Eliquid And Retail Stores

[PADave]

Not sure if this is the proper placement for this topic, but I am sure Chris will move it if it needs moved!

Okay, so I am a fairly new vaper and I got started with one of the overpriced Smoke 51 products from my local tobacco store. (80 bucks for crappy battery life and is now not compatible with anything else out there!) I have now moved on to a Riva and an Ego T-tank kit that I won at Vapefest. Whew..now just gotta figure out my juice(s) of choice!

Anyway...I have been talking to the owner of the local store about how much cheaper, more efficient, and interchangeable different brands are (as opposed to the Smoke 51 that he sells) and trying to talk him into branching out to a more complete range of product options. He seems interested, but is of the strong opinion that he cannot sell Eliquid in his store since it is 'not FDA approved' and he can't see selling the better models if folks can't buy the liquid there as well. While it is his business, and ultimately his decision, I was curious if there are any vendors on here that have retail locations that can address this question. I am in Pennsylvania, and I know there is one retail store about an hour from here (Goodprophets). I have not called them to check about this, but I am interested in any opinions that may come from folks on the forum.

To come totally clean, I made some great wholesale contacts at Vapefest and I am trying to encourage him to branch out so that I can potentially help him on a wholesale level and make some extra cash (to support my new habit).

Thanks in advance for the input.

[Christopher]

The problem with this is risking your product getting seized at the border. When you sell in a brick a mortar store you have much more over head. Utilities, insurance, employees etc etc. Keeping rock bottom prices is tough when the FDA seizes your product and you DON'T get it back. The FDA also has the authority to come into your store whenever they'd like and it wouldn't be the first time.

There are many suppliers, such as ourselves, that would love to branch out into a franchise. It's not that it's a new idea or that we haven't though about it, it's just the amount of red tape and risk just isn't wroth it at the moment. You have to remember the electronic cigarette has a pending import ban in the United States.

The moment we get the green light from the FDA Or some type of regulation guidelines we'll be opening several stores.

[mcquinn]

Not sure how selling Smoke 51 cartridges would be any different than selling liquid in a bottle,neither are FDA approved.The main thing is to be very careful about what you say it is for.It is definitly not a smoking cessation device,of course neither are gum and hard candy.

[Christopher]

+1

[Caughtus]

Here's another question. Is there a difference in ingredients between american and chinese made juices? It seems the juices tested by the fda that contained harmfull chemicals were the ones that were pre-packaged in the chinese made starter kits. Would we be better off only selling american made juices?

[Christopher]

Depends, many of the American mixers use unflavored Chinese e liquid as their base. There are however a few that use their own materials from start to finish. Though you want to make sure you stay away from PEG 400 and use only PG. Make sure if you do purchase from a US based e liqud supplier that they are using a clean room.