How to Maximise Vape Sales in Your Store

For retailers stocking EDGE vaping products, we have lots of tips and tricks to get the most out of your stock and maximise your sales, and we’d like to share some with you.

Read on to explore different ways you can maximise customer engagement and drive up your sales.

General Advice for Vaping Retailers

This advice may seem obvious, but we think these are vital cornerstones for building a successful retail environment:

Visibility

Drive visibility by using eye-catching display units and promotional materials like posters, stickers, and other creative assets. EDGE can provide retailers with a highly versatile countertop solution.

Our modular display cube, which can be stacked depending on space, is capable of housing up to 10 SRP’s. Interchangeable inserts allow for new ranges and promotions to be easily integrated, while secure rear-facing access grants practicality and functionality. Items like this can make or break a sale, and create a more professional and organised retail environment.

Positioning of the stock itself is vital too – make sure things are properly grouped by brand, flavour and strength to make the browsing experience easier for the customer. Taking advantage of the merchandising diamond principles here will make a big difference to your conversion rate.

Point of Sale (PoS) Material

Boost sales potential by utilizing a variety of POS materials where possible such as single and double-sided window posters, indoor posters, counter mats, window stickers & shelf wobblers to catch the eye of the consumer and maximise brand impact at the point of sale. Make sure you regularly chase up your suppliers for the latest versions, to ensure you appear to be at the forefront of trends and promotions in the eyes of your customers.

Effective deployment of educational PoS like flyers can also make a big difference in converting vaping products. There is still a significant lack of understanding of vaping products by consumers and, while never a substitution for proper staff products knowledge, using PoS materials that help explain the basics can be very useful in maximising sales.

Availability

Increase customer retention by regularly monitoring stock levels & ensuring that best sellers are always replenished. Ensure your range is supported with a strong selection of e-liquids in varying flavours & strengths.

Vapers come in all shapes and sizes, so we also recommend stocking at least one open system device such as the EDGE Pro and one closed pod system device such as the EDGE GO; this way you can cater to all needs and personal tastes in-line with current market trends. Disposable vapes are also a potentially profitable option for retailers with many UK consumers regularly looking to buy the compact devices. There are some moral issues surrounding disposable vapes however that may give you reason to pause when considering adding them to your NGP ranges – to find out more about the pros and cons check out our blog.

Be mindful of seasonal spikes around Vapril, Stoptober and New Year. Ensure that your stocks are adequately bolstered in preparation for increased vaping retail traffic, having the above points covered before these seasonal events land will help maximise your profits and ultimately build your reputation as a trusted vaping retailer, alongside any established convenience success.

Product Knowledge

Consumers who are new to vaping will often ask for advice on what products to buy so it’s important that your staff are knowledgeable on the different product types and how they work. Being able to answer these questions and guide them on their vaping journey will only strengthen your reputation as a trusted retailer.

Is it worthwhile investing in larger display units like a gantry?

The vaping category is here to stay, and it’s popularity continues to grow with more and more UK consumers switching their buying habits away from traditional tobacco and towards Next Generation Product offerings. Investing in the most eye-catching displays of such products is an essential method of capitalising on this lucrative category and the many opportunities for success it brings, and Gantry solutions are top of the list when it comes to maximising the impact of your vaping products and ultimately conversion to revenue.

The evidence of this is plain to see in many high-street retail outlets, which often boast branded gantry and double-fronted display units in prominent positions in their store. Even modular CTUs can have staggering impact on driving sales, with our Vaping display cubes having the capability to drive £128 to £192 profit per unit depending on the size of the display requested, offering retailers a healthy 62% POR (subject to seasonal fluctuation).

To backlight, or not to backlight?

While arguably not imperative, backlighting is just one of many ways in which displays can be optimised to draw the eye and command consumer attention. Modern vapers have varied tastes, and it will be impossible to appeal to the full range of consumers, however premium-quality designs, artwork, and interesting colour palates can all contribute to success.

Some of the most eye-catching displays such as the gantries mentioned above, not only feature cutting-edge design and professional lighting, but often come with digital screens cycling different promotional materials on a carousel.

Beyond aesthetics, consumers will also be drawn to a diverse range of products that offers multiple flavours and strengths to accommodate different consumer needs with strong impactful branding and POS that offers consumers reassurances of safety, value and satisfaction behind the products themselves.

How should I start building a range of vaping products as a smaller retailer?

Start small and ensure your first investment is made into a concise offering of the top performing SKUs in-category, such as those in our range. Combining this with an eye-catching display using the advice we’ve shared above should soon see return in investment.

Even smaller retailers can benefit from stocking Next Generation products, the category is still growing, and more and more people are engaging with vaping. Vaping consumers are turning to convenience more to meet their vaping needs without having to travel far, looking for disposable vapes or otherwise; this increase in footfall alone should inspire confidence in retailers that even a small offering of popular vaping products can offer a healthy return.

If you want to ask questions about stocking NGP, or just want to build your own range, get in touch with us today and you too can reap the rewards of this lucrative retail category!