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How To Sell Vape: A Guide To Selling Vapes Online

Finding an eCommerce platform and POS system to sell vape can be a challenge. Here are four good options that support sales of vape and vaping products.

    Kymberlin Bush

  • Last updated onUpdated

    • Matt Sherman

  • REVIEWED BY

    Matt Sherman

    Lead Staff Writer

Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.

Like most age-restricted products, it can be tricky to sell vape in-person and online.

The best POS systems for small businesses have built-in features to help you make sure you’re following all federal and state regulations when selling high-risk products. We’ve done the work for you and found the four best platforms for selling vape online!

Learn More About Our Top Picks

CompanyBest ForNext StepsBest For
Lightspeed Retail

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  • $0-$99/month
  • Built-in payment processor
  • RACS compliant
  • $0-$99/month
  • Built-in payment processor
  • RACS compliant

Visit Site

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Shift4Shop

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  • $0-$29/month
  • High-risk payment processor built in
  • Subscriptions and dropshipping
  • $0-$29/month
  • High-risk payment processor built in
  • Subscriptions and dropshipping

Start Trial

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BigCommerce

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  • $29.95-$299.95/month
  • Choice of high-risk processors
  • Strong built-in features for online sales
  • $29.95-$299.95/month
  • Choice of high-risk processors
  • Strong built-in features for online sales

Start Trial

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Franpos

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  • Starting at $199/month
  • High-risk payment processing
  • Delivery integrations
  • Starting at $199/month
  • High-risk payment processing
  • Delivery integrations

Visit Site

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Do You Need A License To Sell Vapes Online?

Selling certain Juul devices and unflavored vaping pods in 2024 is still legal despite the 2022 FDA ban. The ban has been suspended until the FDA can review the company’s appeal.

Because tobacco products are federally regulated, opening a vape shop in person or online requires a little more planning and care than any other type of store. Before you start to sell vape, you need to make sure you comply with all federal and state laws, including tax laws and shipping restrictions.

Can I Sell Vape Online?

You can sell vape online!

The FDA provides extensive resources to help you learn how to sell vape online legally. Be aware that vape products can be considered “tobacco products” and may be subject to regulations even if they do not contain any tobacco. We suggest you read through the FDA’s guide to retail sales of tobacco products.

Vape shops can be considered both retailers and manufacturers. If your business plan involves mixing e-liquids or making or modifying vaporizers, you may be subject to manufacturer regulations and retailer requirements.

Is It Legal To Sell Vapes Online?

Above all, when you’re selling age-restricted products online, you must make sure your buyers are legally allowed to make purchases, even for online sales. Fortunately, there are tools available, like the FDA’s age calculator and other free apps, that can help you stay in compliance. It’s smart to start with the FDA’s tobacco retailer training program.

Every transaction that involves JUUL products must comply with automated electronic age verification and bulk-purchasing limits outlined in the Retail Access Control Standards (RACS) Program.

Fortunately, the platforms we will cover in this post include tools that will help you comply with these regulations and help you learn how to sell vape online correctly.

The 4 Best Platforms To Sell Vape Products

The best platforms that enable you to sell vape online and in person have the tools you need to stay compliant with legal requirements and grow your shop.

Here are our favorites:

How The Best Platforms For Selling Vapes Compare

Built-In Compliance Loyalty Program Subscription Program Multichannel Selling Inventory Management
Lightspeed Retail Advanced plan Standard plan & up
Shift4Shop
BigCommerce Third-party integration Paid add-on
Franpos

Lightspeed Retail: Best For Selling Vape Subscriptions

Lightspeed Retail

Visit Site

Read our Review

Total Rating 4.1
Pricing3.7

Ease Of Use4.4

Features4.3

Customer Service4.1

User Reviews4.0

Pricing

$89-$269/month ($69-$199/month billed annually)

Contract

Monthly, annual, and custom

Equipment Cost

$199-$329

Pros

  • 14-day free trial
  • Built-in compliance tools
  • Lightspeed Payments supports high-risk businesses

Cons

  • No free plan
  • Limited payment processing options

lightspeed for selling vape

Why We Chose Lightspeed As The Best Option For Selling Vape Subscriptions

While some platforms allow users to sell vape online, Lightspeed actively courts and supports these sellers. Lightspeed Retail includes strong support for vape subscription selling, including customer profiles and purchase histories, special orders, a loyalty program, wish lists, and recurring payments.

