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Post by Globalbloke (Tim) on May 9, 2012 21:25:32 GMT
I run three businesses and recently sold two off because I knew I could sell them on to competitors for a decent whack, leaves me with one that I'm happy pays the bills. So, all of my experience is in IT and I could startup an online business for ecigs but don't really famcy competing with the great guys we have on here at the moment. So, I floated the idea of a month test in Hampshire (Winchester or Southampton) of selling ecig products in what is known as a "pop up shop", essentially they are premises that landlords are struggling to rent out that are prepared to allow a short lease on them. The ultimate idea is to create a "forumla" than could be rolled out to other areas in the UK through a franchise or just plain, hard work. Please note, at this time it is an idea, I'm not 100% yet because I need to put the absolute business plan together but my thinking starts like this: I know to begin with that I cannot secure proper deals with suppliers, the numbers are too low, but what I can do is use places like HC to secure a good price on a couple of thousand pounds worth of stock, the markup is enough to pay rent, wages etc. Having studied the forum, things happen like this: Newbie comes on board, has tried a lookalike and has done some searching around and found this forum. On upon finding the forum the suggestion is a Riva or suchlike and the investment is made in one, a matter of days (or weeks) later the need for a better model appears because a) they like vaping b) they have the finance to support a more expensive model / tank / juice etc because they have saved a lot of money not smoking analogues. Then they progress onto bigger and better things and need the best juices, the newest tanks, the latest gadgets. Marketing could be fun, the easy targets are those hanging around outside shops smoking their anaolgues, I would employ a bunch of students wearing something catchy (not bikinis etc before I'm asked what catchy means ) clothes and handing out leaflets pushing the benefits of ecigs and especially high end stuff like Riva's and Provari V 2's. The cost savings at the moment would attract alot of attention and so would the health benefits. The other bit that would work would be the ability to actually go into the shop and try this out, try different flavours and not be lumbered with loads of juices they don't like because they tried before they bought. As stated, this is these are the ideas floating around in my head at the moment, my business partener (a very non smoker) even thinks this has "legs" and is more than prepared to sink some of our money into it. What I worry about is I know a bit but not enough at the moment to answer all the questions posed by clients (and God help me if Macca walked in, I would be sunk ) and also whether I have missed some glaring issues. I am flat out until the end of May with projects that are coming to an end, but after that I see myself having time to really consider this option, it would be really great to get some input from you guys n gals as to what you would want to see in a shop and what you would advise me to do if you were thinking about doing this.... Over to you and your awesome advice
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Post by Chrissie on May 9, 2012 22:05:58 GMT
I think it sounds like a brilliant idea Tim Only thing I would say is, don't totally cater for what folks on the forums want - most members of the public looking for an alternative to smoking have never heard of us. Although I hate to say it, you will need to stock some (cheap) ciggie lookalikes & prefilled cartos. Next, concentrate on stocking basic egos/Rivas. The few people in RL that I've converted to e-cigs, love them. As for answering all the questions posed by clients, just give them a link to this forum
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CAM-VIP
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Post by CAM-VIP on May 9, 2012 22:08:22 GMT
We are working on getting ecig shops into pubs. As we are just an awareness campaign, a business brain like yours could be a welcome addition to our 'mission'. Just a thought Russell
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Post by Bluefish on May 9, 2012 22:11:07 GMT
A shop with demo devices and juices to try would be fab
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Post by njk2125 on May 9, 2012 22:14:28 GMT
Try before you buy is a great idea and would love to do this if there was a shop near me. Where I live the only e-cigs you can buy are from people who can't speak English and sell very poor quality disposable cig a likes. Belive it or not some people still swear by them. I would be grateful of even a market stall.
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Post by Gordy on May 9, 2012 22:15:08 GMT
Hi Tim from what i have heard i think your 'evolution' of a vaper is only true for a small percentage of the vaping public ie forum goers... for joe public the look-e-like has a far longer life span and a lot of these vapers are more than happy to only use these devices. i think i remember Jason and Daz say that they sell many more cig-e-likes than anything else and people will even come back for prefilled cartos rather than the faff or refilling themselves ...which to a forum goer will sound just daft
if you wanted to do an online venture then i feel there could be a market not yet tapped and that would be importing quality ranges of juice from the states. Vermillion River for example has been very successful for uk-eliquids. the plus point is you wouldnt need to offer much user support or have a huge knowledge base either. juice is a consumable so regular customers too
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Post by CAM-VIP on May 9, 2012 22:17:27 GMT
Tim + CAM-VIP = ?
