26
TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
JULY/AUGUST 2014
CATEGORY MANAGER
VAPOR MARKET
T
here are now more than 16,000 vape shops, or
stores dedicated primarily to selling electronic
cigarettes, personal vaping devices, e-liquids, and
other vapor-related tobacco products and accessories,
according to online E-Cigarette Forum’s Neil McLaren.
Speaking at Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association’s
spring conference, McLaren presented the results of his
firm’s recent survey of vaping consumers to members of
the nascent industry.
“We asked consumers what they were most concerned
about with regard to product safety, and the No. 1 response
was batteries,” said McLaren, who noted that despite
the industry hoopla about standards for e-liquids due to
the toxicity of pure nicotine, most consumers are less
concerned about liquid safety issues. “We asked, ‘Are you
likely to spend more for an e-liquid from a larger, more
established company?’ and 67.4 percent said ‘No.’”
However, consumers did express interest in supporting
companies that, in turn, support consumers’ right to vape.
“A significant number responded that it is important to
them that they buy from a company that is engaged in
the regulatory process,” McLaren said. “However, they
also said that they are not sure who those companies are.
We think this suggests [that] there is a real opportunity
Vaping: A Market Share Shakeout
Vapor systems and vape-only retail stores are gaining ground.
Faster Growth for Tank-Style Vaping
YES
(currently carry)
NO
(but plan to carry soon)
NO
(no plans to carry)
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
36%
36%
28%
Do you carry any “tank-style” vaporizers?
Source: Wells Fargo/Tobacco Talk Retailer Survey
2012
2013
2014E
150%
187%
147%
195%
283%
298%
350%
300%
250%
200%
150%
100%
50%
0%
% of growth in the U.S. retail sales
of the total e-vapor sales category
% of growth in the U.S. retail sales
of just the vapor/tanks category
