电子烟市场研究

2003年，第一支电子烟（vape）被发明，作为一种比香烟更安全的替代品，并为如今广为人知的电子烟行业铺平了道路。

自诞生以来，电子烟在全球范围内广受欢迎，但也引发了争议。如今，电子烟市场涉及的远不止无烟烟草，尽管大部分市场仍专注于提供更安全的烟草替代品。

为什么电子烟行业很重要？

尽管电子烟对消费者来说有一系列潜在风险，但与烟草或大麻等可燃物质相比，选择电子烟有几个潜在的好处：

1. 便利性——对于许多用户来说，电子烟提供了一种更方便的方式来摄入他们选择的物质。无论是尼古丁、THC、CBD，还是仅仅是调味汁，电子烟都允许人们在自己的住所或活动中（在允许的情况下）吸烟，而不会留下难闻的气味或化学物质。它不会让最终用户闻起来像烟味，这对在办公室工作或住在其他人附近的人很有利。
2. 戒烟——许多吸烟者使用电子烟戒烟或完全替代可燃物，并发现在某些情况下，蒸汽可以舒缓情绪。对于那些喜欢真烟感觉的人来说，电子烟试图通过一种可能更安全的传递方式提供这种感觉。
3. 药物输送 – 电子烟作为不同药物的输送途径的应用随着时间的推移取得了巨大的成功。对于那些难以在不感到恶心的情况下处理药物或吞咽困难的人来说，电子烟提供了一种快速有效的方法来满足他们的需求。
4. 安全性——尽管长期影响尚不完全清楚，但电子烟普遍被视为烟草或其他可燃物的更安全替代品。此外，由于蒸汽比真烟消散得更快更容易，因此二手烟对其他人造成伤害的可能性较小。

无论应用是什么，电子烟行业都至关重要，因为它满足了需求。电子烟行业正在迅速变化，从吸烟替代品到药物输送，并且很可能在未来几年取得巨大成功。

电子烟市场的趋势

电子烟行业将继续随着社会的发展而发展，无论是新设备、新产品还是新风格；每年，电子烟行业的主要参与者都会发布新产品，未来可能也不会有什么不同。虽然电子烟市场不断发展，但该领域的一些最重要趋势将永远影响该行业。

• Shapes & Size – As manufacturing processes in the vape industry have evolved, the ability to introduce smaller, longer-lasting vapes for users has allowed the market to expand exponentially. The first public offerings of vapes were cheap and resembled the likes of a cigarette, hence the term e-cigarette. Additionally, they did not last long, so consumers were inclined to purchase multiple at once or make numerous trips to their local supplier. Today, vapes exist in various shapes, sizes, and colors that appeal to a wide range of audiences. Brands like JUUL, Posh, Cali Plus, Puff Bar, and more have established many different sizes for consumers to choose from, allowing individuals to select a vape depending on their needs. Furthermore, the flexibility in manufacturing has enabled brands to customize the tips of vapes and bring end-users a variety of experiences around mouthfeel and inhalation.
• Nicotine Salts – E-juices, the fluids used in vapes to produce a smoke-like effect, are typically created using propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin. These bases are infused with flavorings and nicotine to produce the desired outcome. Unlike the traditional nicotine used in vapes (freebase nicotine), nicotine salts form when introducing an organic acid like benzoic or citric acid. This additional acid lowers the pH of freebase nicotine and provides a more pleasant experience to the end-user. The introduction of nicotine salts in the vaping industry has made vaping more accessible to first-time users by limiting the harsh effects that previous liquids had on the lungs and throat. Bridging this gap has vastly expanded the potential market for companies in this space.
• 一次性用品——随着电子烟的广泛普及，许多组织利用品牌重塑技术来利用大量自有品牌供应商并大规模销售一次性电子烟。这种技术使消费者更容易获得电子烟，并且几乎在美国的每个加油站或烟店都摆放了一次性电子烟。随着一次性电子烟的推出，最终用户现在可以选择各种品牌、颜色、形状、口味和尺寸。
• 口味——自发明以来，一次性电子烟和电子烟液的口味已经发生了很大的变化。最初，电子烟中使用的口味模仿烟草的味道，这导致了烟草、薄荷醇和薄荷味电子烟液的销售。随着市场的发展，品牌和爱好者开始配制模仿几乎所有可以想象到的口味的电子烟液。从草莓到大蒜，电子烟液的演变让消费者可以选择几乎任何他们选择的口味；然而，水果味和薄荷醇味是业内消费最广泛的口味。

电子烟行业的机遇

电子烟领域蕴藏着大量机遇。随着制造能力越来越先进，电子烟液配方不断进步，品牌在市场上脱颖而出的空间越来越大。电子烟市场最有前景的领域包括：

• 更健康的果汁配方——消费者正在寻找含有更少添加剂和更多有机化合物（如植物甘油）的电子液体和果汁。
• Cannabis – The cannabis industry is growing at an alarming rate. The introduction of cannabinoid-based e-liquids has created a massive market potential for companies entering the recreational or medicinal marijuana industry.
• 自有品牌 – 一次性和可充电电子烟的自有品牌让那些没有资本投资制造设备或供应链的参与者更容易进入该行业。无论是作为供应商还是分销商，电子烟行业的自有品牌都对市场格局产生了巨大影响。

行业挑战

• 健康问题——由于电子烟是一个相对较新的概念，研究人员还没有足够的时间来了解其对短期和长期健康的全面影响。由于电子烟可能会损害消费者的肺部、心脏、喉咙等，因此电子烟行业的组织必须谨慎选择供应商。
• Regulation – Increasing regulation around the formulation, design, packaging, and distribution of vapes has made it increasingly difficult for organizations to navigate and understand the market they serve. Companies in this market must be cautious about their advertising techniques and the chemicals they use in vapes to ensure they do not appeal to children and open doors for potential lawsuits.
• Competition – Due to the growing popularity of vaping, more and more players are entering the space each day. Restricted by regulations on marketing and advertisement, brands must continue to find ways to stand out in the crowded market while remaining compliant with any legal authority.

什么是电子烟市场研究？

Vaping market research provides organizations a comprehensive view into the trends, competition, outlooks, geographies, and 全球的 policies surrounding the vaping industry and helps brands better position themselves to compete within or against this market. Organizations entering the vaping market without knowledge surrounding their target consumers will have a difficult time establishing differentiation.

Conducting qualitative research surrounding the vaping industry can enable brands to understand their intended consumers’ lives better and create products that suit their needs. Product testing, in-home use tests (iHUTs), central location tests (CLTs), focus groups, and in-depth interviews (IDIs) can give companies access to their end-users’ thought processes and help them position themselves strategically within the marketplace.

在电子烟行业进行定量研究将为品牌提供具有统计意义的数字描述，以了解他们所服务或打算服务的市场。进行满意度调查、人口统计研究等将使公司能够预测、控制或描述感兴趣的变量。这些分析可以实现基于事实的预测，使公司能够更好地确定目标受众，了解不同产品的优缺点，并创造更好的产品和活动。

Utilizing or performing market research in the vaping industry is essential because it enables organizations to create a macroscopic view of their market and formulate strategic, well-defined business plans backed by empirical evidence. Without these insights, organizations frequently make ill-informed investments into different sectors of the vaping industry. These decisions can be tough to recover from if not identified early on. Vaping market research helps companies avoid these issues by adequately informing brands on their best next steps and putting them on a path to success.