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As a personal friend of Toby who owns iVapour, I know that this is causing him a lot of distress, that someone is using his company name at Blackburn Market and on Facebook and could potentially damage his reputation.

Toby has been trading since 2009 and has spent years pioneering e-cigs.

Anyone that knows Toby, knows that he works hard and always goes out of his way to be as helpful as possible, especially for new users. His customer service and advice is second to none.

That someone can just rip-off his company name and logo is just disgraceful.

THIS WILL BE ON CHANNEL 4 NEWS TONIGHT - Between 7 & 8pm (17th Oct)

Electronic future for tobacco giants



The latest issue of 'Convenience Store' magazine, a trade magazine aimed at small and medium Independent Retailers, carries this story.

www.conveniencestore.co.uk/news/electronic-future-for-tobacco-giants/232834.article

They report that sales of electronic cigarettes exceeds £10 million.

They confirm the rumours that Imperial Tobacco have invested in an e-cig company, although they have not declared which company has received the investment. A statement from Imperial Tobacco says:

"We are building considerable expertise in the field of e-cigarettes and actively engaging with regulators to support the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks"

There have also been reports that Imperial Tobacco are collecting a database of tobacco retailers, in the independent sector that already sell electronic cigarettes or may be willing to stock electronic cigarettes.

Ignore the stuff about JTI and the Ploom, JTI are barking up the wrong tree with that one.

It can only be a matter of time before a UK Tobacco company jumps right on board the e-cig business. The pattern is slow moving but clear and inevitable.

They have clearly been researching the electronic cigarette industry and 'building considerable expertise'.

The fact that they are "actively engaging with regulators" can only mean that they are intending to make a big move soon. Don't be alarmed by the phrase "to support the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks" - The tobacco companies will be ensuring regulations that are appropriate to them eg. freely available to over 18's, clarifying the advertising rules and ensuring that they have the Green Light from the Government to jump in.

This is mixed news, with plusses and minuses for us, but it is also inevitable. Tobacco companies will not sit on the sidelines for ever.

Hi EqJack,

You said in post #16 that you are aged 18.

If this is the case, then 10 out of 10 to you - for effort, entrepreneurial spark, ideas, and spirit.

Don't take it to heart if people are critical of your website - there are some folks out there with alot more experience than you who have made a complete hash of it.

You asked for advice, so here is mine (for what its worth)

E-cigs are a form of Tobacco Harm Reduction, not a device for quitting. If a smoker wants to 'quit' they should go and visit their GP who will give them the best advice based on their personal situation.

This is a sector where you really do have to know about the subject, and it is not just the products, but also the regulations that cover the products as well as the regulations that cover online retail in general (such as Distance Selling Regulations) - find out about all of these.

There is no shortage of e-cig products in the UK, especially in the online sector. Would someone buy from a dropshipper when they can get their products from a UK Vendor that offers next day delivery, warranty exchanges etc

What would you say to a customer who found that that after paying for their order from you, were told by Customs that there is an additional bill for Import Duty and VAT when the product entered the UK? (it does happen from time to time) - would you cover it, or would you explain on your website that additional charges may also apply.

I personally do actually believe that there is a shortage in the over-the-counter retail sector for e-cigs, especially for products that are more advanced than a basic low-powered cigarette looking e-cig.

If you decided to go down this route, then my advice would be this:

- To start with, do not import yourself - at least until your business has grown enough to afford the correct product liability insurance and comply with all the import requirements.
- Start by getting your wholesale supplies from larger UK Vendors - they have the experience and expertise and certification to provide reassurance that the products are safe and comply with UK regulations.

There is no such thing as 'easy money' in the world of e-cigs - if done properly.

But there is money to be earned if you are prepared to put the time and effort in.

And you have demonstrated that you have the get-up-and-go mentality, the entrepeneurial flair - I am sure that you could be very successful if you decide to work at it and give it a go.

Golden Rule - do not cut corners.


Best wishes

Glugg.

Stoptober flop


An independent survery conducted by OnePoll has found that only 54% of smokers were even aware of 'Stoptober' - with less than 1 in 5 considering attempting to stop.

45% of smokers described the process of trying to give up smoking as ‘hard’ or ‘very hard’.

At the same time, more than half of the respondents said they were ‘interested’ or ‘very interested’ in using electronic cigarettes as a harm-reduction alternative to tobacco cigarettes.

The survey found that 18% of smokers have tried e-cigs and 62% still use them on a regular basis, with ‘reduction in damage to health’ being the most popular reason.

The poll questioned 1,000 British smokers and was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of E-lites.

More details here:

www.responsesource.com/news/74438/majority-of-smokers-are-ignoring-stoptober-says-survey


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Don't be daft.

I think it looks quite cool, and slightly futuristic. Makes a pleasant change to see someone selling something a bit different to common old eGo.

Might treat myself at Xmas.