Lightspeed Retail Pricing

Lightspeed Retail Plans Price  When To Use
Lean Plan $89/month ($69/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail business looking for strong inventory management and a customizable POS interface
Standard Plan $149/month ($119/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail businesses looking for eCommerce and accounting features
Advanced Plan $269/month ($199/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail businesses looking for a strong loyalty program and advanced business reporting

Discounts are available if you pay for a year of service at a time. New users can take advantage of a generous free trial period to test out the software.

Lightspeed Retail Features

Lightspeed Retail Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling Standard plan and up
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty Advanced plan
Marketing Tools Standard plan and up
Online Ordering Standard plan and up
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Best known for its POS services, Lightspeed also offers a platform for online selling.

Lightspeed Retail specifically supports selling vape products online, with these features on paid plans:

  • In-person and online sales, with stock sync and cloud-based POS
  • Built-in RACS compliance for JUUL sales
  • Programmable register rules for age and quantity restrictions
  • Customer profiles and purchase histories
  • Wish lists
  • Shipping tools and integrations
  • Automated tax calculations
  • Social media integrations
  • SEO tools to drive traffic
  • Multiple languages
  • Subscriptions
  • Vape-friendly payment processors and integrations

Lightspeed Retail Payment Processing

In-house payment processing with Lightspeed Payments is required for all Lightspeed Retail users in the US and Canada. The rate is 2.6% + $0.10 for all in-person card present payments and 2.9% + $0.30 for all online payments.

Lightspeed Payments provides excellent and safe payment processing for high-risk businesses like vape shops.

What To Watch Out For

Lightspeed offers the best prices to users who sign up for an annual plan. There are steep early termination fees for canceling one of these plans, so start with one of the monthly plans until you’re sure Lightspeed Retail is the right POS for your vape business.

Also, if you choose to purchase hardware from Lightspeed, you must verify that you have received it within five business days. If you don’t, the equipment is not covered under Lightspeed’s 30-day warranty (14 days for Apple products.)

Choose Lightspeed Retail If...

  • You plan to sell vape online and in person
  • You require built-in support for legal and regulatory compliance, including RACS
  • You need a loyalty program and subscription capabilities

Get Started With Lightspeed Retail

Read our in-depth review

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Shift4Shop: Best Free Option

Shift4Shop

Start Trial

Pros

  • Free plan
  • Dropshipping options
  • Free themes
  • Options for high-risk payment processing

Cons

  • Requires use of Shift4 Payments
  • Poor customer service

Shift4Shop sell vape pens

Why We Chose Shift4Shop As The Best Free Option

When you build your online vape store using Shift4Shop as your platform, you gain access to an easy way to build subscriptions and recurring sales. And your cost? You can expect to pay $0 in monthly fees when you use Shift4Shop to get your vape store open.

Shift4Shop Pricing

Shift4Shop offers a robust free plan that requires users to process payments with the in-house payment processor, Shift4 Payments. This processor works with high-risk products like vape, so the free plan is available to those selling vape online. Published rates for Shift4 Payments are the industry-standard 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, with no added fees.

You can also sign up for a paid plan if you want to add PayPal as a payment processor. You can expect to pay $29/month for that. However, PayPal does not support vape sales.

Shift4Shop Features

Shift4Shop offers a fully loaded free plan with full access to advanced features for users who use the in-house payment, Shift4 Payments.

Here’s a sample of what Shift4Shop delivers. Remember, these features come with a $0 price tag:

  • Subscription and auto-ship tools
  • Dropshipping support
  • Age verification
  • Social media integrations
  • Email marketing
  • Customer questions and reviews
  • Loyalty program
  • Shipping integrations that support vape shipments
  • Promotional tools for weekly sales, temporary discounts, and coupons
  • Tax settings

Shift4Shop Payment Processing

Shift4Shop’s completely free End-to-End eCommerce plan uses Shift4 Payments exclusively. Shift4 Payments is a high-risk merchant account provider and vape sales are supported. This payment processor supports online and in-person credit card transactions, NFCs, digital wallets, and gift cards.

What To Watch Out For

Many users cite poor customer service as their main grievance with Shift4Shop. It can also be difficult to build your free site if you don’t have much experience with website builders.

Choose Shift4Shop If...

