There's been a significant change in the types of queries UK vapers are making before they purchase. More people are asking how long a device will last them, rather than which device looks best or has the most flavours. The devices that have benefited from this change, such as the Dojo Blast 12000 Puffs Vape Kit, have all had a direct impact on the change, but why did it occur in the first place?
This article explores the true motivations for the demand for longer-lasting pod kits, apart from the apparent allure of increased numbers on the box.
Disposables Set an Expectation That Didn't Last
With a lot of people, disposable vapes got them accustomed to convenience without much thought. As the UK shifts towards non-replaceable devices, however, vapers accustomed to this low effort switch are now seeking a similar level of convenience without having to change their device every few days. That's where longer-lasting pod kits can fit in, and provide the same grab and go convenience, but without the need to replace as often.
This is not really about keeping up with a trend, but about vapers attempting to keep going with something that helped them in the past, albeit in a more sustainable way.
It's easy to get bored with running out at the wrong time.
When you ask many vapers what their biggest frustration is it's almost always the device dying or running dry at an inconvenient time. This one infuriating factor alone has been more successful in building consumer interest in longer lasting kits than any marketing effort. This is where a device such as the Dojo Blast 12K Vape comes in to play, increasing the interval between replacements from days to weeks.
Vapers have come to know that change means moving to something that lasts less than what they have before, and therefore feels like a downgrade.
Consumer spending habits have changed to be more ponderous.
Most vapers looked at the initial cost of the device a few years ago. That has changed. More vapers now consider cost over a month, instead of cost per purchase, which naturally benefits the longer the device lasts, even if more expensive up front. With this change of mindset, longer-lasting pod kits are much more appealing than they would be with old buying behaviors.
It's not only a money saving element either. It's a matter of getting rid of the thought of having to keep track of when they should buy something else.
Enhanced technology that has enabled extended life to be made practical.
Sticking with a longer lasting device is all well and good, but until battery technology, coil efficiency and e-liquid formulation had aligned. Previous efforts to increase puffs have been at the cost of flavour or vapour quality. With those trade-offs, vapers no longer have to be wary of switching to a longer-lasting option.
This is a technical improvement that I think is the silent engine of the whole change because, if everybody has a great demand for this product then it's not going to happen if the underlying components aren't there.
If there are fewer devices, there will be less waste, and vapers have noticed it.
Not every time I say to myself, "that's a good reason to quit smoking," the response is because it's better for the environment, but it does come up more regularly than I would have thought. A reduction in the number of devices purchased over time is obviously going to generate less waste, and longer-lived pod devices will bring that benefit as a nice by-product to solving a completely different problem. Having been skeptical about the disposability of vaping products, this has been a pleasant surprise to many vapers.
The boundaries are still set by the UK Regulations.
Even though the duration of use is not specified, UK TPD does still have a limit on nicotine concentration at 20mg/ml. This is because there is no correlation between demand for longer-lasting pod kits and higher nicotine content; it's about how efficient, how much battery life and how much e-liquid in the same range.
Common Questions On Longer-Lasting Pod Kits
For why should vapers prefer longer-lasting devices these days more than ever? The principal reason was due to frustration with running out out of the blue and it was the general tendency to think about cost over time rather than up-front price, plus the UK has become a disposable-free-zone.
Is it a compromise in flavour for a pod kit to last longer to provide more puffs? Not with solidly constructed devices. Although this is a trade off issue, it is considerably less pronounced for later high-puff designs due to improvements in coil design.
Do longer lasting pod kits come with a higher initial cost? Generally, yes, but for many vapers the cost balance will work out or even be better if you consider the reduction in replacement costs over time!
Does the desire for a longer lasting device have to do with convenience? Primarily, but for most vapers, cost and waste are also a factor, if not the primary.
Final Thoughts
This trend of wanting longer lasting pod kits is not a whim. This represents real-life frustration with the short life of devices, a change in the way vapers perceive value and technology finally "catching up" so they can get performance without compromising on length of device life.
Once more vapers have a taste of this, it's probable that the extended vape times will become the norm.