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Guiding through CBD, e-cigs, e-juice, vaping ecommerce

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

More and more people who used to smoke traditional cigarettes are switching to vaping and e-cigarettes to satisfy their cravings.

Dive into the thriving world of vaping & CBD products

Some studies suggest that vaping may have fewer harmful substances compared to regular smoking, which makes it an easier transition. Vaping is also a lot of fun and exciting with its customization options, including various mods, tanks, pens, and e-juice flavors. It has all the qualities to become a long-lasting industry, and now is an excellent time to start a business in this field.

 

We’re not just saying this without reason. MageCloud offers everything you need to create a successful vaping business. You can easily manage an organized inventory with unlimited product categories, providing a wide range of vape products and accessories to cater to both enthusiastic and casual users. Showcase your products with images and videos to attract customers.

 

MageCloud provides you with the tools to build a top-notch online vape store and attract customers to your virtual shop.

Strategies scaling a successful vape store

Choose the right ecommerce platform for vape shop

Many store owners opt for Shopify due to its user-friendliness and brand recognition. However, it’s important to note that Shopify has restrictions on selling vape-related products. If you intend to sell vape products on your online store, you’ll need to explore alternative eCommerce platforms.

 

Here are your options:

– Magento or WooCommerce: If you possess technical expertise and can handle aspects like hosting and website programming, Magento or WooCommerce are viable options.


– Software as a Service (SaaS) Providers: If you prefer a platform similar to Shopify, where the technical aspects are managed by the platform provider, allowing you to focus on your store, you’ll need to explore alternatives

Select the ideal vape supplier

Whether your strategy involves dropshipping or managing a conventional inventory, your success hinges on choosing the right supplier. Base your decision on factors like the supplier’s location, the brands they offer, shipping expenses and policies, as well as their return and warranty procedures.

Advantages of Chinese vape suppliers

Chinese suppliers are known for their competitive pricing and vast product selections, often maintaining substantial inventories. China boasts a longer history of vaping, with its invention of the first e-cigarette and a track record of innovation in vape hardware manufacturing. Many renowned vape brands originate from China. Partnering with Chinese suppliers provides quicker access to new vape products due to the concentration of manufacturers in the region.

Drawbacks of Chinese vape suppliers

On the downside, running a business with a Chinese dropshipping supplier can pose challenges. Shipping from China often entails longer delivery times, which may not align with customers’ expectations for swift product receipt. Handling returns and warranty claims can also be complex. Time zone differences and language barriers may hinder effective communication between you and your suppliers. Although Chinese pricing is competitive, it’s typically more cost-effective to order larger quantities of products, making them better suited for stocking your own warehouse than for dropshipping.

Advantages of United States vape suppliers

U.S.-based vape suppliers offer expedited shipping, excellent customer support, and easier communication during domestic business hours. These advantages make them ideal for dropshipping, ensuring prompt product deliveries and readily available assistance in case of issues. Furthermore, e-liquids sourced from the United States are frequently favored by numerous vapers because of the accessibility of top-quality ingredients.

Drawbacks of United States vape suppliers

While U.S. vape suppliers excel in service, they often have a more limited product selection and maintain lower inventory levels compared to their Chinese counterparts. Prices tend to be slightly higher, and in-demand items, especially new releases, can quickly go out of stock. U.S. vape suppliers frequently rotate their stock, typically discontinuing new products after a few months, which may require you to find alternative sources for popular items.

Enhance content for increased awareness

Despite vaping’s widespread recognition, remains a considerable number of individuals who are uninformed about it. Many of these individuals have questions about vaping, including its purpose, effects, and how it works.

 

To promote awareness of the vaping industry, you can emphasize the creation of informative blogs and articles. Ensure that these pieces incorporate relevant keywords and on-page SEO techniques to generate valuable and pertinent content. This approach will enable you to target prospects who are unfamiliar with your products, provide them with essential information, and potentially convert them into customers.

 

In addition to this, consider employing guest posting and content syndication strategies to reach your target audience and enhance sales.

Focus on education and safety

As a vaping brand, it is your duty to address these questions and contribute to the audience’s education. You can provide information about various vaporizers, their components, and usage instructions. This effort will assist the audience in understanding vapes better, potentially expanding your customer base.

