Womyns'Ware

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Contact Us? We can be reached via email: info@womynsware.com Or by telephone: From within Canada or the United States, call 1-888-WYM-WARE (996-9273). From elsewhere, call (604) 254-2543. If you want to speak to a real live person, please call the store directly at (604) 254-2543 or 1-888-WYMWARE during business hours. Or by fax:(604) 254-5472. Or by plain old snail mail: 896 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y5, Canada

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The navigation menus appear wonky and I can't seem to get to the sections of the website I'm interested in. How do I correct that? Some older versions of web browsers can't display the navigation menus correctly. Upgrading your browser version will correct that. Here's where to download a free upgrade for your browser.

How will my order be packaged? Let us assure you that your order will be shipped in an appropriate sized box, wrapped in brown paper and secured with packing tape, with a small return address stamp in plain type (not our logo) with our company name and mailing address. The name is necessary because of possible lost packages or insurance claims for damaged goods - no that doesn't happen a lot, only five times in five years, but it's best to be prudent. Our company name was designed to allow customers the discretion of explaining women's wares as kitchen utensils, clothing, toiletries, or sexual products according to the customer's comfort level. It has been our experience that people (postal carriers and customs officials alike) do not read into a product description any more than is necessary to deliver the product. If your situation requires more discretion, let us know, and we'll do our best to accommodate your concerns.

Please note that if you are ordering from OUTSIDE of Canada, we are required by law to affix a label to the outside of the package stating the contents. Now, don't worry! We certainly don't say "Great Big Sex Toy Enclosed!" We are as discreet as possible within the legal requirements. For example, we describe dills as "silicone sculptures", vibrators are "electronic massagers" and bondage gear is "leather belting". The customs officials don't care what you're going to use it for; they just need to know WHAT IT'S MADE OF in order to know how much tax to assess. If you have concerns or special needs, please contact us, either by phone or e-mail. We can work with you!! Our goal is to have happy, comfortable customers.

How do I get a paper catalogue? We have a free promotional brochure or our 120 plus pages 'vanity press' Sex Toy Guide. We use the term "Guide" rather than "Catalogue" to indicate that these materials do more than simply present products available for purchase. We've created an educational tool addressing how the products function in relation to how people's bodies respond to erogenous contact, solo or with a partner. Crammed with tutorials, the Guide imparts our basic sexual health and consumer protection philosophies and also provides you with a Sex Toy Primer education. As with the consumption of other consumer goods, you can't be expected to make an informed decision without product knowledge. This Guide arms you with that necessary information.

While remaining practically free (we'd happily give away the Guide but must ask that you purchase a $5 gift certificate included in each Guide in order to qualify - this helps us hold on to our Sex Toy Guide for folks that want to read it, not wall paper their bedroom with it!). You can also download the entire guide for free from our website. If you still want a paper copy, you can order it online using our secure server. Or, send a $5 cheque or money order to Womyns'Ware, 896 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 3Y5. Or you can email or fax (604-254-5472) or telephone (toll free: 888-WYM-WARE) us your Visa or MasterCard number and expiry date, and we'll send both your $5 Gift Certificate and our Sex Toy Guide out.

I have a defective toy made by XTCFX, is the Lifetime Warranty any good? The warranty is good if you bought the toy from Womyns'Ware! It's true that after ceasing to make the products exclusively for Womyns'Ware, the maker XTCFX cancelled the manufacturer warranty formally offered by XTCFX on these items. Cancellation of the warranty negated the XTCFX manufacturer warranty offered with the Clit Lane, G-Force, and Butt Really... but it didn't change how Womyns'Ware feels about standing behind our designs with our customers! This is why Womyns'Ware will extend a special lifetime replacement-warranty on the Clit Lane, G-Force, and Butt Really... to anyone who has purchased one of these items from us. In the case of a defect in manufacture, we will replace the defective product with the equivalent product from our new line-up of Womyns'Ware Exclusive toys (Clit Capsule, Golly Gee, and Butt Seriously). A receipt showing that the toy was purchased from us (or equivalent satisfactory evidence such as a Bank or Credit Card statement, Frequent Purchaser Card or mail/internet packing slip) must be produced at the time of exchange. This is a special replacement-warranty offer that applies only to XTCFX manufactured products previously sold under the understanding that the manufacturer offered a warranty against defects. People who have purchased any of these items through any other store must contact the manufacturer for warranty issues.

