Have your shops left behind basic cigarettes for the trendier e-cigarettes? Vaping merchandise have develop into controversial up to now few years because the Meals & Drug Affiliation (FDA) started to scrutinize merchandise and flavors.

Nonetheless, the class stays widespread with legal-age grownup customers who stay loyal to the class as a substitute for conventional tobacco merchandise, however it’s going to proceed to evolve. In October, the FDA started cracking down on menthol e-cigarettes along with its crackdown on flavored and disposable vape merchandise.

Understanding who makes use of vape merchandise will assist retailers promote objects extra responsibly and profitably. Knowledge analysis agency CivicScience discovered that 12% of U.S. adults 18 and older use e-cigarettes or nicotine vaping merchandise every day to weekly. An extra 9% use them often, whereas 79% are non-users. Individuals who vape every day or weekly are inclined to exhibit distinctly totally different traits and client behaviors.

To assist retailers perceive who the vape buyer is, CivicScience outlined 5 alternatives to attach with vape customers. The important thing takeaways embrace:

1) Vape customers are almost 3 times as probably to make use of the Amazon Purchasing app when making purchases in comparison with those that by no means use e-cigarettes. For comfort shops, this presents a singular alternative to broaden revenue facilities. Bigger shops with out there area might take into account partnering with Amazon to develop into an Amazon Hub. The Hub program allows companies with a bodily location to supply safe package deal pickup and returns to Amazon prospects. In flip, they reap advantages from the potential improve in foot site visitors and gross sales at their location. Hub companions can choose from numerous retail options, comparable to Amazon counters and lockers, to serve prospects of their neighborhoods. That is efficient for driving retailer site visitors and vape prospects.

2) Surprisingly, 47% of vape customers are vegetarians, in comparison with solely 4% who don’t vape. That is useful information for shops with sturdy vape gross sales and a stable foodservice providing. The chance right here is to develop the meals program with choices tailor-made to vape prospects. Retailers can communicate straight with prospects about what they’re in search of or join with customers by means of their cellular app or loyalty program. Changing even 10% of vape prospects to an occasional foodservice buyer is incremental gross sales progress that can positively impression the underside line.

3) Greater than 60% of vape customers report being a minimum of slightly influenced by social media about what meals they purchase – simply 17% of non-users say the identical. That is one other sturdy case to develop menu objects that enchantment to vape loyalists. With younger adults being strongly influenced by social media, retail instruments like cellular apps and e-couponing are extra vital than ever as a result of they will instantly impression gross sales. Moreover, you’ll be able to check the efficacy of coupons and cross-promotions by redemption information to know higher who your prospects are and what they’re shopping for. This may even enable you to cut back stock prices and keep away from potential out-of-stock conditions on high-volume objects.

4) Almost 40% of vape prospects say they observe the NBA “very carefully,” which is 26 factors greater than those that don’t vape. As with foodservice, this opens the door to cross-promote and drive gross sales to different classes. For instance, branded sports activities merchandise like hats and t-shirts have excessive rings and margins and are stable impulse buy objects. Skilled sports activities groups additionally ceaselessly associate with beverage corporations and lighter manufacturers to promote promotional objects that enchantment to vape customers. Keep abreast of those alternatives to enchantment to your customers.

5) E-cigarette customers are much less probably than non-users to care a couple of model’s stance on social points and to boycott manufacturers supporting causes they oppose. This one is extra of a warning than a gross sales alternative. All prospects appear to help charities, particularly across the holidays, comparable to fundraising drives to help youngsters, veterans, and most cancers analysis, however going too far on a controversial subject may fit in opposition to you in your effort to attach with vape customers.

Because the financial system continues to battle and customers have much less and fewer disposable revenue, understanding tips on how to capitalize on cross-promotions might enable you to acquire a bigger share of the buyer’s pockets. Be open to making an attempt new issues, however speak to your prospects to search out out how one can meet their wants extra successfully.

Elie Y. Katz is the president and CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS).