profile

On the Rise: Lorraine Weinberg’s Impulse Novelties

When William S. Burroughs referred to a plastic penis as “Steely Dan” in his 1959 novel “Naked Lunch” and 15 years later when Donald Fagen and Walter Becker used the term to name their musical band, it’s doubtful they ever imagined a $10,000, diamondembedded vibrator would be marketed to the public in 2013.

But that is what Sherman Oaks, Calif.- based Impulse Novelties has been doing since January, when Lorraine Weinberg started a sex toy business designed to appeal to mostly female consumers in the same way women cherish their shoe collection.

We will be bringing in new items, and we want to keep growing and growing, we are having very good response to our toys. -Lorraine Weinberg, Impulse Novelties

Impulse Novelties (theclosetcollectiontoys.com) offers a modest selection of vibrators, plus a couple of items in the Egg and Ben Wa Balls category. It currently carries 10 individual models of vibrators that are available in different colors.

Barely six months old, the company has seen consistent growth and does have aspirations of expanding.

“We will be bringing in new items, and we want to keep growing and growing,” Weinberg said. “We are having very good response to our toys. It’s been very exciting for everyone. It has done very well, and we didn’t expect the response. [At first] we sold out immediately. As a new company, you try to do it slow and be positive. So, we hope to continue to keep everyone’s interest. Also, we will have a couple new toys at the upcoming shows. We go to all of the shows.”

The company’s crown jewel product, valued at $10,000, is a model appropriately named the “Carrie B. Diamond.” The Impulse website describes the piece as an “opulent pleasure item” with “a two-carat total weight, diamond bezel set into white gold and a one-carat stone at the massaging tip.

“Valued at $10,000 and knowing ‘diamonds are a girl’s best friend,’ this is the ultimate luxury adult toy.”

The vibe has 12 escalating functions and comes in a discreet carrying bag.

But for consumers on a more conservative budget, Impulse offers the “Carrie B. Twister,” which has a twisted head and is the Diamond model without the elaborate jewelry. There are also several vibes that have curved tips, designed for G-Spot stimulation.

Out of the entire vibrator collection, two of the top sellers are the “Dulce Bunny” and the “Carrie B. Slim G.” The “Dulce Bunny” (dulce originating from the Latin word for “sweet”) tickles in multiple speeds and functions, is somewhat compact, and colored in either pink or turquoise. The “Carrie B. Slim G,” described on the company’s website as “where classic design and sensory pleasure meet,” is one of the rounded G-Spot models. It has 12 functions, and like all of the company’s products, comes in attractive packaging that includes a discreet, silky carrying bag.

Weinberg said she finds the Gspot models are growing in popularity and “they sell very well.”

But Weinberg noted that her top-selling item is her lone Egg/Bullet item, the “Stellah Obsession.” This 10-function massager has a remote control which works from as far as 25 feet away. It comes in two colors and is phthalate-free, as are all of the products. Phthalates are an early ingredient of plastics development that have recently been phased out in many plastic products due to health concerns.

Rather than utilize phthalate-related materials, ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene materials, and silicone are used in production. ABS materials are much safer, softer and durable, and can bend without snapping, according to Weinberg.

She added, “They are mostly silicone and they are just very lovely, soft feeling toys. And we’re getting a lot of attention because, of course, the packaging. Our boxes are very, very nice—very feminine.

“In every box, there is a silk bag to put the toy in. And on each box, there is a take-off of a fashion shoe designer, so they’re named like the shoes.”

Other models of their vibrator/massagers have names such as “Emili Oh!,” “Donatella,” “Jimmee,” “Lorenzee,” and “Roberta.” For example, the “Jimmee Lightening Rod” is quite interesting as a multitasking massager with a “dazzling light show” in the toy.

All of the Impulse products come with a one-year warranty. Rather than taking an unusable product back to the retailer, customers can deal directly with the company for a replacement.

“The customer can send the toy to us and we will replace it so the store doesn’t have to be bothered,” Weinberg said.

Distributors and retailers can contact Impulse Novelties at their website TheClosetCollectionToys.com or by calling the office toll-free at (888) 923-9224.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Why It's Time for Pleasure Brands to Stop Ignoring B2C Marketing

For many B2B adult brands, marketing to consumers feels like a waste of time. I’ve heard it so many times: “We sell to retailers, not consumers. Why should we invest in B2C marketing?”

Hail Groo ·
opinion

The Midlife Movement Is Exploding; Is the Pleasure Industry Ready?

In marketing, there tends to be an emphasis on the younger generation — the trendsetters. The assumption is that appealing to the younger market has a halo effect on older consumers, who look to younger folks for what is on trend.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
opinion

Gender Play Gets Creative With Fantasy Toys

Sex toy manufacturers are increasingly recognizing the value of fantasy products, expanding their lines to include ever more diverse designs. What was once considered a niche market has proven to have broad appeal, demonstrating that people are eager to explore desires that extend beyond conventional human experiences.

Rin Musick ·
opinion

How Sex Toy Retailers Can Better Support Marginalized Communities

As someone who has been in the industry since 2003, I’ve seen countless trends, products and marketing strategies come and go. Yet one thing has remained consistent: a significant gap in how sex toy retailers serve marginalized communities.

Kimberly Scott Faubel ·
opinion

Tips for Boosting Ecommerce Success During Masturbation May

Masturbation May is not just a month for self-exploration. It’s also a prime opportunity for ecommerce brands in the adult retail space to tap into a highly engaged audience actively searching for resources and products to celebrate their sexual wellness.

Matthew Spindler ·
trends

Adult Retailers Share Theft Prevention Strategies

Shoplifting has always posed a persistent challenge for retailers, and its effects reach far beyond simple loss of inventory. Theft can disrupt operations and saddle retailers with the cost of increased insurance premiums and heightened security measures. Robust security protocols can also negatively impact customers’ shopping experience.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

WIA Profile: Stefanie Neumann

It takes an ever-smiling face and a constantly creative mind to keep a retail outfit up and running. Luckily for TAF Distribution, regional manager Stefanie Neumann has endless good vibes and smart decisions to boost business and staff relations at the company’s retail chain.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Dr. Tush's Brings Anal Care to the Forefront

Few personal health products have inspired descriptions quite so bold as “If Neosporin and Aquaphor had a baby, and that baby became a crime-fighting superhero for your skin.” Then again, even fewer can live up to their own hype.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Tips for Promoting Inclusivity, Accessibility in Adult Retail

Walking into an adult store or browsing a retail website should feel like an invitation — an open, shame-free space to explore pleasure and identity. But for many of us, that’s not the reality. As a queer, nonbinary and physically disabled person, I’ve spent years navigating physical and digital spaces that weren’t built with people like me in mind.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

Tips for Reinvigorating Marketing Strategy by Tapping Into Online Feedback

For the past 50 years or so, the pleasure industry has worked tirelessly to increase public acceptance of sex toys. We’ve done an incredible job, and that progress has only accelerated since I first started out working the sales floor at Babeland nearly 20 years ago.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
Show More