Why are there line drawings on your site? We've found that the to-scale line drawings give people a better 'picture' of the size differences between products, while photographs obscure details such as scale and pronounced ridges (i.e. the G-force dill) or texture (i.e. the Nouveau dill) so that people are better prepared with their line drawing view to assess crucial factors with penetrative products. The other problem we've experienced with photos is the colour resolution of each viewers computer screen and hence expectation of colour of the actual product. This leads to disappointment when the colour doesn't match the expectation. We've thus tried to strike a happy medium with group photos, photos at the time of product launch, and then to-scale line drawings as the standard.

How do I select colour choice when there is only one colour shown? You select your colour choice from the drop down menu where we list the colours by name. The photographed products are there to help you 'see' what they look like, not to show you colour. Due to all the possible variants - light source, monitor quality, variance in stock colour because with silicone for example, each is hand crafted so pigment varies -- we can not guarantee that the photographic images accurately represent the product colours so we don't even try for that! We go with the colour names instead. If it's really really crucial and you feel like you have spare time (as our within two business days shipping won't apply to this kind of special request!), you can send us an email letting us know what colour choice you're leaning towards and we can photograph and send you a shot of stock on hand within that pigment choice. Of course, this still won't rule out lighting and monitor quality as variants to what you 'see' on a computer screen versus what you will 'see' when you have product in your hand. Our best advice, go with the colour choice by name and love the toy you get!

Do visiting foreign DIPLOMATS have to pay the sales tax on their purchases? Sometimes there is a point-of-sale PST (Provincial Sales Tax) exemption for diplomats. If there is a Purchase Order on behalf of a Consulate Office (the Consulate Office is the purchaser of the goods) and the person presenting the PO is a Consular Officer (with Diplomatic Consular Identity Card, posted in BC, and a citizen of the country they represent); or a Consular Officer is making a personal purchase IF the back of the Officer's Diplomatic Consular Identity Card specifies that British Columbia is a province granting exemption. In the case of the personal exemption, it is only valid for the person shown on the card so the customer and person on the card must be the same person. In either case, the merchant must record the Officer's name, ID number, Identity Card expiry date, and get a signature on the sales record. There is no point-of-sale GST (federal, Goods and Services Tax) exemption for diplomats. Diplomats must pay the GST at the time of purchase but they can, in some circumstances, apply to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (phone 1.800.247.3577 for instructions) for a rebate. As always, we're delighted to welcome our visiting foreign Diplomats to the shop!

Other sex toy retailers offer women-only days or hours, why don't you? We never have because we view the practice as tantamount to discrimination against both men and women whose partners are men. Women with male partners have every right to want equal access to shopping alongside their intimate partner. They're engaged in making an important decision about adding sexual products to their sex life. They ought to be able to have their partners along, at their choosing. Additionally, the very concept has the tinge of painting men with a negative brush. We welcome every one who shares in our mandate to celebrate and empower women sexually and we certainly do NOT wish to send the message that men can't or won't participate in this mandate in a positive way. Every day is women's day at Womyns'Ware!

How should I clean my new toys? Just click on over to the Cleaning Tips for Toys page. If your specific cleaning question isn't answered, just ask us!

Can I order a customized toy from you? It never hurts to ask! Many of the leather, nylon or rubber handcrafted items can be altered, and some special colours in certain silicone products may be possible. If the maker can customize the toy for you, we'll have it done. There will likely be some additional cost to you, but we won't mark it up--whatever additional cost the maker charges us is what we'll charge you. It's difficult to provide a quote on the cost beforehand (the maker probably needs to perform the alterations to know how much it will cost), but we guarantee that no profit will be tacked on. If the request appears impracticable or unaffordable, we'll let you know at the outset. Also, regular quick shipping rules probably won't apply - it's going to take longer than a two day turn around to change most anything. That said, if you want to pursue customizing a product, please inquire about it before you order; once we've discussed the modification over email, you can just order the item normally, being sure to remind us what you want changed in the comment section of our Shopping Cart order form. We'll also need to receive a written request from you, indicating that you agree to pay the additional cost associated with the custom work. A related topic "word to the wise", we advise against trying to make your own alterations - that'll void applicable warranties.

I see a lot of sex toy sellers have customer ratings for all their stuff. Why don't you? Customer (or retailer) ratings are an interesting feature that we've looked at and set aside, mainly because ratings don't suit our style. They reflect an aspect of 'reviewing' over 'evaluating' a product. It's true that you'll find plenty of sex toy seller sites with ratings ... we suspect because it takes a lot less time to set up a rating feature than it does to evaluate each and every product, run it through field tests, grill the supplier or maker about warranties and conditions of manufacture, develop and apply a buying policy, analyze the buying threshold points, and then write and edit an evaluation that picks apart the design features - which would be our style! So why do we take that time? Because we honestly believe it's the only truly non-persuasive way to select a sexual product. But wait?! Isn't that crazy ... did we say we do NOT want to persuade you in your choice?! Yes, we did.