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Post by Brian on May 9, 2012 22:20:11 GMT
I might be out of order with my suggestion Tim.
But i know Jason gave River a helping hand with his idea of a website, come shop, i think.
Maybe drop him a line and see what his thoughts are.
Whatever you do mate, good luck. Brian
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Post by Anne (fuzzy) on May 9, 2012 22:30:58 GMT
We definitely need a B & M shop here in Hampshire, or even a market stall. This town for example is growing and all I seem to see are people smoking, or maybe I just notice them more since I gave up! But I've never seen anyone vaping and I get some funny looks when I'm walking around town. Hoards of people young and old, hang around outside the Chantry Centre smoking. I reckon you'd stand a good chance of recruiting new vapers in Hampshire, followed by returning customers Tim!
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Post by Brian on May 9, 2012 22:44:39 GMT
I dont know if its a coincidence, but there are quite a few vapers in Bournemouth.
Theres a walk in shop here, and a market stall thursday and saturdays which they run.
Also Daz from safercigs does a stall on Wimborne market on saturdays as well, which is not too far away.
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Post by womble on May 9, 2012 22:46:26 GMT
Hi Tim from what i have heard i think your 'evolution' of a vaper is only true for a small percentage of the vaping public ie forum goers... for joe public the look-e-like has a far longer life span and a lot of these vapers are more than happy to only use these devices. i think i remember Jason and Daz say that they sell many more cig-e-likes than anything else and people will even come back for prefilled cartos rather than the faff or refilling themselves ...which to a forum goer will sound just daft if you wanted to do an online venture then i feel there could be a market not yet tapped and that would be importing quality ranges of juice from the states. Vermillion River for example has been very successful for uk-eliquids. the plus point is you wouldnt need to offer much user support or have a huge knowledge base either. juice is a consumable so regular customers too I agree with Gordy, I think that the people that will go onto filling juices themselves, are a small percentage of the people that will be interested in e-cigs. And most of those come via the forums, once they have had a chance to research everything themselves. The pop up shop is an interesting idea and could very easily work, but not if you think everyone will will be progressing to a LT or provari sooner or later. I feel it's going to be rather, market type stock and clientele. I agree there would be those, that once pointed towards a forum and more info, would provide you with repeat custom, but I think there wouldn't be anywhere near enough of them to keep a shop going. On the other hand, if you can introduce people to the right kind of stuff and offer different juices for them to try, you might bring some people on board. But I still think it won't be enough to sell the higher stuff in enough quantities. Best of luck, I'm at the end of my business now, just sort of running it flat and I'm on the lookout for something else myself. The e-cig market seems very interesting to me also, I think like most people involved, they start themselves and realise what a great product (in general ) it is and want to introduce others to it. There does seem to be 2 vastly different e-cig markets. Ones who provide the forum people with supplies and the hugely financed cig look alikes companies which will probably end up taking most of the market. I think it's going to be difficult to be in the middle.
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Post by CAM-VIP on May 9, 2012 22:49:23 GMT
Womble + CAM-VIP = ?
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Post by Anne (fuzzy) on May 9, 2012 22:52:26 GMT
Bournemouth's a long way for me to travel Brian, postage is cheaper, but it's *probably* the nearest.
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Post by womble on May 9, 2012 23:06:19 GMT
Womble + CAM-VIP = ? I don't think I'm in Tims league lol. Besides, like I told you before, I don't believe the pub stocking thing is going to work, the way you are doing it. Although I do wish you all the best and hope to be proved wrong.
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Post by Brian on May 9, 2012 23:13:14 GMT
Bournemouth's a long way for me to travel Brian, postage is cheaper, but it's *probably* the nearest. I was pointing out to Tim, that as there is an outlet here, that more and more people are taking it up. A bit like children of smoking parents are more likely to take up the habit. The more of us vaping, the more people are going to show interest.
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