January 18, 2021
Wholesale giant Unitas has confirmed that the vape category in convenience stores benefited from the closure of vape stores during the pandemic.
Jim Brown, senior trading controller at Unitas told Vape Business: “Independent retail sales of reduced risk products have been particularly strong, replicating our tobacco category sales. There has been the additional boost in sales as a result of specialist Vape stores being closed during the various stages of lockdown.”
To further boost sales the wholesaler has been communicating best practice advice to its retail customers. “We have been constantly sharing category performance figures and core range advice with our Retailers through 2020 and this will continue in 2021 through our Plan for Profit website and Tobacco Matters campaign,” Brown said.
The company has warned stores to be wary of overstocking on brands that will not have a fast sell-through rate, however, and Brown recommends stores seek out ranging advice from their wholesale partners: “Don’t get sucked into buying the wrong brands by high pressure sales personnel.”
Unitas advice is created for its Symbol and Retail Club customers but, the company says, it is relevant for all convenience retailers using the Plan for Profit website where there is information on the best traditional vape, e-cigarettes, vape pens, heated and pouches for 2021.
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