LA Vape Market: FLUM Far Ahead, GEEKBAR Has Promising Future

TPE24 is about to open, and VPFIT visits the US offline vape market in Los Angeles. The US FDA has become increasingly strict in regulating atomized vapes. How do China vape products enter California? Which vapes brand are favored by vapors? What are the characteristics of the product?

Form a company in the United States

On January 24, at a dealer’s store in LA, the store’s area and vape brand products is very complete. The store dealer says that importing vapes now requires a U.S. tobacco business license and a U.S. business account. Otherwise the goods may be detained by customs. He says that in order to continue selling in the U.S. market, the best solution for Chinese vape brands is to establish a company in the US. Then export the vapes from China themselves and sell them through these dealers.

There are three levels of tobacco business licenses in California:

Retail license, $200 per year;

Wholesale license costs $260 per year;

Distribution license costs US$4,000 per year.

Judging from the products in his store, flavored tobacco products still occupy a mainstream position. At the scene, we observed that a retailer purchased 6 boxes of FLUM’s Pebble series vapes, 5 boxes of GEEK BAR Pulse vapes with side screens. He also purchased some cigarette papers and 16 boxes of zyn snus. These products were all flavor vaping products. It shows that the market demand for flavor vapes still exists.

But the flavor ban implemented in California caused his store sales to drop by 20%. When asking whether he has tried online channels, the retailer says he has not.

At another dealer’s store, clerks says that the flavor ban has reduced their sales by about 30%. But they also sell other tobacco-related products, such as hookah, cigarette papers and lighters.

The distributor points that the flavor ban is mainly implemented at retailers. And it does not have much impact on the wholesale end. At the same time, they do not consider using online sales channels. Because they believe that selling tobacco products online has greater risks.

FLUM and GEEK BAR are popular

The staff of the two stores unanimously stated that FLUM is their best-selling vape brand in 2023. More specifically, the FLUM’s Pebble series.

The staff of the first store told us that the store’s selection criteria are first and foremost quality and taste. “I think the key to long-lasting sales of vape products is quality and taste, not design.” He gave the example of FLUM Pebble. It is a vape device with no curved screens. But due to its excellent quality and taste, it becomes the best-selling vape in their stores in 2023.

The staff of the second store believes that FLUM’s Pebble series is still popular. But he is also optimistic that the GEEK BAR Pulse product with a side screen also has such advantages. This product is placed in the front of the store, and the clerk thinks it will be the best-selling brand in 2024.

Conclusion

The above are some information we get from LA vape market. Hope this can help Chinese vape manufacturing factories and companies know better about US vape market. 2024 has start, we need to consider about the marketing and branding strategy in this year. And put it into actual action.

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