 

As a responsible vape store owner, make education a top priority by ensuring your customers understand how to use vape devices safely, practice proper battery safety, and are aware of potential vaping risks. 



Provide educational materials, workshops, or seminars to establish trust and position your store as a reliable knowledge hub in the vaping community. Stay up-to-date with regulations and compliance standards to maintain a safe and lawful environment for your customers.

Focus on personalized email marketing campaigns

In a landscape where social media platforms and search engines impose restrictions on vape product advertising, email marketing emerges as a potent tool. It provides you with the means to directly engage with your audience through personalized messages.

 

Email marketing allows you the freedom to craft tailored messages for distinct segments of your target audience, making your product promotion more appealing and relevant. Understanding the demographics and behaviors of your audience is key to effective segmentation.

 

This approach not only offers a cost-effective solution but also ensures a high return on investment (ROI). Furthermore, you can closely monitor engagement and sales by tracking metrics like open rates and conversion rates. This data enables you to accurately assess the success of your email marketing campaign. Collecting email addresses for your marketing strategies can be facilitated through methods such as coupon codes or offering free samples.

Sponsorship as promotion opportunity

For e-cigarette and vape brands, sponsoring events presents a viable marketing strategy. While some critics argue that these brands often target younger demographics, they have successfully engaged with various events to promote their products.

 

In 2013, blu eCigs, for instance, sponsored Washington’s Sasquatch! Music Festival, which featured artists like Macklemore, Arctic Monkeys, Empire of the Sun, and Mumford & Sons. This event drew large crowds of music enthusiasts and fans.

 

Similarly, in 2018, the well-known brand Juul sponsored a portion of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

 

Additionally, e-cigarette companies have ventured into sports sponsorships, a seemingly unconventional pairing. For example, Totally Wicked, a UK e-liquid company, established partnerships with the professional rugby league club St Helens R.F.C. and the football club Blackburn Rovers F.C. Despite some controversy surrounding these partnerships, they have proven to be successful.

 

In 2020, the IndyCar Series collaborated with the e-cigarette brand Vuse, featuring their logo on cars numbered 5, 7, and 66 during the Indy500 race. These sponsorships are not only attended by large crowds but also gain significant television and news coverage, showcasing the effectiveness of e-cigarette and vaping brands as sponsors.

How to maximize CBD ecommerce: tips to follow

1. Identify your specialization in the CBD market

Define your CBD market niche to stand out in the crowded CBD market. While there are CBD products for a wide range of purposes, you have the flexibility to choose what you want to offer. You can focus on classic products or more recent trends. It’s helpful to categorize products into broader groups.

 

Some popular categories include:

 

  • CBD-Based Cosmetics
  • Supplements/Wellness Products
  • CBD Pet Products
  • CBD-Infused Food/Beverages (Note: Be cautious in the USA)

 

CBD products also come in various types based on how they are consumed:

 

Tinctures: Potent CBD products made by mixing CBD with alcohol or another solvent.

Pills and Capsules: Easy-to-digest CBD options.

Drops and Sprays: Typically CBD oil with added flavoring agents for better taste.

Topicals and Patches: Offer targeted relief and are favored by those who dislike the taste of hemp.

CBD Vapes and Cartridges: Ideal for fast CBD absorption and popular for social vaping.

CBD Edibles: Available as gummies, candies, chocolates, honey sticks, and more, making CBD ingestible.

2. Choose the right platform

Find a suitable CBD ecommerce platform to enhance the customer experience on your site. Platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento can help create a positive customer journey.

 

When considering which e-commerce platform to use for your CBD store, you have two major options: self-hosted and Software as a Service (SaaS). Each has its pros and cons, so it’s important to make an informed decision for your online CBD business.

Which is better for your CBD store?

The choice between self-hosted and SaaS platforms depends on your skills, resources, and timeline. SaaS platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce offer speed, ease of use, and comprehensive solutions for quickly launching your online store. This is crucial for catching a trending wave and getting your products to market quickly.

 

On the other hand, if you have strong development skills or the resources to hire professional web designers, self-hosting with WordPress and WooCommerce can also work well.

 

The best option depends on your specific needs and capabilities, so consider your business goals, timeline, and resources when making your decision.

