As you may already know, I have operated my own e-cigarette website for a number of years now. Readers often take the time to send their comments and questions and I’ve been asked many times for advice about how to start a vapor shop. This is a difficult question to answer as I’ve often felt that people start vapor shops without a full understanding of the challenges they’ll face. It’s hard to resist the urge to simply tell them, “you probably don’t want to start a vapor shop.”
The full answer, though, isn’t that simple. Let me preface this article by explaining that I don’t own a vapor shop myself, nor do I intend to ever start one. However, after covering this industry for years, I believe I have a unique perspective that might help potential vapor shop owners get a leg up.
If you’re thinking about starting a vapor shop, I hope you find this article helpful — and if you already own a vapor shop and would like to lend your advice, please leave a comment below. I’ve also reached out to some acquaintances who have found success in the e-cigarette industry; you’ll find their thoughts throughout this article.
So, let’s begin with the biggest question of them all.
I love vaping and want to spread the word. Should I start a vapor shop?
Probably not. Leaving aside the challenges that you’ll face due to a harsh regulatory climate, you can expect to have difficulty starting a vapor shop because of the competition you’ll face from all sides. E-cigarettes got their start primarily through online commerce, and the biggest e-cigarette companies are now bigger than ever. The V2 Cigs, Blu Cigs and Vuse Vapor websites receive more than 1 million combined visitors every month — and that’s just four out of possibly hundreds of online e-cigarette merchants.
You’ll also have to deal with local competition. Every gas station, convenience store and local supermarket in your community probably carries at least one e-cigarette brand already. If they don’t, they will soon. These types of retailers make buying e-cigarettes easy because people will shop at them anyway. Even online e-cigarette companies are feeling the sting from local retailers, with many online sellers reporting the lowest conversion rates they’ve seen in years.
Starting a vapor shop, you’ll have to prepare yourself for the fact that business may start slow and remain that way for a while.
Not stymied yet? These are the tips that I believe can help put your vapor shop on the map.
How to Start a Vapor Shop: The Keys to Success
1. Know Your Market
Learn More: Why Your Vape Shop Needs a Website
Before you start a vapor shop, there are two things you absolutely must know about your local market. First, you need an intimate understanding of what people pay for tobacco cigarettes. Second, you need to know whether any dedicated vapor shops already exist in your area. If you live in a smaller city that already has an established vapor shop, it’ll be that much harder for you to get a foothold. You may have to try something a little different such as a mall kiosk.
Equally important is the need to understand the tobacco sales climate in your area. Marketing e-cigarettes is easy in states such as New York and Illinois where the price of cigarettes exceeds $10 per pack. In states such as Virginia and Tennessee, you’ll need to present a more compelling case for the fact that your customers can save money by switching to e-cigarettes. Although we as e-smokers certainly hope that e-cigarettes can help to reduce the harm caused by tobacco, it’s the price that ultimately makes the sale. You’ll need to make sure that your product lineup can compete head-on with the packs of cigarettes that your potential customers are currently buying.
2. Carry the Best E-Cigarette and E-Liquid Brands
When you start a vapor shop, it goes without saying that you should carry the e-cigarette brands that you would personally use. Not only will you find these brands easier to promote because you’ll naturally want to speak highly of them, but you’ll also deal with fewer returns because of the high quality of the products.
This may be even more important when it comes to the e-liquid brands your vapor shop carries. While part of your customer base will consist of smokers trying e-cigarettes for the first time, the other portion will consist of existing e-cigarette users who want to buy their favorite e-liquids locally without waiting for shipping. Carrying the most popular e-liquid brands will help you attract business from e-smokers who would otherwise buy online.
3. Leverage Social Media
Learn More: How to Promote Your Vape Shop Online
You may already be aware of the fact that search engines such as Google and Bing won’t allow you to bid on pay-per-click keywords if you’re advertising an e-cigarette business. This makes it incredibly difficult to get the word out about a new vapor shop, which is why so many e-cigarette websites resort to spam tactics to get noticed. This means you’ll need to get your customers to become your ambassadors. Make sure that your vapor shop has Facebook and Twitter accounts and use those accounts to publish articles and other information that your customers will find valuable enough to share with their friends. Be creative and make sure that your content is original and witty enough to break through the social media static. Otherwise, people may follow you but they’ll ignore your posts. Need help? Learn about our vaping SEO service.
4. Keep Costs Low
One of the things that makes starting a vapor shop seem like an attractive proposition is the fact that the wholesale prices for e-cigarettes purchased from China are often incredibly low. Just stop by AliBaba and you’ll see some pretty wild prices. A lot of 100 eGo e-cigarettes in blister packs, for example, will carry a cost of around $350. Sell them for $19.99 each and you’ll have nearly $2,000. Repeat until you’re a millionaire. In real life, though, it isn’t that easy to start a vapor shop and get rich. You can’t just carry one e-cigarette. At the bare minimum, you’ll need something small such as a disposable and/or KR-808 e-cigarette, a midrange product such as an eGo e-cigarette and a high-end vaporizer.
