with sales in Glasgow actually declining by 8% since last year.
Soldiers appear to be particularly keen on a dirty Valentine's Day, with 20% of all erotica bought during the year by the armed forces shipped in February.
Perhaps preferring the discretion of shopping abroad, our European cousins from romantic capitals such as Paris (700%) and Geneva (1000%) have also been buying more erotica at Amazon.co.uk
Demand has been so high that the leading online retailer has opened a dedicated erotica shop on site to showcase its hottest products - and is even completely selling out of certain products.
One such example is Hot Box, a step-by-step guide to great sex by expert Tracey Cox that saw particularly notable sales jumps, with orders increasing nearly 1,500% in the last week alone. Nookii, a dirty card game for two, has also seen sales increase by over 700% in the past two weeks, giving lovers a chance to try their new techniques for themselves. "It seems as though the UK should prepare for a mind-blowing Valentine's Day, as erotic books, games and DVDs are being purchased in mass numbers," says Wendy Snowdon, Senior Books Product Manager of Amazon.co.uk. "It appears that the stereotypical British reserve may finally be becoming a thing of the past!"
"Nowadays, women are getting increasingly comfortable with their sexuality thanks to shows like Sex and the City and magazines like Scarlet," says Emily Dubberley, sexpert, author and writer of Lovers Guide: Sex Positions - currently on the Amazon erotica chart. "As a result, it's no longer taboo to buy your partner a sexy video or book to enjoy together. These things offer an easier way to communicate about what can be a tricky subject to broach - and communication is the number one way to improve you sex life."
For further information please contact the Amazon.co.uk press office on 020 8636 9280.
About Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998, and strives to be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon.co.uk and sellers list millions of new and used items in categories such as Books, Music, Video, DVD, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics & Photo, Home & Garden, and Toys & Games!. Through Amazon Marketplace, zShops and Auctions any business or individual can sell virtually anything to Amazon.co.uk's millions of customers. Amazon.co.uk customers enjoy the benefits of industry-leading online-shopping technology, such as secure credit-card payment, personalised recommendations, streamlined, 1-Click® ordering and hassle-free Bid-Click® auction bidding. Through Amazon Anywhere, Amazon.co.uk is also available on mobile phones with WAP technology--see www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.
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