  • You want to access a fully loaded free eCommerce option
  • Your business depends on subscriptions, auto-ship sales, and a loyalty program
  • You don’t mind using Shift4 Payments as your only payment processor

Get Started With Shift4Shop

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BigCommerce: Best For Online Vape Sales

BigCommerce

Start Trial

Pros

  • Free trial available
  • High-risk payment options
  • Feature-rich
  • Support for shipping

Cons

  • Revenue caps on sales plans
  • Some useful features limited to high-level plans

Sell vape with a BigCommerce website

Why We Chose BigCommerce As The Best Platform For Online Vape Sales

Compared to similarly priced eCommerce competitors, BigCommerce offers above-average features. Since users won't have to pay for a lot of add-ons to gain advanced features, BigCommerce is a great value out of the box.

And with its active support for selling vape online, it's a good choice for selling e-liquid in an online shop.

BigCommerce Pricing

BigCommerce Plans Price  When To Use
Standard $39/month ($29/month billed annually) If your annual sales are up to $50K
Plus $105/month ($79/month billed annually If your annual sales are up to $180K
Pro Starts at $399/month ($299/month billed annually) If your annual sales are up to $400K
Enterprise Custom pricing For unlimited annual sales

BigCommerce pricing includes four levels, an Enterprise plan is available with custom pricing for each business. You can save about 10% if you pay for a full year in advance.

Plans come with sales limits ranging from $50K/year to $400K/year, with unlimited sales allowed on the Enterprise plan. Users who exceed their sales cap will be bumped automatically to the next plan level.

Note: BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial.

BigCommerce Features

All BigCommerce subscription plans come with ample features for selling online, though you may not be fully satisfied with the options included in lower-tier plans. BigCommerce actively supports selling vapes online and welcomes high-risk sellers. That includes some available integrations that online vape sellers will appreciate.

Here’s a rundown of what you can expect to find:

  • Recurring billing and subscriptions
  • Age verification add-ons available
  • Coupons, discount rules, and gift cards
  • Product ratings and reviews
  • Prebuilt integrations for multichannel selling
  • Dropshipping features
  • Choice of high-risk payment processors
  • Inventory management tools
  • Shipping tools
  • Tax settings
  • SMS marketing

BigCommerce Payment Processing

BigCommerce includes 65+ payment built-in gateway integrations. However, most of those will be unavailable for online stores selling vape products.

BigCommerce does integrate with four high-risk gateways that may support high-risk sales like e-cigarettes: USA ePay, NMI, Pinwheel Pay, and Worldpay Ecomm.

What To Watch Out For

Each sales plan has a revenue cap. If you expect to go over:

  • $50K (Standard plan)
  • $180K (Plus plan)
  • $400K (Pro plan)

You will be automatically bumped up to the next payment plan tier and expected to pay the higher monthly fee. Keep an eye on your sales each month and it shouldn’t be a huge surprise if you do get moved up.

Choose BigCommerce If...

  • You want a reasonably priced eCommerce plan that supports vape sales
  • You want a scalable platform that can grow with your business
  • You want a choice of payment processors

Get Started With BigCommerce

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Franpos: Best For Local Vape Delivery

Franpos

Visit Site

Pros

  • RACS-compliant
  • Delivery options
  • Transparent plan pricing
  • Third-party integrations

Cons

  • No shipping integrations
  • Some coding required

online vape store

Why We Chose Franpos As The Best Option For Local Delivery

Franpos offers delivery options, including a Postmates integration and self-delivery by your staff, that support local sales. You can use Franpos eCommerce to make online sales and use the POS to support in-person sales.

However, if your sales goals include shipping, this may not be the right platform for you, since Franpos does not include any vape-supportive shipping options.

Franpos Pricing

  • Single Location: Single terminal for small businesses $199/month
  • Franchise: Single terminal with franchise features $249/month

If you want to add eCommerce to your POS capabilities, you will need to pay an additional $99/month.

Other paid add-on features include:

  • Unlimited Terminals $99/month
  • Growth Marketing $68/month

Franpos Features

The basic Franpos software includes the option of setting up and managing a simple, personalized online store. If you want more advanced features, you’ll need to purchase integrations or consider using another platform. Still, Franpos offers some features that specifically support online vape sales.

For example:

  • RACS compliance
  • Subscriptions
  • Age verification
  • Sell in-person and online
  • Loyalty program
  • Gift cards
  • Delivery via Postmates or self-delivery
  • Selling via social media links

Franpos Payment Processing

Franpos integrates with a handful of big-name processors, not all of which support vape sales. It seems like Franpos offers an in-house payment processor called Franpos Pay, but there is no information about processing fees.

