On September 20, in Dortmund, Germany, the 2Firsts team engaged in a deep discussion with Christopher Kolster, Sales Deputy Director of EX-Trade, a German e-cigarette distributor, at a tobacco exhibition. Kolster shared insights on the current state and future trends of the German e-cigarette market, discussing changes in consumer demand, brand development strategies, and key drivers of the market.
Market demand in Germany is stabilizing.
Kolster, founded in 2006, originally started as a video game wholesaler and has since expanded its product range. Since the end of 2011, the company has been selling e-cigarettes and related accessories, and is currently one of the top three e-cigarette distributors in Germany.
He stated that the age distribution of e-cigarette consumers in Germany and Europe is wide, covering people from 18 to 60 years old. Kolster pointed out that although e-cigarettes are relatively low-priced in Europe, consumers are not concentrated in a specific age group but are in a "mixed" state. Over the past year, market demand has fluctuated minimally and has generally remained stable.
Open systems are once again becoming the focus of the market, with OXVA being the most popular.
In recent years, the e-cigarette market in Germany has experienced several waves of product trends. Initially, open system e-cigarettes with high wattage were highly popular, followed by disposable e-cigarettes becoming the mainstream. However, sales of disposable e-cigarettes have recently begun to decline, and the market is shifting back towards open system products.
When discussing the popularity of large capacity pod system products that comply with TPD regulations in the UK market in recent years, Kolster has said that this trend may be reflected in the German market. However, according to EX-Trade's sales data, the demand for disposable e-cigarettes is decreasing, and open-system products are once again becoming the focus of the market. He mentioned that five or six years ago, the German market experienced a similar trend of large capacity products, and now this trend is returning.
According to a witness, currently the hottest product being sold by EX-Trade is the OXVA brand e-cigarette. Kolster believes that the sales increase for OXVA is due to its quality, taste experience, and marketing strategies. He emphasizes that consumers are increasingly valuing the user experience, which is helping OXVA stand out in the competitive market.
When choosing collaboration brands, Kolster emphasizes that quality and innovation are core factors. He mentioned that emerging brands like YOOZ, with innovative product features such as calling functions, are changing the market landscape in Germany. At the same time, well-known brands like UWELL, OXVA, and Geek Vape are also actively seeking to gain market share.
Kolster believes that the future market will see multiple brands coexisting, rather than one brand monopolizing.
Successful products are a combination of design, distribution, and innovation.
Looking to the future, Kolster believes that the success of the e-cigarette market depends on the organic combination of product design, distribution channel strategy, and pricing positioning.
He predicts that with ongoing technological innovation and changes in consumer demand, more new brands and products will emerge in the German market. Brands can only stand unbeatable in fierce market competition by continually improving product quality and innovation capabilities.
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