U.S. officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes. But industry data shows thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China.

Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.

The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.

More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.

  • Galapagon@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    1 year ago

    Assuming 10% of 100,000 is 10k divided by 18 stores is 555 customers each. If everyone only goes once a year, and theyre all open 5 days a week, they still each have 2 customers per day

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      Is 2 customers per day really sustainable for a business like that? The only thing I can think of is that they’re just waiting for the state to legalize weed and all become dispensaries, but there is absolutely no movement on that front.

      • Steve@startrek.website
        4·
        1 year ago

        Maybe, if they both are there for their whole year supply of vapes…

        I dont know how much you can spend on vape, but let me guess $1000 for the year x 2 customers, and assume 50% gross margin.

        So thats $2000 revenue per day, less 1000 for the product, leaves $1000 per day to pay for employees, rent, utilities, advertising, and profit for the owners.

        This assumes everyone in town is a customer…

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          3·
          1 year ago

          I see a lot of people around here vaping, but I don’t think that’s a safe assumption. Otherwise, you could be right. I have no idea. I’ve never vaped and I quit smoking 23 years ago. I just think it’s weird that there are so many.

        • Sylver@lemmy.world
          3·
          1 year ago

          At $20 a pop, with some nicotine addicted habits of buying a new one every other day, that’s over $3,500 a year for just one customer.

      • Galapagon@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        1 year ago

        It depends, if they’re spending say… $60 each? That’s enough to pay a minimum wage employee at least. Also remember these are conservative numbers I’ve made up. It’s likely that people visit more than once per year, sometimes spend more, sometimes spend less exc.

    • epyon22
      1·
      1 year ago

      Many of those businesses won’t be around in a couple years imo. Just cause they exist doesn’t mean they are making money there was a big boom recently with grey area of marijuana and vapes coming on the market. They will settle to a more reasonable level. There is also the possibility that many of these businesses were black market marijuana dealers and now going legitimate so just making their existing business more in the public spot light.