Unless you ARE the customer posting the rating, there is no reason to believe that your experience will be the same. Sex toys and sexual response is just that -- unique to the individual. There are so many different factors that define a toy rating that we don't actually have the broadband space to list them all. They are as wide ranging as experience with intimacy, sexual and self confidence, past and present sexual history, anatomy, favourite colours, hobbies, career and family choices, etc. etc. etc.
If you take a look at our Buyer Be WomynsWare regarding staff picks, we think you'll notice that the theme is the same as for most popular or highest rated. To quote the similar principles: " we still don't want to classify products that way because we don't want to distract our customers from making the decision that's right for them."

How about adding a vibrator power scale (like from 1 to 10) to your site? That'd be easy to set up but near impossible to do! How's that for a confusing answer?! Vibe power scales are remarkably similar to the customer toy ratings we also don't use because a rating is only accurate to the person doing the rating. Everyone's personal nervous system perception of vibe strength varies with the individual! What we've discovered is that translating what you experience into what some one else WILL experience isn't as simple as it may first appear. Consider just this one fact: often when a first time purchaser evaluates their vibrator, their perception of the strength of the vibration differs significantly from later, when they gain more familiarity with the product. Never mind the perception between different users!or different uses. Powerful on the clitoral hood is not the same thing as powerful on the labia for the same user.

We've tried to overcome this 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' effect by making evaluative statements regarding vibrator power in situations where we feel most confident that the evaluation will hold across a broad spectrum of users. For example with Palm Pets we note that because silicone is very conductive "the vibration is even throughout", with Joy Berry "you'll get the maximum benefit from the various settings on the vibe ... Low, Medium and High steady vibration ...", for Titan "twice the power [than Tsubo]... substantially more rattle noise, ...", Lava Spot "extremely quiet", Wahl is the choice "for a woman who prefers directly focused intense vibration" and Hitachi Magic Wand "lots of power".

Isn't it best to use "no name" batteries in my vibrator? I heard that good quality, name brand batteries will burn out a vibe motor. While you most certainly *can* use "no name" batteries in your vibe (just as you *can* use "no name" batteries in your TV remote), we don't recommend it. We recommend good quality batteries for good quality vibes. Cheap batteries are designed to provide the exact same voltage as a good quality brand-name battery, but they are manufactured to a lower quality standard. The result is that sometimes cheaper batteries vary in voltage…either higher or lower than rated! So there is actually a *greater* chance of damaging electrical devices with cheap batteries. Another factor to consider is that cheaper batteries often have a lower amp-hour capacity…in other words, they don’t last as long. Another area where the quality difference becomes apparent lies in the battery casing. A cheaper battery casing is more likely to leak or corrode, while a good quality battery will retain the same secure, sealed exterior, even when the battery runs out of juice. If a cheap battery corrodes inside your vibe's battery compartment, it is often difficult and many times impossible to adequately remedy the damage done. In our decade-plus of experience we have never recommended cheap batteries for anything... not even the TV remote!

If you could tell me just three things to do before I buy a Sex Toy, what would they be?
1. Research your options. Start with consumer-supported research on-line or in print (and don’t be in a rush, take your time, it’s not a race to the finish line!). This doesn’t mean that you should walk in claiming to be “Professor Sex-Toy”, it means that you can spend your time in-store wisely, focusing on those product groups that you’ve identified as likely to answer your needs.

2. Make a declaration of vulnerability at the outset. In other words, face your fears. If you have even the slightest feeling of vulnerability, state it at the outset. “Once you make it clear that you’re afraid of heights, we can start teaching you the basics of safe, sane rock climbing within your comfort zone and make sure you have all the tools for YOUR skill set!”

3. Have at least one question to ask. And don’t hold back out of embarrassment, any question is a good one!

4. (Well, OK, *Four* things!) Focus on your end goal; let us worry about how you can get there."We can book you an airline ticket but we can't tell you where you’d like to holiday!" Be open with us about what you need and want, and we can do our job, which is to help you find the right toy!

And most importantly, beyond what we publish, we will always make every effort to assist you with what you are trying to achieve. We'll try to narrow the field of options and make our best recommendation to fit your goals while stubbornly staying clear of what at first glance may appear to be easier methods. We give you the best support, not the quickest answer. That said ... bring on the questions! We're here for you! ;)