In the first of our series of JAC Talk interviews, we've caught up with our Customer Service Manager, Jane Allan, to pick her brain a little about the kinds of things which crop up when speaking to new vapers.
What are some of the most common questions you receive from new vapers?
The most common questions we receive from customers are 'which starter kit would be the best for me', 'which strength/type of e-liquid should I be using' and 'how often should I change the coil in my tank'?
Our team are very knowledgeable and are experts in terms of advising customers on this kind of thing. We always aim to introduce new users to vaping in the most successful way possible, which is why we try to get as much information as possible about their previous smoking habits in order to give the best advice we can.
These kinds of questions will never really change - it's normal for new vapers to seek advice on the type of kit they should be using, so people should never feel like they can't come to us for advice.
So, what types of devices tend to be most popular among new vapers?
Most new vapers are looking for something relatively small initially, the kind of device which resembles a tobacco cigarette, such as our V3i range. These are great for people who want something that is as close to regular cigarettes as possible, which is often what new users are searching for.
When they become familiar with vaping, however, it's common for users to then experiment with something that will last a little longer, or offers more power, flexibility, or bigger throat hit.
To be honest, the best advice we can give is to use whatever works for you. Increasingly, we're seeing new vapers jumping straight in with more advanced devices like the SERIES-B. While these might take a little longer to get to grips with, there's no reason even brand new vapers can't use them.
How do you expect the new regulations brought in by the TPD to affect people making the switch to vaping?
I see this a positive thing for customers once the regulations are fully in effect, as it will give customers reassurance that all products which are sold are being tested to the same standard. Any businesses which are not testing their products adequately will be endangering customers and breaking the law, so regulation in this sense will help to push out the cowboys leaving customers with greater peace of mind when shopping.
Is sub-ohm something new vapers should consider?
As a general rule, most beginners might find the idea of sub-ohm vaping a little daunting. There is a lot to learn, particularly when it comes to battery safety, and users who don't want to commit the time to learning what's required should probably start with a simpler device.
That doesn’t mean that this process is impossible for a beginner to learn, it's just something that shouldn’t be started without careful consideration. And in many instances, new vapers choose to upgrade to a purpose built sub-ohm kits once they've got to grips with vaping in general.
What are some of the most frequent issues new users have with sticking to vaping over going back to tobacco?
The number one problem that new vapers experience which might turn them off from vaping altogether is not getting the same hit that they get from a draw of a cigarette, or still experiencing a craving for tobacco.
This is almost always because the strength of e-liquid that they are using isn't high enough to meet their needs, which is why it’s so important to get in touch with our Customer Service team when picking out your first kit. While settling on a nicotine strength can take a little trial and error when starting out, we can usually advise which e-liquid strength is going to work best for you.