How To Sell Vape: A Guide To Selling Vapes Online

If you’re thinking of opening up a vape store, there’s plenty to think about. With age-restrictive products, it can be a slightly more complicated task than opening other small businesses. Fortunately, we have the information you need to help you select one of the best point of sale systems for your needs and give you some helpful tips on how to get started.

How To Get Started Selling Vape Products

Create A Business Plan:

Before you get your business off the ground, you’ll need to outline your goals. A good exercise for any new business owner is to create a one-page business plan. This will help you get an estimate of your basic costs and expenses and can give you a convenient checklist of priorities. Some of the things you’ll need to consider at this point in your journey are what to name your business, how many employees you might need, and what the tax rates will be in the state you’re living in. With vape products, you’ll also need to make sure that you’re complying with basic government regulations.

Research Trends:

Presumably you’ll have some base knowledge of the vape industry before you’re ready to open for business. However, making sure that you’re staying on top of current trends in an industry that is constantly changing is incredibly important. YouTube and online forums are great sources for industry-specific tips. You’ll also want to research what type of vape products you’ll want to sell.

Get Your License & Permits

There are a lot of i’s to dot and t’s to cross when it comes to selling vape products. You’ll need to register your business and make sure you’re following all government regulations. This includes making sure that you label all products with the proper health warnings. There may also be additional local permits that you need to obtain depending on where you’re located, and you will likely have to check with your individual county to see what is required.

Get Start-Up Cash

As with any small business, you’ll probably need to procure at least some start-up cash. You can try popular crowd-funding sites like Kickstarter, or you could try to get a small business loan. This will be important in filling out your inventory and making sure that you have enough cash to pay for your licenses and permits so that you’re not in an immediate crunch for money. You can also sign up for a business credit card that you use to build credit or just for emergencies.

Get Insured

Even if you’re just an online retailer, having at least basic business insurance is a smart idea. This can cover you for basic liability but also if there are issues with any of the products you’re selling. Insurance in the vape industry can be a little more complicated than that of other businesses, so you may want to go with a company that has specific policies for vape retailers.

What Kind Of Vape Products Can I Sell?

Your online vape business can offer a wide variety of vape-related products to shoppers. These products can be obtained from thousands of manufacturers, and they all require age verification.

Note that all of these products lend themselves to subscription sales. Whether it’s batteries, coils, or liquid, you can meet your customer’s needs and boost your sales by setting up automatic deliveries on the timetables your customers prefer for these items.

Here is a quick list of the types of vape products you can sell:

How Do I Ship Vape Products?

In 2021, restrictions that limit shipping options for vape went into effect. Designed to protect young people from the long-term health effects of using tobacco products, the updated PACT Act puts new requirements and restrictions on tobacco and tobacco product sellers. These include:

• Compliance With State, Local, & Tribal Laws Involving Excise Taxes
• Registration With The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms
• A Postal Ban On Shipping Vapes

What does this postal ban mean for vape sellers? As of October 2021, the US Postal Service is banned from transporting vapes and other smokeless tobacco products. Other prominent carriers, including UPS and FedEx, have followed suit and announced that they will end shipping for vaping devices and parts. This is true even of vaping products that do not contain tobacco.

This ban applies also to hybrid services that rely on USPS for last-mile delivery. That means your vape shipments may not be as easy to ship as you’d like — but it’s still possible to sell vape online and ship to customers. You may need to comply with additional shipping requirements, such as shipping only in original packaging, using two boxes for every shipment, and providing internal cushioning.

Look for integrations with shipping software like ShippingEasy and Easyship that have recognized these difficulties and have committed to supporting online vape sales by partnering with regional carriers that will deliver vape products to your customers.

The Best POS Systems For Vape Stores

The best platforms that enable you to sell vape online and in person have the tools you need to stay compliant with legal requirements and grow your shop.

How The Best Platforms For Selling Vapes Compare