Stocking e-liquid will prove to be a much greater challenge. E-liquids are available in an enormous variety of different flavors and every e-smoker has their own personal taste. In addition, every e-smoker has a preferred nicotine strength. If you carry one brand of e-liquid that’s available in 30 different flavors and four different nicotine strengths, you’ll need an initial stock of 1,200 e-liquid bottles if you want to have just ten of each variety. If you want to carry more flavors or more than one brand of e-liquid — well, you get the idea. If you don’t carry the best-known e-liquid brands, you’ll miss out on some business.
Keep your costs low by allowing as much customization as possible in the e-cigarette kits you carry. By carrying a supply of batteries and various types of attachments, you can allow people to customize their e-cigarette kits and potentially cut some of the costs associated with carrying pre-assembled boxed kits. You can reduce your e-liquid costs by carrying Chinese-made e-liquids, but you’ll run the risk of losing the loyalty of customers when they eventually discover better tasting e-liquids. Alternatively, buying bulk ingredients and manufacturing your own e-liquids can dramatically reduce your long-term costs, but there may be extra startup expenses in the form of obtaining necessary certifications and renting a lab facility. Making your own e-liquids will also mean that you’ll need to stay abreast of changes in the law as the FDA seeks to regulate the e-cigarette industry.
5. Start a Vapor Shop With a Clean, Comfortable Layout
I have read some shocking things about vape shops on Yelp and other merchant review websites. When I think of e-cigarettes, I think of them as a cleaner and more affordable alternative to tobacco cigarettes. I strongly dislike the “vaping subculture” and believe it can potentially exclude smokers who dismiss e-smoking because of the drug connotations. If your vapor shop has bars on the windows and/or reminds people of a pawn shop, head shop, nightclub or strip club, you shouldn’t be surprised if it attracts a specific type of clientele and that others stay away. If your community already has a number of established vapor shops, you may stand a chance of competing with them simply by laying your shop out in a manner that is well-lit, comfortable, safe and inviting.
Below are just a few pictures of vapor shops around the country, found on Google images. Which of these would you like to emulate?
6. Promote Your Vapor Shop Creatively
Learn More: Why Your Vape Shop Needs a Great Logo
Being unable to advertise your vapor shop on search engines severely limits how easily you can get the word out. This means you’ll need to promote creatively. Sales and giveaways will certainly generate buzz when you first start a vapor shop, but the expense of these promotions will be great. This means you’ll need to be creative in looking for low-cost promotional avenues. Reddit is one website where I’ve seen e-cigarette advertising, and you may also be able to use classified services such as Craigslist. You’ll also find online advertising services specializing exclusively in e-cigarette companies. These services operate on a CPM basis, charging approximately $8.00 per 1,000 views of your advertisement. They work by “retargeting,” or displaying your advertisement on well-known websites to users who have already visited another website in the same advertising network. These services generally do not allow you to target users in specific regions, though, so they may not be cost effective unless your business also sells products online.
Although online avenues for promotion certainly exist, you’ll find that when you start a vapor shop, you’ll need to do most of your promotion locally. Radio and newspaper ads can be surprisingly affordable, for example. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little, though. Hire people to become ambassadors and use e-cigarettes in local clubs and bars. Give a free disposable e-cigarette to smokers that you meet on the street. Every loyal customer that you manage to earn will bring you one step closer to having a successful vapor shop.
Learn More: Business Directory Guide for Vape Shops
Jason Artman founded eCig One after switching from smoking to vaping in 2010 and has been a professional writer and SEO consultant since 2007. His work has been featured on television and in leading publications, and it has been referenced in numerous peer-reviewed journals. Jason works with leading vape brands around the world to generate targeted web traffic and increase their revenue.
Great article qt
Wanna say, checked out your site today. Impressive & informative. Wasn’t sure when I 1st started to read it. Felt like it was meant to talk someone out of considering launching a vape shop. Thought it was negativity. But I don’t scare easily, and that’s why I kept reading on, & I’m glad I did b/c I learned some valuable info here. I see you’re just real & I appreciate that! Been thinking about it. Marinating on it. Have perfect location in mind where I’m known, & area is very marketable and promising. Right in my own neighborhood. NO COMPETITION EITHER! Must say also, when I saw what u looked like, became even more impressed! Keep doin what u do sister girl. Don even know u but proud ov u!!! P.S: Luv the checkbox too! Funny!
Prepare to have competition . seems when one opens there will be three more in no time. keep it clean. the “hobby vapors” will hurt your biz. don’t try to compete with them, stay with people who want an allturnative to smoking.
Revisiting the site 2day. GOOD advice Jack. Vry good advice! ALWAYS good 2 keep tht in mind. Aint mad @ u!Mucho thanx!
