Next-generation nicotine is a growing and increasingly complex category, and vaping trends can be intimidating for convenience store owners to keep up with.

A constant stream of innovation makes it challenging to keep on top of which vaping products to stock, while getting the range that meets the demands of both new and experienced consumers can also be challenging.

We speak to JTI’s Head of Reduced Risk Products Nick Geens to get his five tips to help retailers get the most from their next-gen nicotine range, whether they’re new to the category or looking to build on the range they already have.

1. Stock open and closed tank devices

“Pod-mods, also known as closed tank systems, are growing in popularity as a small, convenient vaping product. However, refillable, open tank devices are still the biggest part of the vaping market today, responsible for between 50% and 60% of sales in the convenience sector. Keep this in mind and make sure your range offers both devices to meet customer needs.”

2. Go beyond vaping

“Next-gen nicotine products aren’t limited to vaping. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are popular in the US and Scandinavia, and the growth of tobacco-free products in the UK has led to more companies looking at this category, for example JTI has recently launched Nordic Spirit.”

3. Create an attractive vape display

“Get a good counter top unit or category managed merchandising unit to promote the range you have in your store, and make sure adult vapers can easily see your products and the individual pricing. You could put in a display that lets them read up on the product, and touch the packaging, rather than having it out of reach and difficult to see.”

4. Stock vape starter kits

“It’s also key that retailers can offer an easy to use starter kit. Customers who are new to the vaping category may want to experiment with flavours and strengths to find the right fit, and capsule devices offer an ideal starting point. For example, the Logic Compact Starter Kit has everything you need to get started – including a device, charger and 2 flavour pods.”

5. Cater for more experienced vapers

“More experienced vapers will look for bigger batteries, higher powered coils and different types of liquid, including nic salts (nicotine salts). They’ve already had the basics explained to them, so it’s about being able to offer what they need. They’ll come in looking for a specific e-liquid, for example, and you need to be able to offer them the brand and the product that they like.”

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