The recent growth in the vape industry is both your biggest opportunity and your toughest challenge.
With new vape shops popping up like dandelions and established players growing even more established, standing out from the crowd has never been more challenging.
If you want your store to succeed, you need a killer vape store marketing strategy — but how do you launch marketing that actually works without tripping over the web of red tape that governs vape advertising?
You need strategies that work within the rules, not around them.
That's exactly what we're sharing today. In this post, we’re breaking down 10 proven ideas that successful vape shop owners use to boost sales while staying on the right side of regulations.
Before we dive into our list of marketing strategies, let’s cover some key ground: regulations. Tobacco advertising rules can feel overwhelming, but you need to understand them inside and out to launch a compliant marketing campaign for your store.
But what are the consequences of messing up and missing a requirement? They’re steep — hefty FDA fines, legal challenges, and potential business closure. You need to follow all vape store marketing regulations to the letter if you want your business to flourish.
Here are the key areas you need to focus on:
Related Read: Vape Marketing 101: Strategies and Regulations for Smoke Shops
Now that you have a solid understanding of vape marketing compliance, let’s explore our list of strategies you can use to bring in my business and stay on the right side of regulations.
Modern customers love variety. Mix and match promotions give your shoppers the variety they want while boosting your average transaction value. The beauty of mix and match promotions is that they introduce customers to products they might not have tried otherwise.
Create bundles combining devices with multiple e-liquid flavors. Consider making a “starter kit” that includes a reliable vape pen with three different juice flavors for new vape users.
Cross-category bundles work well, too. Pair popular accessories like replacement coils or chargers with different juice flavors, or create seasonal combinations to take advantage of hype from upcoming holidays and trends. For example, bundle warming flavors like cinnamon and vanilla during fall months or citrus and refreshing flavors in the summer.
Use a point of sale (POS) system with bundle features to make these promotions easy to manage at checkout. When you build the bundles into your inventory and checkout system, there’s no confusion at the register — just smooth transactions.
Nothing builds long-term relationships like rewarding your best customers. That’s why you should explore implementing a well-designed loyalty program in your store.
Start with a point-based rewards system where customers earn points for every dollar spent. Make your redemption rules simple, like a $10 discount on their next purchase after they earn 100 points, or a freebie after their tenth visit to your store.
You can also create tiered membership levels that unlock better perks as customers spend more.
Don't forget the personal touches that make customers feel special. Birthday discounts, anniversary rewards for their first purchase, and surprise "just because" offers can all help build customer loyalty.
Your POS system becomes the backbone of your loyalty program — it automatically tracks points, manages redemptions, and maintains your customer profiles, so you can easily send out those birthday coupons without manual tracking.
Related Read: 5 Creative Loyalty Programs for Tobacco Stores (+ How To Manage Them)
Chances are, you started a vape store because you’re passionate about the industry. Your expertise, then, is one of your biggest competitive advantages.
Our third vape store marketing idea is to produce educational content marketing to draw customers to your store by positioning yourself as a trusted vaping authority.
Create blogs or social posts that address common questions: vaping basics for beginners, safety guidelines, device maintenance tips, and honest product comparisons. Be sure to write your posts like you're helping a friend — clear, helpful, and jargon-free.
You can also use social posts or your website to share maintenance tips and tutorials for keeping customers’ vapes in tip-top shape. This content works harder for you when it's optimized for search engines. When someone searches "how to clean a vape tank," you want your posts to pop up first.
Your POS system can help you identify which educational topics are the best ones to target to reach your customer base. If many customers buy the same device, for example, you might want to create a dedicated setup and maintenance guide for that specific model.
Email marketing might sound old school at this point, but it’s still one of the highest ROI marketing channels available. The key to a successful email marketing campaign is to send valuable content on a regular basis, rather than spamming customers with sales pitches.
What types of emails should you send? Here are a few ideas:
Segment your email list based on customer preferences and purchase behavior. New vapers need different information than experienced enthusiasts, so tailor your messaging accordingly.
