Still a relative newcomer on retail shelves, CBD products, and CBD vapor in particular, are on an ascent to becoming a convenience store go-to. Now’s the time for retailers get involved and leverage demand as it grows—and understanding the market and consumers’ needs is an important first step.
Category sales set for growth
Estimates say demand for CBD will grow exponentially in the near future: Statista projects that 35% of US adults will use CBD at least annually by 2024.
Indeed, many consumers are interested in exploring CBD products for the first time. According to Technomic’s Q4 2020 C-Store Consumer Marketbrief, 40% of consumers who haven’t used CBD before say they’re interested in trying it. For c-stores, the possibility of new consumers entering the category presents an opportunity to recruit new shoppers—not only driving CBD sales but boosting sales across the store as loyal shoppers return for their favorite CBD products.
To facilitate customer conversion, it’s important to get the product mix right. Customer expectations—and potential deterrents—can help inform what brands and formats c-store retailers put on their shelves.
Consumers seeking reliability, quality
Considering consumers’ wellness-related motivations for CBD use, it makes sense that product quality is of the utmost importance. Among consumers who say they’re not interested in CBD, 20% say they don’t know enough about CBD overall and 18% say they don’t know a brand they can trust, according to Technomic’s Q4 2020 Marketbrief. Inversely, consumers’ hesitancies can provide a directive for retailers’ merchandising in the store: select products from a trustworthy brand to keep in stock.
Among product formats, it’s important to have vapor in the mix. Among consumers who have tried CBD, 33% say they use CBD vapor at least weekly, and 52% use it at least monthly, according to Technomic’s Q4 2020 Marketbrief. In addition, some shoppers may seek CBD vapor as an alternative to nicotine products—allowing c-stores to retain customers who otherwise may have decreased store visits after decreasing nicotine purchases.
Partnering with the right supplier
Perhaps the best way to deliver on all of consumers’ forefront needs and expectations—namely, quality CBD in popular formats from a reliable brand—is to choose a supplier who offers the products consumers love under a name they can trust.
Forth Vape Pens, an E-Alternative Solutions (EAS) brand featuring CBD vapor in six flavors, bring the rigorous testing and research EAS is known for to an exciting new product perfect for encouraging trial. To learn more about how Forth Vape Pens can help c-stores drive new business, incremental sales and foot traffic from new and experienced CBD shoppers alike, visit Ealternativesolutions.com/forth.
This post is sponsored by EAS