Online purchases of tobacco and e-cigarettes have become commonplace, despite attempts by many retailers and manufacturers to restrict sales through the internet. The objective of this study was to recognize motivations for and against purchasing nicotine products through online channels. A convenience sample of 463 adults who’d ever purchased tobacco or e-cigarettes was surveyed using Amazon Mechanical Turk. The survey included a broader set of questions than previous studies, and responses were thematically analyzed. Buycigarettescanada.ca
The key themes identified were price, convenience, and buying experience. Participants who’d purchased tobacco or e-cigarettes online reported lower prices, usage of discounts and promotions, the capability to purchase in bulk, and avoiding taxes. Participants who’d not purchased tobacco or e-cigarettes online stated that buying face-to-face was convenient, saved time, and provided discretion. Moreover, they preferred to see and touch the item before building a purchase decision.
As a result of shifts in nicotine products and the popularity of e-cigarettes, more tobacco and e-cigarettes are being sold online. While a sizable percentage of these online sales are illegal, the sale of legitimate tobacco and e-cigarettes keeps growing in Canada. This trend has been facilitated by several factors, including increased accessibility to online retail outlets, the proliferation of digital devices, and the ease with which nicotine products can be purchased on the internet.
Along with increased accessibility to online retailers, consumers also report that the quality of nicotine products they purchase online is high. This really is supported by the fact that some of the most reputable and trusted online cigarette stores are owned by First Nations people. These companies are devoted to fostering economic growth of their communities, while promoting the sale of legitimate smoking and tobacco products.
These companies provide an option to the illicit tobacco market, and could possibly offer more competitive pricing, variety, and quality. Additionally, they often feature limited edition and exclusive products that aren’t available at physical stores. Finally, they often reward their loyal customers with loyalty programs that enable them to earn points and redeem free products.
Nevertheless, several issues persist with internet tobacco sales. Efforts to restrict sales of tobacco through the internet have accelerated recently, and many private companies have made voluntary efforts to lessen online tobacco sales, while banks, credit card companies, and shipping services have implemented anti-tobacco policies to limit internet tobacco sales.
As the growth of online tobacco sales is a concern, it is essential to identify that the products are only a small fraction of total sales. Regulatory and policy changes are expected to deal with youth access and make certain that adult smokers can buy tobacco through legal channels. An integral section of reform is always to require that cigarettes sold in Canada include health warnings on the pack. This will assist you to increase awareness amongst current and potential smokers of the negative effects of tobacco, along with the harms which can be due to secondhand smoke.