Your POS system makes your email messaging more effective — you can automatically track purchase history and identify customer preferences. Use this data to help you segment your audience and write emails they’ll be excited to open.
When someone buys a starter kit, they should automatically receive a welcome series with helpful tips. When their last coil purchase was six weeks ago, they get a friendly replacement reminder. You can even automate these email sequences to save time and keep your messaging consistent.
If you’re operating a brick-and-mortar vape store, your physical space is one of your biggest competitive advantages. You can use in-store events to transform your shop from somewhere to stop in and grab refills every once in a while to a destination and local hangout for vaping enthusiasts.
Host product launch events for major new releases or run educational workshops on topics like coil building, device maintenance, or flavor pairing. These events position you as the expert while giving customers hands-on learning they can't get online.
You might also consider hosting monthly meet-ups for different interest groups or seasonal celebrations to start building a sense of community around your store.
Use your POS system to track attendance and manage event-specific pricing — you can set up specific SKUs for temporary event pricing and deals, track the events that drive the most sales, and keep track of attendee lists to market directly to them for the next event.
Related Read: Master Smoke Shop Inventory Management in 6 Steps
Social media marketing can be challenging for vape shops — but when you do it right, you can drive more traffic to your store without falling on the wrong side of rules and regulations.
First focus on adult-oriented platforms and create content that clearly targets mature audiences. Review the platform’s terms and conditions around vaping and smoking content before making any posts to ensure you’re following their rules, too.
Once you choose your platform, share product showcases that highlight features and benefits without making health claims. User-generated content campaigns are a strong play for grassroots-style marketing. Encourage customers to share photos of their setups or review their favorite products. This authentic content resonates more than traditional advertising.
Also, don’t just post! Engage with your community by answering questions, sharing news, and celebrating your customers. Think of social media as relationship-building rather than straight promotion.
When potential customers search for "vape shop near me," you want to be the first result they see. Strong local search engine optimization (SEO) on your website and other online accounts ensures your shop appears in local searches and on Google Maps.
Start with a complete Google Business Profile that includes accurate hours, photos of your store, and current contact information. Encourage customers to leave honest reviews, and respond professionally to all feedback you get on your profile.
Be sure to target local keywords in your website content and blog posts. Write about vaping in your specific city or region, sponsor local events, and build relationships with other local businesses for cross-promotional opportunities.
Your happiest customers are your best marketers. Referral programs encourage and reward your most enthusiastic customers by giving them an incentive to bring friends and family to your store.
Start with simple friend referral incentives that benefit both the referrer and the new customer, like offering $10 off for both parties when the referral makes their first purchase.
Consider developing a community ambassador program for your most loyal customers. These enthusiasts can earn ongoing rewards for consistently bringing new people to your store and helping newcomers feel welcome.
Your POS system helps you here by automating referral tracking — doing so eliminates the manual work that often kills referral programs. When a new customer mentions they were referred, your staff can quickly credit the referrer's account and apply the new customer discount. The system tracks it all for you, keeping things fair and streamlined.
Great vape store marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. When you have the right tools, you can turn every transaction into a referral opportunity and every customer interaction into data you can use to market your store.
Modern POS systems build detailed customer profiles that help you better target your marketing. Cigars POS takes this further with features built specifically for vape shops, including:
We've designed every feature to help small business owners like you think big. While other systems make you cobble together solutions, Cigars POS gives you everything you need in one integrated platform that's ready to use from day one.
Marketing your vape shop successfully means balancing creativity with compliance. You don't need to choose between following regulations and driving real results — the right approach does both.
But the right strategies are only part of your journey to profitable vape store marketing. If you really want to set yourself up for success, you need the best tools.
When your POS system handles the heavy lifting like tracking loyalty points, triggering email campaigns, and managing inventory-based promotions, you're free to focus on running your store and building genuine relationships with your customers.
Ready to see how Cigars POS supports your marketing efforts? Schedule a personalized demo today to discover how easy marketing is with the right partner.