E-cigarette use and vaping are growing popular by the day, as more and more smokers ditch traditional cigarettes for a new era of smoking.
A study by the PSD Center estimates that the number of grownups on e-cigs and vapes will touch 55 million by 2021.
That’s good news for anyone looking to venture in the business, but also plenty of food for thought because a lucrative spot often means cut-throat competition.
Only businesses that draft a fine blueprint and follow best practices from scratch stand a chance.
Steps to Launch a Vape Store Website
- Pick a domain
A unique website domain has a positive effect on customer opinion and can further reinforce your brand name. Strive to get your own even if you plan to sell on an eCommerce platform.
Get a customized domain name depending on your target geography. You also want to pick a vape-relevant domain name that will stick in your prospect’s mind.
Make it short and straightforward to avoid losing traffic.
- Select an eCommerce Platform
With the custom domain name ready, a business can now put up a vape store.
Magento and WooCommerce are some of the platforms that accept vape businesses.
Businesses that need platforms that handle all back-end processes should try solutions like 3dcart. Shopify, too would have been a great option. Unfortunately, it does not work with e-cig and vape merchants.
- Do web design and Page Branding
Impression is everything when looking to convert prospects to clients.
Branding is also important because you want a customer journey that will engrave your name in every client’s mind.
Use pre-made e-cig and vape templates if you are not proficient at web design.
Lastly, choose a logo that matches your businesses and make it prominent in all important pages.
- Prepare to Verify Age
To run a compliant vape store, you must be strict on age verification.
Vape regulations in different nations seek to protect minors from vaping products.
Operating in compliance matters because selling to minors can lead to serious fines and a tainted brand name.
Read all national and local laws thoroughly when setting up shop. Do not risk your business.
- Be Ready to Ship
Choose a shipping strategy that’s within your means and budget.
Consider the most economical strategy, but don’t compromise on customer experience. Implement package tracking to update clients on order status.
Proper packaging is also essential in avoiding product returns and ensuring the best unboxing experience.
- Prepare to Collect Payments
Once you hit the ground running, you’ll need to collect customer payments.
Vaping businesses are considered high-risk, so your best bet for a merchant account lies with high-risk payment providers.
A merchant account is a temporary reserve for the credit card payments you collect before transferring to a bank account.
But credit cards are just one way to take payments. You can also diversify your payment avenues like bitcoin to appeal to different customers.