What should I do with my online vape shop? Maybe for sale?

[antropy]

Hi all,

We built this vape shop a good few years ago and after a slow start, sales picked up:
https://www.vapeliquiduk.com/

We built it more to understand our ecommerce customers than to make a huge profit.

We were dropshipping from JM Wholesale and most things were automatic, we just had to fund the account every so often with credit.

So why not keep it going?

Recently JM has been dropping the ball, taking orders but not actually sending them out. They're having staffing issues and I've lost all confidence in their ability to deliver our orders.

I'm getting emails all day from angry customers saying "where's my stuff". One person replies at JM who's decent but the management don't seem to reply or care what's going on there. I've had to refund all recent orders.

I've had a very good look and it doesn't seem there are any other companies that dropship vapes in the UK.

So what should we do? Currently it's not accepting orders because I don't trust JM to deliver them.

Paul.

 

[antropy]

I'm perfectly capable of asking ChatGPT myself, and as I said we've searched hard and found no other dropshippers that are currently operating.

Paul.

 

[WebDesires]

ok no worries just trying to help.

The only other solution is to start sourcing stock and distributing yourself, but that would take some capital and of course you would need to do more work instead of just sitting back having things managed for you, so understand this isn't probably in your best interest.

Good luck

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Speak to existing bricks & mortar shops - they could extend their distribution by taking on your site or help you with the distribution.

 

[antropy]

Speak to existing bricks & mortar shops - they could extend their distribution by taking on your site or help you with the distribution.

That's a good idea, they'd need to be set up to ship orders though.

Paul.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

they'd need to be set up to ship orders though.

That's a lot easier to do than set up a physical vape shop!!! Just needs someone with a bit of entrepreneurial spirit!

 

[WaveJumper]

You may find some shops are already set up to deal with online sales, check out your local bricks and mortar shops and their websites

 

[DoolallyTap]

sell your stock and give it up.

 

[Picture Bute]

All the JM Wholesale stuff is just standard 'cash and carry' brand stuff. Find a cash and carry local to you, buy the stuff and send it out yourself. If you can't do that, then close it down. With no stock and an angry customer base, the website has no value.

 

[antropy]

sell your stock and give it up.

It's dropshipping, that means we hold no stock.

Paul.

 

[antropy]

Find a cash and carry local to you, buy the stuff and send it out yourself.

If I was going to do that I wouldn't find a cash and carry, I'd find decent cheap suppliers in China.

But I don't want to find warehouse space and hire someone to pack.

Paul.

 

[fisicx]

If you just shut down the site tomorrow would it make any appreciable difference to your income?

 

[antropy]

If you just shut down the site tomorrow would it make any appreciable difference to your income?

None, but that wasn't the point in running it.

Paul.

 

[Tomedwardz]

Hi Paul Can we discuss this further how can we support you we have some options in mind to discuss with you.

 

[antropy]

Hi Paul Can we discuss this further how can we support you we have some options in mind to discuss with you.

Support me with what?

Paul.

 

[Tomedwardz]

as you raised the query and looking for someone one can fullfill the orders.

 

[antropy]

as you raised the query and looking for someone one can fullfill the orders.

Ah yes, that was one option. I see your message, I will email you!

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Tomedwardz]

Sure, we will wait for your email, thank you.

 

[antropy]

as you raised the query and looking for someone one can fullfill the orders.

I tried to email you but got this:

Message blocked​ Your message to [redacted] has been blocked. See technical details below for more information.

The response from the remote server was: 554 5.7.7 Email policy violation detected​

 

[Tomedwardz]

is there anyway i can share you my contact number and we talk further

 

[Tomedwardz]

I tried to email you but got this:

Message blocked​ Your message to [redacted] has been blocked. See technical details below for more information.

The response from the remote server was: 554 5.7.7 Email policy violation detected​

you can also mail me at [deleted by mod for member privacy]

 

[antropy]

Ok maybe remove that from this public thread.

Will email you now.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Karimbo]

I feel like I may have missed something when I avoided vape shops. My rule as a small time ecom operator is not to get into anything that people put in their body. So no vapes, no food, no supplement.

People don't realise a lot of this stuff just comes straight out of an overseas factory and is never tested, they are packaged at source and sold to consumers.

But I think selling such a highly addictive substance, with returning customers would have been the most profitable site by a country mile for me.

If the website is generating good sales and has organic traffic I would either sell to a competitor or double down and sell the vapes myself.

I have never done 3pl. And always preferred to hold my own stock. And sell.

All the products I sell are small and are stored between my home and self storage units.

Vapes pack nice and small so that is perfect to run a low footprint operation.

 

[P&L]

On a separate note are you aware of the duty changes that start rolling out in October.

I think this will have a significant impact on sales.

 

[antropy]

Vapes pack nice and small so that is perfect to run a low footprint operation.

It's not that great, most people who vape pick them up at newsagents.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances though so it is a bit like legal drug dealing. Although of course the idea is you use them to come off tobacco which is much more harmful.

Paul.

 

[antropy]

On a separate note are you aware of the duty changes that start rolling out in October.

I think this will have a significant impact on sales.

The site is not accepting orders and we won't be turning it back on.

Paul.