Fash Ferdowsian, director at Royal Flush Vape, says having a website has provided a great platform for vapers to get their essentials over the past year and is now a major part of his business model.

He, like many convenience store owners, had to adapt and change according to government Covid-19 guidelines, and in turn, it has facilitated new consumer trends in vaping, such as bulk buying of e-liquids and coils.

Below are the top three takeaways from his store:

Menthol e-liquids remain strong as ever

“Since the menthol ban last May, we have noticed an increase in new customers, with their preferred varieties being menthol e-liquids, but luckily, we haven’t had to change anything to adapt.

“We have always provided a large range of menthol options, alongside fruit and dessert varieties for those looking for them.

“With so many ex-smokers switching to vaping due to the menthol ban, we ran a Stoptober – the 28-day stop-smoking challenge – which proved to be very successful.

“It is important to take advance of initiatives such as these, including Vapril, to push sales of vapes at critical moments.”

Having an online presence is essential in vaping

“Due to the pandemic, it’s clear to see that people have started to shop online much more frequently, especially when total lockdowns are in force preventing access to physical non-essential vape stores like ours.

“However, having an online presence, royalflushvape.co.uk, allows us to continue providing our customers with the products and services they require.

“Although our website has provided a great platform for vapers to get their vaping essentials, we look forward to welcoming customers back to our store when it’s safe to do so.”

More shoppers are buying pod systems

“We’re noticed quite a few buying habits emerge in the past year. One of the most notable recent trends has been the increase in pods, also known as closed devices.

“The industry seems to be moving more towards pod systems with the majority of big manufacturers focusing on these vape kit designs.

“In addition to pod systems, we’ve also noticed that customers are buying their e-liquids and coils in bulk. This is mainly due to the current climate with the pandemic and lockdown restrictions.”

Read the full profile with Royal Flush Vape in the March issue of Vape Retailer by purchasing your copy here, and gain access to the latest developments and trends in the vaping sector

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