Is Vaping Still Worth Investing In From 2019 to 2020?

At the beginning of the year, everyone was saying that vaping was the most promising investment trend of 2019, so I opened a dedicated vape shop with a friend. When choosing a brand, we kept going back and forth between Huoqi and RELX. Later, considering that there was still no Huoqi specialty store in our area, we chose Huoqi.
 
After the Notice was issued on November 1 banning online sales and promotion, many people asked me whether it was no longer suitable to stay in the vaping business. At first, I was a little worried too. But during the more than 20 days since the online sales ban took effect, not only has the number of people coming to our shop to buy vaping devices not decreased, it has actually increased somewhat. We have even had many people see our store information on Moments and message us directly on WeChat asking us to ship products to their homes.

At present, this store of mine has been open for more than seven months, and the second location is also in preparation. Based on the operating experience from the past half year or so, I would like to share a few things that should be noted and considered when joining a vape franchise or choosing a vape brand.

First, look at the brand’s recognition in the domestic market. It is best to choose one of the top-tier brands, such as RELX, Huoqi, or MOTI. The reason for choosing a leading brand to partner with is, first, that product quality is more reliable, with relatively lower rates of leakage and seepage. That way, customers who buy from you can enjoy a better experience, and when they want to buy again, they are more likely to come back to your store. Second, leading brands can respond more quickly to policy changes and adjustments, and they are more likely to survive in the midst of fierce brand competition.

Second, consider the franchise support policies and risk control measures of the vape brand. In this regard, Huoqi has been quite considerate toward franchisees. Starting from November 10, as long as the products were ordered from Huoqi headquarters, if offline sales could not proceed normally due to the impact of national policy, Huoqi would accept a full return and refund. Honestly, this kind of franchise policy takes on the risk for franchisees like us arising from policy changes, so all we need to do is run the store well without too many worries.

Another very important point is product quality. Be sure to choose products with generally low leakage and seepage rates. Otherwise, it will create a lot of trouble for after-sales service, consumers will be dissatisfied, the store’s reputation will suffer, and profits will definitely be affected. Now that the main battleground for vaping has shifted offline,

more than 20 days have passed since online sales were banned on November 1. Judging from what we have seen during this period, after the online ban, the offline pricing system has become more stable, and low-price cross-region dumping has basically disappeared. In contrast, this is more favorable for the operation of physical stores.

Overall, choosing to get into vaping under the current circumstances is both an opportunity and a challenge. In my view, the opportunity outweighs the challenge, because a major opportunity is emerging through standardization and the shift to offline channels. Therefore, whether choosing a brand or selecting a store location, you need to think carefully. Choose a leading brand, make good use of the brand’s advantages and the strength of its team, keep risk under control, and sell reliable products—only then can both sides win.