Things to Consider When Opening a Smoke or Vape Shop

Smoke and vape shops have become increasingly popular business ventures in recent years. Due to the decreasing popularity in traditional cigarettes and the rise in e-cigarettes and vape pens, this venture has proven to be a rather lucrative career move. However, as with any business, one must consider many factors before opening a smoke or vape shop. In fact, due to the nature of the industry, one must take even more considerations into account. Vape and smoke shops must adhere to a stricter set of business regulations and guidelines that more traditional businesses don’t have to worry about. This guide explores those guidelines and examines three important things to consider when opening a smoke or vape shop.

Legality

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when you’re opening a smoke or vape shop is legality. All businesses that sell tobacco products must adhere to a specialized set of business guidelines and regulations. This includes smoke and vape shops. To ensure your business remains on the right side of the law, you must familiarize yourself with state and local ordinances regarding the sale of tobacco products. Such regulations are governed differently depending on your location, and certain areas may have more specialized requirements. It’s also important to remain abreast of federal vaping laws, which are mandated by the FDA. 

Safety

Your customers’ and employees’ safety should be of the utmost importance when you’re opening a smoke or vape shop. Certain elements that are used to create tobacco or vape products—such as the batteries in e-cigarettes and vape pens—can be quite reactive, so it’s important to adopt the necessary precautions for their safe handling and sale. Start by investing in insurance for your company. This will provide additional security in the event an accident does occur. It’s also recommended that you analyze your methods of waste removal. Certain vape and e-liquid products use chemicals that can become quite volatile if you dispose of them incorrectly. Setting up a specialized waste management method for the disposal of these products will keep staff and customers safe at all points in the process.

Branding

Branding and marketing are important elements for any up-and-coming business, but they’re extremely important for smoke and vape shops. Because stores that sell tobacco products must follow more specialized guidelines, you must be extremely careful about how you advertise your services. For instance, all promotional materials and product advertisements must clearly state any applicable health warnings upfront. You must also be aware that some online entities do not allow the advertisement of tobacco products on their sites, which may significantly hinder your digital and social media marketing opportunities.