As the debate continues over the total smoking ban proposed by Health Minister Leos Heger (TOP 09), an American product has debuted in Prague that could render the entire conversation moot. V2 Cigs, the No. 1 online electronic cigarette in America, is at the forefront of a cultural transformation that is nothing short of revolutionary.
Just two years ago, electronic cigarettes were a novelty item that many dismissed as a passing fad. Instead, electronic cigarettes or “e-cigs” have become a billion-dollar business. And their staggering growth is just beginning. “Consumption of e-cigs may overtake traditional cigarettes in the next decade,” said Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog.
What makes the e-cig such a revolutionary product is that it looks, feels and tastes like a traditional cigarette. But e-cigs uses electronics to produce an odorless vapor, rather than the combustion that produces smoke in tobacco cigarettes.
E-cigs are composed of two basic components, a battery and a flavor cartridge. The battery constitutes the “body” of the e-cig (the “white part” of a tobacco cigarette) and the flavor cartridge is the “filter” part. Anytime a consumer puffs on an e-cig, the battery heats up, turning the e-liquid into an odorless water vapor that delivers the nicotine to the smoker.
“E-cigs are so popular because they mimic the act of smoking while leaving out most of its negative characteristics, namely the smoke, ash, odor and carbon monoxide,” said V2 Cigs Co-Founder and CEO Andries Verleur. “More and more scientists say that electronic cigarettes offer a reduced-harm profile compared to tobacco cigarettes. Combine that with the pleasure and satisfaction that e-cigs deliver, and you have the first viable alternative to tobacco cigarettes since the advent of smoking.”
Although all e-cigs use a similar technology, they are far from alike. There are hundreds of companies in the expanding and unregulated e-cig market, many of them just labeling and reselling wholesale electronics and e-liquids.
“What separates V2 Cigs is that over the past four years we’ve built our infrastructure,” said Verleur. “Today, we are able to control every step of the process, from engineering and manufacturing to distribution and marketing. As a result, we’ve been able to develop a level of quality control, and to replicate the smoking experience, unlike anything in the e-cig industry.”
As an example, Verleur points to the batch numbers that V2 Cigs stamps on every single item containing e-liquid. This allows V2 consumers to go online and access test results that verify the exact ingredients for the specific product they’re holding in their hand. V2 Cigs further backs up its quality claims by offering a lifetime warranty on its electronic components.
“We promote total transparency when it comes to product quality and safety, and we put our money where our mouth is,” said Verleur. “It’s the only way to protect our consumers. We also believe it is good business and promotes the long-term viability of the e-cig industry.”
Another e-cig feature that bodes well for its future is the cost savings associated with its use. A two-pack-a-day tobacco smoker could save approximately 1,101 CZK monthly and 13,212 CZK annually just by switching to e-cigs. Those savings multiply if consumers elect to refill their own cartridges.
The significant savings, combined with its other advantages, help explain the brand’s phenomenal growth. V2 Cigs receives 6 million unique monthly visitors to its U.S. website which has made the brand America’s No. 1 online retailer.
Now V2 Cigs is bringing its know-how to the Czech Republic. V2 e-cigs are now available at en.v2cigs.cz and a retail location in Prague, with a second scheduled to open soon. As a leading player in the global e-cig revolution, there is little doubt that V2 Cigs will duplicate its American success in the Czech Republic.
