CVIC

Data from on-ground promotions in London 500+ Visited over 500 stores/distributors.

 

CVIC’s on-ground promotion team, divided into two groups, spent 25 days visiting 7 major districts in the London city area, as well as one wholesale market, covering a total of 500+ stores/distributors.

 

Wholesale Market SOUTHALL

The most concentrated e-cigarette wholesale market in London (according to the store owners here, it was originally a wholesale market for general merchandise, mainly serving surrounding cities and districts of London. With the rise of e-cigarettes, many Indian and Pakistani individuals have started purchasing from Manchester and gradually formed a sales trend. This market is also the source of goods for retail stores in various regions of London. Currently, many businesses in this market have their own sales channels. There are approximately 50 e-cigarette stores, with around 30 specializing in wholesale and 20 being comprehensive stores. In addition, there are around 10 3C digital and general merchandise distributors who are preparing to enter the e-cigarette sales channel by selecting products and adjusting their store layouts.

 

The seven major districts of London

 

Wood Green

 

The district is quite large, and the e-cigarette stores are relatively scattered. Overall, there are 6 specialized e-cigarette stores (in addition to the three local major brands, common brands include VOOPOO, XOMO, SMOK, Dinner Lady, MOTI, etc.). There are around 5 comprehensive e-cigarette stores for general merchandise, primarily focusing on disposable products. They stock around 600 mainstream brands, catering to both regular and larger-sized devices. The store owners are predominantly of Indian and Pakistani descent. There are also 7-8 convenience stores where you can typically find the three major mainstream brands. The average daily turnover for each convenience store is over 400 pounds.

 

Brook Street

 

This area is located in the bustling section of central London, and almost every tourist merchandise store sells disposable electronic cigarettes (in addition to the three local major brands, other visible brands include HQD, FUMOT, etc.). There are 8 specialized electronic cigarette stores, with a product display rate of 60% for large vapor devices, open systems, and e-liquids, and 40% for disposable products. Many of these store owners are e-cigarette enthusiasts who have their own preferences for vaping and pay particular attention to the appearance and flavor of disposable products.

 

Oxford Circus

There are 9 specialty e-cig stores, and many of them sell hookahs.

 

Edgware Road

There are 3 specialty e-cig stores and 4 general merchandise stores, while most convenience stores also carry the products.

 

Praed Street

There are a total of 27 e-cig stores, including 7 specialty stores, and 7 stores primarily focused on online sales.

 

City Road

There are 2 specialty e-cig stores, and primarily focused on online sales.

 

Bush Wood

There are 14 specialty e-cig stores, 15 general merchandise stores, and 15 3C digital stores.

 

 

Observations on the E-Cigarette Market in London

 

Data from on-ground promotions in Manchester

360+ Visited over 360 stores/distributors.

The CVIC’s on-ground promotion team was divided into three groups and spent 16 days visiting the main commercial districts of Manchester, the second-largest city in the UK, as well as the largest wholesale market in Manchester. They also visited the major cities of Liverpool, Sheffield, and Preston, which are adjacent to each other. In total, CVIC team visited over 360 retail stores and distributors.The CVIC’s on-ground promotion team was divided into three groups and spent 16 days visiting the main commercial districts of Manchester, the second-largest city in the UK, as well as the largest wholesale market in Manchester. They also visited the major cities of Liverpool, Sheffield, and Preston, which are adjacent to each other. In total, CVIC team visited over 360 retail stores and distributors.

 

 

Wholesale Market

Cheetham Hill

Manchester is home to the largest e-cigarette wholesale market in the UK, with approximately 70 professional e-cigarette wholesalers. These businesses not only serve customers in the UK but also cater to the entire European and Middle Eastern markets. In addition to mainstream brands, some merchants also sell their own branded products, which are generally homogeneous and primarily targeted at second/third-tier markets and emerging markets, focusing on bulk shipments. However, these merchants have a limited overall awareness of branding.

 

In addition to e-cigarette merchants, the wholesale market in Manchester has around 100 merchants specializing in 3C electronics, general merchandise, toys, and other products. The majority of these merchants are of Indian and Pakistani descent and have well-established distribution channels. They are also eager to enter the e-cigarette industry. Their main challenge lies in a lack of in-depth understanding of the Chinese e-cigarette supply chain resources. They are willing to seek cooperation with high-quality Chinese e-cigarette manufacturers to jointly explore the market.

 

Surrounding major cities

 

During the visits to various cities near Manchester, the following observations were made:

Liverpool (approximately 46 kilometers from Manchester): Visited 5 e-cig stores and 11 general merchandise stores.

– Sheffield (approximately 53 kilometers from Manchester): Visited 7 e-cig stores and 10 general merchandise stores.

– Preston (approximately 53 kilometers from Manchester): Visited 4 e-cig stores and 9 general merchandise stores.

 

Product shelving instructions

 

The majority of merchants in Liverpool, Sheffield, and Preston source their products from distributors in Manchester. Their product offerings include open-system devices, e-liquids, disposable products, and CBD products. In e-cig stores, open-system products and e-liquids make up around two-thirds of the displays, while general merchandise stores (such as 3C electronics stores and convenience stores) primarily focus on disposable products.

 

Main districts of Manchester

King Street

King Street, located at the heart of Manchester, is considered the busiest commercial district and is home to the largest Chinatown in the UK. It is also home to shopping centers like Market Street and Manchester Arndale. Within a 3-mile radius, there are over twenty specialized e-cigarette stores, as well as numerous convenience stores, digital stores, and general merchandise stores.

The products available for sale include popular brands such as SMOK, VOOPOO, ELF BAR, LOST MARY, and SKE, catering to the diverse preferences of e-cigarette consumers in the area.

 

Curry Mile

This district is located near Manchester University and is known as an Indo-Pakistani commercial area. The commercial street, which spans over 1 mile, features three specialized e-cigarette stores that primarily sell open-system devices, e-liquids, and disposable products. Additionally, there are approximately 10 convenience stores, digital stores, and general merchandise stores in the area. This street is also the closest commercial area to Manchester University and offers a variety of dining options and daily necessities for students and residents alike.