What Is the Difference Between Opening a YOOZ Authorized Store and a Multi-Brand Store?

Currently, major e-cigarette brands are actively establishing authorized specialty stores offline, and YOOZ is no exception. With a substantial subsidy plan, it aims to open a total of 10,000 physical stores this year. Many interested friends may initially be confused about the difference between authorized specialty stores and multi-brand stores, so today we will explain it from several aspects.

1. Official Subsidies

Only YOOZ experience stores that have passed official review and are decorated according to uniform standards can apply for official subsidies after passing inspections and completing a series of training and exams.

The form of subsidies is not fixed; some provide two months' rent based on the store's monthly rent, while others subsidize an equivalent amount of goods based on sales (at the official uniform retail price). However, the current issue is that the time from subsidy application to implementation can take too long, ranging from 2 to 6 months. Multi-brand stores cannot apply for official subsidies.

2. Promotion through Official Public Accounts

All YOOZ authorized experience stores that pass inspections will be included in the nearby stores section of the official public account after passing store training exams. Users who follow the YOOZ public account can search for your experience store by clicking on nearby stores (if the user's current location is close enough to your store). Multi-brand stores will not be included in the YOOZ public account.

3. Legitimate Supply Channels

Authorized specialty stores are directly supplied by the city agents responsible for that area. Of course, if you have sufficient resources and strong connections, you can even bypass the city agent and source directly from the provincial agent, which is the most reliable channel for genuine products. In contrast, many multi-brand stores source products themselves from provincial agents, city agents, or even specialty stores, and some may even have to rely on micro-businesses, which not only lacks quality assurance but also makes it difficult to guarantee the stability of the supply. Especially for friends sourcing from micro-businesses, if they encounter top merchants, they might get genuine products at a low price, but most end up being deceived.

4. Sales Categories

As a YOOZ authorized experience store, apart from related accessories, selling e-cigarettes from other brands is not allowed. If found selling compatible products or e-cigarettes from other brands, severe penalties will be imposed, and serious violations may lead to the cancellation of authorization. Multi-brand stores do not have this restriction, as they do not receive official subsidies and benefits, so they have fewer constraints. Multi-brand stores can sell various brands, whether cheap, expensive, attractive, or flavorful, providing customers with more suitable choices.

5. After-Sales Service

For authorized specialty stores, as long as the after-sales products are official genuine products, they can enjoy formal after-sales service. However, the waiting period for after-sales can be very long; it is normal for products sent to provincial agents, then to the YOOZ brand, to take 1 to 2 months for inspection and confirmation before returning. This is a significant complaint. The after-sales service for multi-brand stores is generally handled by sending products back to where they were sourced, and the waiting time follows the same after-sales process. If the chosen sourcing channel is unreliable, there is a high chance of not even having the opportunity to enjoy after-sales service.

6. Brand Protection Policy

The last point is YOOZ's brand protection policy. YOOZ authorized experience stores enjoy a "one store per location" brand protection, meaning only one specialty store will be authorized in the same shopping mall to avoid homogenized competition and expand the coverage of the sales network. Multi-brand stores do not benefit from this protection policy, and while they enjoy the advantages of multiple brands, categories, and price levels, it is understandable that they lose some privileges.

The above six points outline the main differences between opening a YOOZ authorized specialty store and a multi-brand store. Everyone can make a thorough assessment and plan based on their actual situation to avoid unnecessary losses due to insufficient understanding.