A UK vape shop database could be useful if you are a brand or wholesaler that is looking to sell your products to local vape shops and online vape stores. If you’re a start-up business and eager to get started with promoting your products then a vape shop database could come in handy.
Generating leads and increasing your revenue is probably part of your business plan and marketing strategy.
We have taken a look at a range of websites offering these databases and in this article, we try to provide you with some guidance before purchasing a database of vape shops.
Some of these websites claim that their databases have generated mass amounts of income but is this really true? Is this the best way to market your brand and business?
Consider the businesses listed in these databases, do they really want to be contacted? Have they collected names of managers and owners and would they really want to be contacted?
Things to consider before purchasing a UK vape shop database
Why would you purchase a UK vape shop database?
Well, you might want to send a marketing campaign to shops around the UK and hope you get some phone calls or website visits from it.
You have a sales team or want to outsource cold calling and want to generate business, this technique is quite old probably unlikely to get any real results.
If your an eLiquid wholesaler then offering to send some samples could be a way in the door for them to stock your product though.
Websites such as Fiverr have sellers offering these databases as well but do consider how trustworthy they are and consider all the things below before investing in your money into a vape shop database.
How much does a vape store database cost?
As a rough guide, you could pay anything between £300 to £1000 for a database which is quite a lot of money to spend on something that could be completely useless.
What should I consider before buying a database?
When you are purchasing a database then you need to consider the following:
- File format – is it provided in a CSV, EXCEL or another file format? how are you going to update the database with possible leads?
- Fields – what fields are included? postcodes? emails? social media links? what would be useful?
- Accuracy – when was it last updated? Are all the fields complete?
- Source – where did the data come from and what permissions were given to use it?
- Terms and conditions – check the small print before you purchase it there could be some details in there on how you can use it!
- Permission – if emails have been included then do you have permission to send emails? how was permission obtained? is there a clear log of permission to send marketing emails for instance?
- Fees – is there an annual fee? how much is the cost to update it?
- Seller – are they a reputable supplier of databases? Are they a vape shop themselves that are looking to profit?
- Countries – are you promoting your product globally, Europe or to specific countries such as the UK and USA? Usually, the more database leads the more it will cost.
- Overselling – how many other businesses have bought the database and possibly spammed those listed in it?
What is usually included in a vape shop database?
Data will vary depending on where it has been sourced, some of the data could be outdated and may not even include shops that have recently started trading. Vape shops open up on a daily basis and some cease trading so take this into consideration.
Well established businesses are unlikely to take up your offer unless you are offering a unique product or something that stands out from your competitors.
There are many startups that fail because they haven’t understood their target audience or thoroughly tested their product before launching it. We have seen businesses fail overnight because they thought they had a great tasting eLiquid but had not carried out consumer research or sent free samples to vape reviewers to get feedback.
You will usually get essential information such as the business name, address, telephone number and website. Bear in mind this is all publically available information available on Google Maps and our website.
Social Media links could be useful but these can be found on Twitter easily as most businesses have a profile.
Email addresses are unlikely to have the permissions to send marketing emails under GDPR legislation so this could be a waste of time and risk landing a hefty fine or blacklisting your email sender.
Some websites are providing global vape shop databases with 1000’s of businesses in them but do you really need to contact vape shops globally?
Some are offering links to contact forms on the website but are you really going to generate businesses by completing a contact form on a vape shop website and hoping they respond?
What about Email Permissions and GDPR?
Many databases are offering to provide email addresses but do you really have the consent required under the GDPR to send B2B marketing emails, probably not. You could end up with a hefty fine in some cases and this style of marketing to cold email lists is an old technique that really annoys people these days.
If you decide to import your data into MailChimp then you have to confirm that you received permission from the recipient so be sure you have a clear track before sending emails without an opt-in.
What other sources of data could I use?
Most databases have either scraped the data from websites such as eCig Directory and other vape shop locators, or they have used Google Maps and Yell for instance to collect information.
You could always start by using these websites and importing this data into a CRM (Customer Relationships Management) system to keep track of who you have contacted and keep a track of any possible leads and contact history.
Have you considered using Twitter and Instagram by following businesses so give them a nudge to make them aware of your brand or products? Modern day marketing is all about building relationships. Vape trade shows in the UK usually offer a B2B networking day so this could be a good opportunity to build relationships and valuable contacts.
Have you considered setting up a dedicated wholesale page on your website and ensuring it ranks well in Google?
The GOV.UK website provides a large list of businesses registered to supply vaping products, it is accurate and up-to-date
You can view the list at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tobacco-products-and-e-cigarette-cross-border-sales-registration/list-of-registered-retailers
Remember to check our local vape shop finder, online vape store directory and eLiquid brand list which provide all the information you are likely to need.