How to open a vape shop in Dubai

by Martin B. · January 13, 2021

Opening a new venture comes with its challenges. It is crucial to know everything regarding that business before jumping into it. You must take one step at a time, Do Your Research, Make a Plan, and Plan Your Finances. Opening a vape store in Dubai comes with its own set of processes, including licensing and permissions. Until mid April 2019.

It was illegal to sell electronic cigarettes in Dubai. Under the Department of Economic Development, the government of Dubai, UAE, introduced an activity called “Electronic commerce of cigarettes and accessories” within the group “Trade of tobacco and tobacco,” which would allow investors to legally get trade license for selling e-cigarettes in the market by registering company in UAE. Now, it has become a commercial activity, with the intention that electronic cigarettes can help to quit smoking by stimulating the experience of smoking cigarettes and hookahs. The vape industry is stable and steadily growing; this might be an excellent opportunity for you to expand as an entrepreneur. To begin with, you need to list down a few aspects and then move ahead. The process can be broken into the following points.

Choose between Franchise or Independent shop: You need to choose what you want and can afford. If you have enough funding, opting for a vaping franchise model might be a good option. It comes with a brand name as well as a planned business model. If your cost is low on budget and you think you can pull off your brand, you should opt for an independent shop.

Know the rules and apply for a legal license: According to the regulations concerning vaping, The law” UAE.S 5030″ allows the sale of electronic cigarettes, shisha electronic devices with liquid refills, and electronic pipes. But to ensure the safety of people, All the manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of battery-powered products need to get approval from the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority (ESMA). So, if you want to start your vaping business in Dubai, you first need to organize the process of registering your vaping business and get the proper visas for all your staff members. You can get a consultation with one of the specialists who deal in the vaping industry.

Gather Finances: It is crucial to keep track of how much finances you can afford to put in. If you go purchasing a franchise business, you need to sort an exact amount beforehand. An independent shop might come at lower costs but will require higher finances for management. If you are short on savings, you can always look for a subsidized SBA loan with your local bank.

Select a vape shop location: As much as the place is significant for real estate, it holds equal value for a retail business. Doing some market research would be very helpful. The crucial elements here are accessibility and visibility. Your shop must often catch people’s eye, and a person looking for your shop must be able to reach it easily. The use of proper and clear signage also helps. Apart from this, it would help if you ever considered that your location fulfills municipal regulations’ requirements.

Stocking products and arranging an inventory: The best price on an authentic product usually comes from the large vaping wholesale distributors rather than the overseas distributors. You must include the following in your shop in the beginning as a minimum requirement,
Hardware including mods, tanks, and starter kits
Vape batteries
E-liquids
Battery chargers
Replacement coils

Besides, a wide range of products of different brands will enable you to reach a broader customer base. You might also consider the newbies, like flavor chasers, MTL vapers, smokers, and drippers. You should always remember that your competition is with an online marketplace with multiple brands on one website; your strength lies in providing convenience and personal service.

Hiring qualified staff: Having a team with the right knowledge about vaping and its products is essential. As most of the consumers’ interaction happens with your staff, the staff should be friendly and make people feel pleased to come back. You can always consider training your Inexperienced staff thoroughly.

After the set-up and opening, you need to consider the digital promotion of your new venture and reach out to potential customers through social media, web pages, and initial word of mouth. It would help if you always kept in mind that being flexible to changes is essential. The trends of products keep changing, and you should continuously be updated with the hot product.

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Martin B.

Ex-smoker, passionate vaper who loves to tell the world about the life-changing potential of vaping. Co-creator of Ecigclopedia with a background in Business & Finance. Prefers a dessert flavored vape and loves to innovate.