I take a fence to that i’m a hobby vapor and i spend a lot of money on 0 nic juices have 3 of the best mods The hobby vaper is not the ones you need to look out of we do it for taste and change in taste it the cheap vapers with the pin mods that want something for nothing you want to watch out for
My wife and I have been thinking about starting a vapor shop we have a good location with no competition either. I just wondering if it was working for you, and worth the risk, and the expenses to start a business.
Randy, when I came across this site, the idea had come to mind, so started to fish for info. Took notes from different sources. Didn’t hav enough cash @ the time, so layed the idea dwn. Now, about a yr later, hav enough & still want to do it! Wanna start small, then build. Wanna make it happen ovr the summer. Believe it is worth the risk, esp. in 2016. E-cigs r only growing in popularity. I feel like, despite any competition, there’s enough profit to go around. Besides, I’m not wanting to do it b/c I believe it will make me billions, I want to do it b/c I kno I hav good ideas & business sense, & I want to work for myself, always hav, & I believe it will be a good move. I already hav the building in mind, & the name & slogan for it. R u guys doin it yet? If so let ME kno how it’s goin, & once I’m up & runnin, will let y’all kno how I’m doin. Good luck to both of us!!
hey can i get your contacts or facebook to share ideas.
good info, but you do NOT need to rent a lab or equipment to make your own juice. I do not smoke, but my girlfriend does. None of the shops she buys from has anything fancy. Just a table and bottles and ingredients. ALSO, if you open a shop, PLEASE PLEASE do NOT hire a bunch of douchebag hipsters to work for you. That’s so annoying talking with complete moron hipsters who think they need to vape 24/7. I do enjoy rattling their cages on the rarity I go in.
Good read very helpful.
much to consider…thank you
You have given me so many great ideas and information that I didn’t have. I hope to be able to implement this I formation over the next few months.
Thank you and I hope to read more of your article years to come.
Been thinking of opening a shop myself for some time now. The location I have in mind is right in a shopping center (so it would be impossible to miss). Definitely a good read. And totally agree with Brando, hipsters who don’t know anything about vaping are the worst, but entertaining to 1-up
good evening.
im also looking to start up a vape shop good local and international brands to start up a good stock with but need advice about all the regulation and etc about it.
Still a newby with vape but i think the market is going crazy for this in SA at the moment and want to jump on the opportunity.
Never start a business as a “Get Rich Quick Scheme” I’ve seen it many times with partners of mine. I opened my shop as more of a hobby, and I’m doing great. Situated in a small town with a population of approximately 8,500 people, my only competition was a head shop that sold primarily glass pipes and other “tobacco” related items, they offered very little e-cig supplies and juice. I’ve chatted with their owner numerous times and he has actually thanked me for taking over the vape market in town, he was losing money holding what little stock he had as many people stayed clear of his business due to the fact that he sold water pipes and so forth. Generate a solid business plan, and don’t plan on retiring in 5 years!! It wasn’t easy to get my business going, but it wasn’t exactly very challenging either. That doesn’t mean go out tomorrow and apply for a business loan, educate yourself first.
Greg
Liked your response regarding your shop. My husband quit smoking because of vaping. We have been searching for an idea and now I feel very confident we found it.
The article is rich with information Thank you for such great information Can you share what approximately ithe cost to start up was for you and your store footage?
Greg. I would like to keep in touch. Please leave contact info thank you again. Soon to be new owner Donna
Its a beautiful page thanks we liked it.
Very impressive and helpful article, thank you
I live in Canada small town of about 6000 but few small places around, really wanna get one started. So much to learn
Keep reading, Sheridan! We have even more advice for new vape shop owners coming in the near future.
I have been thinking of starting a vape and 420 accessory store with possibly a vape lounge in a small tourist town in the mountains. We have festivals up here and river for white water rafting that draw tourist in excess of 100k for their festivals and on the weekends during the summer. The small town is surrounded by 4 small towns and a lake. We currently operate the only medical marijuana delivery service in the area, and don’t feel the town would accept a dispensary due to their image.
We are hoping to attract clients to the store, and promote the delivery service to interested customers. There would be tons of foot traffic, and the only competition are a smoke shop on the other end of the lake.
I am a compliance consultant in to the Cannabis and Wine industry, but don’t have much experience in the vape, e-cig industry. I have found a cool location (old bank) that has been empty for 4 years, and it is right in the middle of the town. It would make a cool vape lounge in the back and retail location up front.
Any suggestions?
what do i need to start my own vape shope
I’d like to start a small vape company that I can operate from my home. But I have bad credit due to medical bills and a pay as you go company that I refused to pay because the item was very cheap and crappy. Are there any vape companies that will help you start a franchise or something of that nature.
what’s the tax rate of import e-liquid from another country ?
I was finding the tips for starting my vape shop. While searching blog I found your blog and i started reading and found very helpful.Very impressive and helpful Blog, thank you.