Marketing activities of vape shops across racial/ethnic communities

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThere has been a surge in the number of vape shops in the USA. Research on the marketing practices of e-cigarette manufacturers is scarce and even less known are the practices of vape shop retailers. Past research on tobacco marketing has shown differences in the amount and content of marketing material, based on a community’s demographic profile. This study examined marketing strategies in vape shops and explored differences among vape shops located in communities that differ by ethnic composition.METHODSData was gathered in 2014 from a pilot-study on vape shops (n=77) in Los Angeles, which documented the characteristics of shops through employee interviews and in-store observations. Data were collected from shops located in communities that were predominantly, African-American (n=20), Hispanic (n=17), Korean (n=18), or non-Hispanic White (n=22).RESULTSSixty-one percent of vape shops had advertisements (print ads and posters) for e-cigarettes and 84% offered discounts. Vape shops in Hispanic communities were more likely to have ethnic specific marketing material compared to shops in other communities. All the shops provided customers with free samples, however those in Korean and non-Hispanic White communities had a significantly higher prevalence of customer accessible free samples.CONCLUSIONSVape shop marketing practices differed by ethnic community. A large majority of shops provided free samples to their customers, a practice which is now banned by the FDA. It will be important to monitor how vape shops will adjust their marketing strategy because of this ban. Future research should expand on the findings presented here to provide regulators with further crucial information.

Vape shop and consumer activity during COVID-19 non-essential business closures in the USA

“…However, a proportion did not comply with state orders, and others exploited ambiguities (eg, pickup/delivery) or circumvented orders using other tactics, for example, promoting 'pop-up hours', informal arrangements with patrons, or the addition of food for purchase to qualify as 'essential' (without transparency regarding being licenced for food service). 23 Determining whether vape shops were in compliance with closure orders is complicated by ambiguities in non-essential business classifications and potentially contradictory interpretations of state and local policies. We were unable to assess local orders in all 86 jurisdictions represented by the sample of 156 vape shops but determined they were not allowed to be less restrictive than the state orders.…”

Vape shop owners’/managers’ attitudes about CBD, THC, and marijuana legal markets

“…Popular press coverage underscored some of these possibilities with regard to medicinal marijuana legalization. ( Garciotaa et al, 2016 ) However, the current study was exclusively focused on vape shops not selling other tobacco products (i.e., not including head shops). Given current findings that some vape shops would consider a head shop paradigm in a new marijuana retail context, future research might examine the evolution of vape shops versus head shops (i.e., head shops diversifying to carry vaping products or vape shops diversifying to carry other tobacco products/accessories).…”

Notes From the Field: Vape Shop Business Operations Compliance in the Wake of COVID-19

“…Although some vape shops may have taken mitigation measures (such as curbside pickup or home delivery), noncompliance with this statewide mandate is a violation of the ruling with the potential for allowing the spread of the virus. It may have been legal for the vape shops to have remained open if they had previously received a license to sell food, though none have sold food in the past (e.g., García et al, 2016).…”

“…Vape shops had been recruited from predominately African American (n ¼ 24), Hispanic/ Latino (n ¼ 20), Korean/Asian (n ¼ 24), or non-Hispanic White (n ¼ 20) neighborhoods within the greater Los Angeles area. This was accomplished after analyzing the percentages of ethnic composition for each shop's location using the U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder and after exploring each shop's Yelp reviews (see Galimov et al, 2020;Galstyan et al, 2019;García et al, 2016;Sussman et al, 2014).…”