7 Online Vape Shop Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start An Online Vape Shop

Here are some real life success stories of starting a online vape shop:

1. Vape Club ($720K/year)

Jeremy Ong, the founder of Vape Club, grew up in a traditional Asian family but wanted more than a 9-to-5 job. After saving up a runway fund, he enrolled in a coding bootcamp and saw the explosive growth in the vaping industry. He validated his vape subscription box idea using creative marketing tactics and launched with minimal inventory. Through SEO, blogging, and email marketing, Vape Club has attracted and retained customers, becoming a successful online business in Malaysia with a monthly revenue of $60,000.

How much they make: $720K/year
Current team size: 8

article

How I Started A $60K/Month Online Business From Malaysia

Jeremy Ong built Vape Club from an MVP vape subscription box business to a top online retail store in Malaysia, earning a monthly revenue of USD 60,000 with only 2 team members, primarily through blogging, SEO and email marketing with a CLTV of $400.

About
Jeremy started Vape Club over 8 years ago
Revenue
Jeremy grew the business to $60K/month
Read by 31,034 founders

2. Vape and Juice ($3.6M/year)

ithin the legal boundaries to creative marketing tactics, we have explored various strategies to attract and retain customers. One effective method has been our content marketing efforts, particularly through blogging. This has allowed us to educate and engage with our target audience while establishing ourselves as industry experts. Additionally, our physical vape shops have played a vital role in attracting local customers and providing a personalized experience. Through exceptional customer service and a wide range of products, we have been able to build a loyal customer base.

How much they make: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 20

article

Prison to Profit - How I Started With $5K And Built A 7-Figure Vaping Company

A former ex-con launched Vape and Juice with just £5,000 and has since built a seven-figure vaping company with online sales increasing 800% during lockdown, by offering exceptional customer service and investing in talent.

About
David started Vape and Juice over 10 years ago
Revenue
David grew the business to $300K/month
Costs
It cost David $5000 to start the business
Read by 8,637 founders

So... can you actually make money with a online vape shop?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

3. CaliConnected ($840K/year)

Nassir Silwany, Co-Founder of CaliConnected, came up with the idea for the online headshop marketplace after realizing that the cannabis equipment industry was untapped by large retailers like Amazon. With his background in the retail industry and knowledge of the cannabis industry, Nassir saw an opportunity to create a trustworthy and customer-friendly platform for smokers looking for quality smoking accessories.

How much they make: $840K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 2

article

How We Started A $70K/Month Business Selling Bongs And Pipes Online

California-based online headshop marketplace CaliConnected has grown its inventory to over $40m and generated nearly $2m in lifetime sales while operating without paid search advertising, instead focusing on SEO and affiliate marketing through platforms such as Affiliatly and Moz.

About
Nassir started CaliConnected almost 6 years ago
Revenue
Nassir grew the business to $70K/month
Costs
It cost Nassir $5000 to start the business
Read by 6,348 founders

So... can you actually make money with a online vape shop?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

4. Upper Limits ($1.44M/year)

Matthieu Fortin, the CEO of Upper Limits, started the company in 2013 with the goal of creating a place where medical cannabis patients could find education and guidance. Inspired by his personal experience with the health benefits of vaporization, he saw an opportunity to provide new product technology education and fill a gap in the market. With an initial investment of $30,000, he bootstrapped the business and focused on sourcing high-quality products and building relationships with vendors and customers. Word of mouth and a strong online presence, including Google tools, have played a significant role in attracting and retaining customers for Upper Limits.

How much they make: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 7

article

How I Started A $1.4M/Year Online Smoke Shop

Upper Limits, a hybrid brick-and-mortar/e-commerce company located in Springfield, IL that sells dispensary, smoke shop products, and custom glass pipes, has succeeded in generating 366% greater sales revenue than their industry peers by facing challenges head-on and diversifying their revenue streams.

About
Matthieu started Upper Limits almost 11 years ago
Revenue
Matthieu grew the business to $120K/month
Costs
It cost Matthieu $30000 to start the business
Read by 1,920 founders