As Christmas and New Year are fast approaching, our thoughts have already turned to 2016, with an eye on how the e-cigarette market looks like it might develop.
GROWTH
The Wall Street Journal and Times newspapers both recently reported that the growth in the electronic cigarettes market has started to slow in the United States. They quote a report authored by Euromonitor International that predicts that growth in the US will drop from triple figures for the first time to an estimated 57% next year. However, an interesting find from the same report is that vapers are continuing to move away from cig-a-likes to tank based systems.
Both of these findings are perhaps not surprising as the electronic cigarette industry makes the transition from emergent industry to maturity.
The survey was focused solely on the US market. While the UK and US often go tit-for-tat when it comes to e-cig innovation, the US generally provides a fairly good indication as to the direction the UK market will move in, in terms of market trends.
SEASONAL TRENDS
We decided to conduct our own research, based on our own experience and customers behaviours; aimed at helping us understand seasonal trends within our industry - specific to this time of year.
We looked at data to see how customers are engaging with our website, to determine any shifts in purchasing behaviour and/or any changes / trends in the questions our help desk are being asked.
Although our methodology is less rigorous than the Euromonitor International survey, and is in no way scientific, we have been able to identify several distinct seasonal buying patterns and patterns of engagement that are unique to this time of year.
We are seeing increased traffic to our starter kits section and the other sections of the site created for people either considering making the switch to electronic cigarettes or who’ve just recently made the switch.
Alongside the volume of ‘new to vaping’ and ‘new to JAC Vapour’ questions our help desk is receiving, it is evident to us that the trend of switching from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes is not slowing down or about to slow down, as Euromonitor predicts.
We’ve actually seen a sizeable increase in interest with regards to e-cigarettes, especially since the PHE report was released in August 2015.
It is not only smokers themselves looking to make the switch. It has become clear that people are buying electronic cigarette starter kits as Christmas presents or gifts for smokers in their family or friendship group. This is perhaps a less than subtle way of telling someone that you want them to stop smoking! We certainly don’t think it is because of a newly, increased awareness of the health risks of tobacco. Instead, anecdotally, we think it can be attributed to vapers being prepared to share their positive experiences of vaping once they’ve made the switch and recommending loved ones to JAC Vapour.
It is also possible to notice clear seasonal trends develop in the behaviour and purchasing of more advanced vapers. There has been an increase in activity on the section of our website for advanced vapers.
There has also been an increase in the volume of sales of our premium UK made e-liquids and our vapourless clear steam e-liquids. Both of these have been steadily increasing in popularity as the electronic cigarette market matures and people become more discerning over what they vape, developing a more sophisticated palate. The increase appears to have accelerated as we enter this festive period.
Our vapourless e-liquids are always very popular over the festive period as people gear up for their office Christmas parties or other seasonal parties, where vaping may not be permitted at the chosen venue.