Disregarding FDA regulations for a moment. Let's assume I have the funding for that. I don't, but let's assume I do.
Is it really even feasible to try and start an ejuice company anymore? More and more people are seeing the cost benefits in making their own juice. After about $300 startup costs two months ago and a couple of flavor purchases here and there I've turned a "profit" on making my own juice already. Three bottles a week would cost $60 for good stuff at the store. It costs me a fraction of that at home and I've gotten increasingly better at it.
While these vape shops wouldn't be in business if they weren't making money selling premium, I just wonder how long it's going to be before people buy for a couple of months and then start making their own juice. This will be especially true when juice companies raise their prices to account for added FDA approval fees.
Everyone I know who has vaped for more than a few months now makes their own ejuice. Seems like there is a very limited window to get people to buy your product before they go off and try to save money.
The reason I ask is that I may be able to find a VC to support me and am wondering if this is going to be a failed venture from the start.
At the same time, I have been writing my congressman about the FDA regulations that are coming. I am not grandfathered in, so anything I do I need to get approved. It seems illogical that I need to get a base 70/30 mix approved when it has already been approved for many other vendors. The flavorings have already been approved prior to sale. So I'm mixing ingredients that all have been approved by the FDA, but I still need to get them to approve my mixture.
Now, I have heard that the FDA will be lenient in some cases once the initial formula is approved. That is, if you change from strawberry to grape they may not make you seek approval again if it's the same ratio.
My opinion is that big tobacco is lobbying heavy for these regulations to keep a direct competitor from succeeding. This will result in a lot of people who don't know what they are doing mixing dangerous batches and also working with high levels of nicotine without taking proper precautions.
Is it really even feasible to try and start an ejuice company anymore? More and more people are seeing the cost benefits in making their own juice. After about $300 startup costs two months ago and a couple of flavor purchases here and there I've turned a "profit" on making my own juice already. Three bottles a week would cost $60 for good stuff at the store. It costs me a fraction of that at home and I've gotten increasingly better at it.
While these vape shops wouldn't be in business if they weren't making money selling premium, I just wonder how long it's going to be before people buy for a couple of months and then start making their own juice. This will be especially true when juice companies raise their prices to account for added FDA approval fees.
Everyone I know who has vaped for more than a few months now makes their own ejuice. Seems like there is a very limited window to get people to buy your product before they go off and try to save money.
The reason I ask is that I may be able to find a VC to support me and am wondering if this is going to be a failed venture from the start.
At the same time, I have been writing my congressman about the FDA regulations that are coming. I am not grandfathered in, so anything I do I need to get approved. It seems illogical that I need to get a base 70/30 mix approved when it has already been approved for many other vendors. The flavorings have already been approved prior to sale. So I'm mixing ingredients that all have been approved by the FDA, but I still need to get them to approve my mixture.
Now, I have heard that the FDA will be lenient in some cases once the initial formula is approved. That is, if you change from strawberry to grape they may not make you seek approval again if it's the same ratio.
My opinion is that big tobacco is lobbying heavy for these regulations to keep a direct competitor from succeeding. This will result in a lot of people who don't know what they are doing mixing dangerous batches and also working with high levels of nicotine without taking proper precautions.
