The electronic cigarette market is not what it used to be. After four years of crazy growth, 2015 saw the closure of around 500 stores in France. Today there are 2.000, the most "professional". Like Cigatec, in Brest, an independent.
« I started with 16 milligrams of nicotine and, in two years, I have almost reached zero because I have been so well advised. »Magali is one of those that the electronic cigarette has made it possible to stop smoking. For a year, this young woman has not touched a cigarette. " It changed everything. I found my sense of smell, my taste, my breath. The taste of cigarettes has become intolerable to me. She has an almost eternal gratitude to Olivier Dervout, the manager of the place.
This vaping enthusiast was the first to open an electronic cigarette store in Brest. An independent business and which still is. That was three and a half years ago. Vaping was still in its infancy. Alone in the square, the brand has benefited fully, for some time, from the enthusiasm that immediately aroused this cigarette of a new kind. In front of the store, on certain days, customers even lined up on the sidewalk. Enough to make the turnover soar.
"It seemed easy"
But very quickly, attracted by the promises of easy gain, competitors settled in. One, then two, then four… Up to fifteen stores have opened. " Back then it seemed easy », Observes the manager of Cigatec. Anyone, or almost, seduced by this new commercial eldorado, improvised a seller of electronic cigarettes. What had to happen happened: this large number of openings weakened all the shops. Including that of Olivier Dervout. “We suffered, competition brought down prices, our margins were reduced. "
"We are out of the ephemeral"
Even more annoying, some shops, before having to go out of business, sold anything and everything, causing great damage to the sector. Today, after a difficult year 2015, the sector seems to have found a certain balance even if the growth crisis is not without 
doubt not yet completely finished. But Olivier Dervout is optimistic. A new breath is even possible. " We have left the ephemeral and the fashion effect. We are in a real practice with people who are retooling. »
The vapers have become more and more demanding. " There is even for whom the electronic cigarette has become a real hobby ". These enthusiasts now represent 15% of the clientele of Olivier Dervout's boutique. For them, nothing is too good and they can put several hundred euros in a " electronic box Which little by little is eating up the tubular market. The manager of Cigatec understood this very well, who opened a workshop in Concarneau to manufacture, himself, very high-end boxes, some of which are made of wood. One thing is certain, the shops that will hold will be those that offer quality advice with sellers able to navigate the thousands of products that flood the market.
Spiced rum or caramelized apples
The sector is showing great creativity. Alongside the mainstream products that come from China, a whole craft has developed. In his shop alone, Olivier Dervout offers no less than 200 liquids, some of which have very specific flavors. We are squarely in the gastronomic register. Some customers may stay for more than an hour, hesitating between a " spiced rum with white peach " and an " caramelized apple pie with a touch of cinnamon and a touch of liquor ". But this creativity, fears Olivier Dervout, risks being constrained by the circular that Brussels is preparing. " It's a shame, we're going to make a lot of people plunge back into tobacco »
Source : letelegramme.fr
