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FEATURES
BACK IN
Business
Vape shops are now more valuable than ever
in helping smokers switch
Words: Caroline Barry
Vape shops are back in business. After being deemed ‘nonessential’
in March they all had to close, but finally they are open
once more.
Things look quite different now and the post-lockdown vape
shop experience is not the same as it was before (but then again
virtually nothing is exactly the same as it was before).
But with change comes opportunity and for vape shops the
opportunity is to get back to basics and be the go-to place for
smokers who want to switch.
It can be a daunting time for smokers who want to try something
new and the vape shop can offer this necessary ‘hand holding’
to make switching to e-cigarettes work, but without the physical
contact, obviously.
UKVIA Director John Dunne said it was vital that shop owners
move quickly to re-establish consumer confidence that vape
shops are safe places to visit and that will inevitably mean doing
things a bit differently.
He said: “While vape shops will be doing everything they can to
reassure people about the safety of their products, I think it’s going
to take time for consumers to start coming back into stores.”
One likely change is cutting down the time spent with customers,
especially regular customers who know exactly what they want.
For them John believes the ‘click and collect’ model may work
well.
“My thoughts would be, regular consumers who know what they
want, could call ahead and have their order ready for pickup. So
they just have to pay for it when they arrive, but it would be ready
for them to go.”
The benefit of this approach is that it would free up more time to
deal with new clients and this will set the specialist vape stores
apart from the supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol
stations. John added: “I think the stores really need to focus
that one-to-one time on the new user, especially with the recent
menthol ban. There will be a lot of new people out there, potentially
switching to vaping. And they’re not going to know what they want.
That’s been what’s been missing from the vaping sector for the
last two months is that education. Convenience stores really can’t
compensate for that.”
Shelf space is always a prime commodity for supermarkets
and convenience stores so they tend to carry limited vape stock
without a varied selection. Smokers are generally left to work out
for themselves which device will work best for them, whereas
the specialist vape shop can talk them through their options and
getting this message across will be vital.
John said he was really impressed at how vape shops adapted to
the enforced closures by ramping up their online operations and
says they will also be quick to adapt to new safety and hygiene
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