Modified on: 29/07/2023
How to send electronic cigarettes by post?
Over the years, society has evolved, and the advent of the internet has meant that the way we sell and buy has also developed and changed.
Nowadays, everyone can connect to the network through a mobile phone or a computer to give and receive services with ease. Making use of these functions brings considerable advantages. Buyers, especially if they have little time to shop, enjoy the convenience of receiving their packages directly at home, while sellers can reach a much larger number of people. In addition, time is shortened considerably, and the stress of shopping is halved.
In general, it is no longer necessary to go to a physical shop to buy a piece of clothing, a book, a household appliance or an electronic cigarette. Instead, you browse through the various e-commerce sites, choose what you want to buy, pay for it and receive it at home. Similarly, if you’re going to sell any product or service, it is no longer essential to have a physical location.
Everything can be done via the web, with the sole objective of increasing profits and lowering management costs.
However, there are rules to be respected, especially when it comes to selling, steps to be taken if you want everything to go as smoothly as possible. Precisely for this reason, it is essential that anyone who has a business, including electronic cigarettes, and wants to expand it using a powerful tool such as the web, knows a few things that should not be underestimated if you do not wish to risk snags.
Read also: Chinese electronic cigarette? Why it might not be a good idea
Why send an electronic cigarette?
Generally, those who feel the need to keep up with the times and expand their business by reaching all those who cannot go to the physical shop send electronic cigarettes for one reason or another.
But this is not the only reason.
Often, a new company has difficulty sustaining the countless expenses necessary for managing a physical shop and therefore uses a ‘virtual’ one to increase business at relatively low and convenient costs. In addition, it is a great way to make oneself known and create a solid and loyal network of customers.
It may also happen that you want to give an electronic cigarette with vaping liquids to a relative or friend who lives far away. Whatever the reason, however, shipping is the best way to ensure that someone else receives an electronic cigarette from the comfort of their own sofa at home.
Shipping an electronic cigarette: what to do
When you are about to send a parcel, in this case containing an electronic cigarette, which is a fragile and delicate object, it is essential to take extreme care to ensure that the whole process is carried out in the best possible way.
- Prepare the contents. Whether it is a retailer or a private individual sending a gift, the first thing to do is prepare the package’s contents, the electronic cigarette. First, of course, it must come with its original box and warranty. Although this is not a ‘traditional’ purchase and is not a face-to-face purchase, it is essential to maintain confident professionalism and fairness and carry out everything without any irregularities so that the recipient has everything they need. In the case of a sale, this will lead to greater loyalty from customers who will be satisfied with the purchase and trust the seller to buy again. Likewise, in the case of a gift, the recipient will be happy and satisfied.
- Prepare the package. The next step is the preparation of the package. This step must be carried out with care to ensure that no part of its contents can be damaged during the journey. One way to protect the goods is to use filling materials. These fillers provide no gaps in the package, and the contents are kept secure. They are easy to find reasonably low cost and are extremely useful, sometimes essential, to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, the material they are made of is plastic. Still, those who are more environmentally conscious and want to reduce pollution can replace it with other equally good materials such as straw shavings, corrugated cardboard or small polystyrene balls. Once the contents have been placed as neatly as possible inside the package, they must be closed. Sealing it tightly with adhesive tape is essential, as a perfectly closed box is unlikely to open during transit and risk damaging the contents.
- Choosing a courier. Once the package has been prepared, it’s time to choose a courier. There are several, each offering a specific service at a particular cost. Choosing a reliable and professional courier is essential to ensure successful delivery.
- Prepare the label to stick on the parcel and pay for the service. After deciding which courier company to entrust your parcel to, you can enter all the data relating to the shipment, the sender and the recipient on a particular website. This phase is extremely delicate: a small error in entering the data could fail the shipment. Once you have paid for the service (via PayPal or credit card), you can print out the receipt, which must be attached to the parcel. Thanks to the information, the courier will know exactly where to deliver it.
- Book the collection. Once you have completed all the above steps, you need to book a pick-up. Again, you can choose the day and time that suits you best. At this point, all you have to do is wait for the courier to collect the parcel. If this is inconvenient for you, you can leave the parcel in one of the many participating shops. This will further shorten the delivery time for both the sender and the recipient, who can then receive the electronic cigarette more quickly. Delivery is usually within a few days unless there are unforeseen circumstances. In the meantime, it is possible to monitor the parcel’s position at any time until it is in the hands of the person to whom it was sent.
Read also: How much does an e-cigarette cost in pharmacies, and how much in online shops?
International shipping differs from domestic shipping in some cases.
Not all items can be shipped from one area of the same country to another with ease. Some shipping companies have laid down precise rules in this regard, but these differ depending on whether the company or private individual is involved.
In the specific case of electronic cigarettes, like other items (alcohol, liquids, toxic substances or weapons), fall into the category of restricted items. However, the restrictions on their shipment apply to private persons and not to manufacturers and authorised retailers.
In the specific case that the former transgress these rules, they run serious legal risks because there is the possibility of having the goods confiscated and criminal prosecution.