 

For more in-depth guidance on launching an online CBD store, including legal considerations, market research, competition analysis, UX/UI design, branding, product packaging, and marketing, you can refer to our MageCloud expert team to help you get started effectively.

3. Provide subscription services

CBD eCommerce stores excel in convenience, and you can enhance this by offering subscription options, for example:

 

– Offer customized CBD boxes based on customer preferences, determined through an online quiz during the ordering process.

– Provides subscription plans lasting three, six, or twelve months.

– Send subscribers a new product every month that gives them the option to build a lasting collection of their preferred items. 

4. Create quality content

Share well-curated content on your website and social media platforms.

Educate your audience about CBD and dispel misconceptions through social media. Share informative blog articles, captivating videos, and eye-catching visuals on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Consider using PPC advertising to promote your brand. 

 

In the CBD niche, expect to invest in educating and informing both existing and potential customers. This enhances your credibility in the CBD industry.

5. Prioritize customer retention

CBD customers like to stick with brands they trust and enjoy. In the CBD world, it’s easier to build loyalty and have customers return. On average, regular eCommerce stores see about 2.1 orders per customer, while CBD stores boast an average of 3.7 orders per customer.

 

To benefit from this, try these three strategies:

 

  • Offer unique products that only your brand has.
  • Build a strong, loyal following through content, customer interaction, and setting your brand apart.
  • Stay in touch with your current and potential customers regularly.
6. Leverage social proof for CBD success

In the CBD industry, trust and quality are paramount, making social proof a valuable tool. It not only instills confidence in your brand but also in the entire industry.

 

You can achieve this in several ways:

 

– Active participation in positive social media discussions.

– Displaying 5-star product ratings on your website.

– Showcasing quality testimonials on marketplaces.

– Utilizing influencer marketing and celebrity endorsements.

 

Note: Influencers and micro-influencers who share their personal CBD experiences help bridge the gap between brands and consumers. This is especially important in the CBD industry because digital advertising is uncertain, and many people still doubt whether CBD products work or not.

7. Embrace Email Marketing

Leverage email marketing to distribute coupons, deals, and news to your subscribers and customers, boosting customer relationships and retention.

 

CBD businesses typically employ three key workflows:

 

  1. Welcome Series: Welcoming new visitors and customers.
  2. Cart Recovery: Converting browsers who added items to their cart into purchasers.
  3. Browse Recovery: Converting site browsers into purchasers.

 

Utilizing these workflows in advanced email campaigns can significantly enhance conversion rates.

 

Additionally, you can track your email campaigns to nurture leads and gain valuable data insights to increase organic search traffic and improve direct marketing efforts.

CBD isn’t just a trend; it’s a lasting lifestyle. If you’re venturing into the CBD ecommerce business, these steps can help you succeed.



How MageCloud can help

With years of experience, we’re ready to guide you through the dynamic and competitive world of the CBD industry. We understand the unique challenges you face, from evolving regulations to a diverse range of products, and we’re here to help you overcome them.

 

If you require assistance with your CBD business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our ecommerce experts. This way, you can kickstart your online store performance and optimize your conversions and revenue results.

 

Let’s transform your CBD venture into a thriving success.

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FAQs for MageCloud

We understand the unique challenges of marketing products in these industries and have implemented successful SEO and digital marketing strategies to increase visibility and drive targeted traffic to online stores. Our team can create custom features and functionalities tailored to the needs of online retailers in these industries, such as age verification systems, product bundling options, and subscription services. We utilize data-driven insights and analytics tools to monitor performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and optimize online stores for better conversions and customer retention.

For over a decade, we’ve provided proactive insights into Magento 2 coding standards, emerging technologies, security measures, and best practices. Our engineers, mostly Magento 2 certified, demonstrate our commitment to expertise and excellence. Moreover, our certified experts in Shopify and WooCommerce are well-equipped to handle other renowned platforms.

We are consistently available during office hours, offering communication channels such as Slack, Skype, phone, or email. In case of emergencies, we extend our support 24/7.

At MageCloud, we prioritize a personalized approach by assigning a dedicated team member – PM to your project. We kick off with a thorough and well-documented discovery process, a pivotal step for project success. Moreover, we provide transparency throughout the process. Clients have visibility into all tasks through Trello and can easily track hours, ensuring open communication and accountability.

How MageCloud empowers CBD / vaping businesses​​

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