However, you can find high-risk-friendly options, such as Heartland, WorldPay, and EVO.

What To Watch Out For

Some knowledge of basic coding seems to be required to make your Franpos site and in-store system work well together.

Franpos lets you purchase your software plan on a month-to-month basis without a contract. There are no other terms listed on their site.

Choose Franpos If...

  • Your vape shop serves local customers who want pickup or delivery options
  • You want a POS for in-person sales
  • You do not plan to ship vape products to customers

Get Started With Franpos

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How Can I Ship Vape Products?

In 2021, restrictions that limit shipping options for vape went into effect. Designed to protect young people from the long-term health effects of using tobacco products, the updated PACT Act puts new requirements and restrictions on tobacco and tobacco product sellers. These include:

  • Compliance With State, Local, & Tribal Laws Involving Excise Taxes
  • Registration With The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms
  • A Postal Ban On Shipping Vapes

What does this postal ban mean for vape sellers? As of October 2021, the US Postal Service is banned from transporting vapes and other smokeless tobacco products. Other prominent carriers, including UPS and FedEx, have followed suit and announced that they will end shipping for vaping devices and parts. This is true even of vaping products that do not contain tobacco.

This ban applies also to hybrid services that rely on USPS for last-mile delivery. That means your vape shipments may not be as easy to ship as you’d like — but it’s still possible to sell vape online and ship to customers. You may need to comply with additional shipping requirements, such as shipping only in original packaging, using two boxes for every shipment, and providing internal cushioning.

Look for integrations with shipping software like ShipStation and Easyship that have recognized these difficulties and have committed to supporting online vape sales by partnering with regional carriers that will deliver vape products to your customers.

Finding The Right Vape Products To Offer Your Customers

Your online vape business can offer a wide variety of vape-related products to shoppers. These products can be obtained from thousands of manufacturers, and they all require age verification.

Note that all of these products lend themselves to subscription sales. Whether it’s batteries, coils, or liquid, you can meet your customer’s needs and boost your sales by setting up automatic deliveries on the timetables your customers prefer for these items.

Here is a quick list of the types of vape products you can sell:

E-Liquids

Vaping involves heating a liquid that produces vapors for users to inhale. The liquid can include nicotine but does not have to. E-liquids are also known as e-juice, and they come in a variety of flavors.

Vape Devices

Known as vape pens or e-cigarettes, vaping devices come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They may be prefilled or come with a refillable tank, and they can be disposable or built to be refilled and reused.

Vape Equipment Components

The heating element in a vape device, known as the coil, burns out after repeated use and needs to be replaced. Some vape users build coils out of metal and cotton materials. Batteries are used to heat the coils and they also must be replaced regularly.

Our Methodology For Choosing The Best Platform For Selling Vapes

To choose the best platform to sell vape, we evaluated a dozen retail POS systems that allow online/in-person vape sales based on pricing, ease of use, built-in compliance software, multichannel selling, inventory management capabilities, and extra features such as loyalty programs and auto-ship subscription programs.

We considered recent reviews from unincentivized POS users on sources like G2, Software Advice, and Trustpilot; we also tested the software ourselves when possible, and walked through product demos when no free trials were available.

Read more about how we rate POS systems at Merchant Maverick.

Which Online Platform Should You Choose To Sell Vape?

Vaping tools and products are big business in the US, and online vape sales can present a good opportunity. Because vape is considered a tobacco-adjacent product, even if the products you sell don’t contain tobacco, you’ll need to make sure your online store complies with all state and federal laws for this highly regulated product.

Remember, too, that you’ll need to process all sales through a high-risk payment processor, whether or not your vape products contain tobacco or any other regulated substances.

Because vape sales can be more complicated than other types of online selling, we recommend making a well-researched one-page business plan to stay on track.

Make sure you consider the price, features, and usability when deciding on which platform you choose!

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Kymberlin Bush

Kymberlin Bush

Staff Writer
Kymberlin started contributing to Merchant Maverick as a freelancer in 2022 and joined the team as the full-time small business health insurance expert in 2023. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Pacific University in 2020 and continues to reside in Portland, Oregon.
Kymberlin Bush
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Sources

  1. E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) (Accessed 12/19/2023) — US Food & Drug Administration
  2. Questions & Answers about tobacco (Accessed 12/19/2023) — US Food & Drug Administration
  3. Vapes and E-Cigarettes (Accessed 12/19/2023) — Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
  4. Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act (Accessed 12/19/2023) — Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
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