When shopping for e liquids, you will have probably noticed that certain brands are far more costly than others.
You may have found yourself wondering why that could be.
It is tempting to think that higher prices indicate that certain manufacturers are profiteering. But this isn't necessarily the case.
There are numerous factors that impact the cost of producing e liquids, and this means that you will see significant differences between the retail prices of the various vape juices.
So, why might one e liquid be so much more expensive than another?
When you read the flavour description of a fruity cereal and milk e liquid, you might assume that the e liquid contains only three flavourings. Maybe the e liquid has a fruity flavouring, a toasted grain flavouring and a note that tastes like milk. However, the truth is that an e-liquid is often significantly more complex than this.
It can take a considerable amount of time and effort to perfect a complex flavour blend, and this will impact the cost of the completed juice. You will find that the cheaper e liquids often boast relatvely simple flavour profiles as keeping things simple reduces manufacturing costs. £1 e liquids tend to have flavours such as Menthol, Tobacco, Strawberry and Mango rather than Mandarin Cheesecake or Lemon Tart.
Of course, simple flavour profiles can mean that the e liquids concerned will be far from unique. The strawberry flavour that features in one brand's range could taste much like the strawberry flavour in another collection.
When vaping became popular, it didn't take manufacturers very long to realise that they would need to evolve unique blends if their e liquids were to stand out and to eliminate the risk of vapers simply switching to another brand. Vapers would remain loyal if they couldn't find an equivalent flavour elsewhere. But crafting unique flavours can be expensive.
Businesses spend big money on cultivating their brands and creating demand for them. A great brand delivers the all-important feel-good factor that drives sales. E Liquid manufacturers need healthy budgets to finance the required graphics, websites and social media accounts. Those spends will ultimately be reflected in the price of the e liquids.
For this reason, e liquids from cheaper ranges including 88vape and Hangsen boast unimaginative branding and equally unimaginative flavour names. Funky flavour names require snazzy graphics to reinforce the unique natures of the flavours. Mangabeys by Twelve Monkeys wouldn't feel quite as exciting if presented in a plain bottle.
That's the magic of marketing. It works as well in the vaping industry as in any other.
The quality of the packaging will also impact the production costs of e liquids. Premium packaging will add to the expense of creating the products. Check out the Zeus Juice range to see beautiful boxes or the Riot Squad range to discover unique bottles.
Special packaging imbues any e liquid with an air of quality and ensures that you won't forget it. But there is a price to pay for it!
Before a company begins producing a new e-liquid, it may create dozens of different prototypes to evolve flavours that hit the spot. It is not uncommon for an e-liquid to spend months in development before it is deemed suitable for sale. E liquids that do not contain the sweetener sucralose can take longer to perfect as sweetener is a flavour enhancer than makes it easier to deliver tasty recipes.
As with any product, the price of e liquid will be affected by where it is made. Much of the world's e-liquid supply including Hangsen products, is made in China, where machines automate the production process and the people who work in the factories typically earn less than people performing similar jobs in the West.
The final factor that influences the cost of a bottle of e-liquid is the way in which it is produced.
Some larger e liquid companies have invested heavily in their production facilities. Those companies boast their own clean rooms together with their own automated mixing and filling equipment. But most producers do not benefit from their own facilities and so must outsource production. Bringing a third party into the mix increases the cost of manufacture.
There are many factors that contribute to the cost of producing e liquids. The price of your juice will usually be at least partly dependant on how much it cost to make it. Price isn't necessarily indicative of quality. However, a high price tag could mean unique flavour, complex flavour and premium packaging. Only you can decide whether an expensive e liquid is good value for money. You may find that their cheap e liquids that you like more.
