Exploring the e-cigarette e-commerce marketplace: Identifying Internet e-cigarette marketing characteristics and regulatory gaps
Exploring the e-cigarette e-commerce marketplace: Identifying Internet e-cigarette marketing characteristics and regulatory gaps
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DOI：
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.08.032
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发表时间：
2015-11-01
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Cuomo, Raphael E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mackey, Tim K.;Miner, Angela;Cuomo, Raphael E.
背景：电子烟市场正在成熟成为一个数十亿美元的产业。扩张包括未得到充分评估的新渠道，包括电子烟的互联网销售。本研究确定了独特的电子烟互联网供应商的特点，包括地理位置，促销策略，使用社交网络，存在/不存在的年龄验证，和消费者的警告representation.Methods：我们进行了结构化的互联网搜索引擎查询，并使用纳入/排除标准，以确定电子烟供应商。然后，我们进行了内容分析的特点interests.Results：我们的检查产生了57电子烟互联网供应商，其中54.4%（n =31），只在网上销售。绝大多数网站（96.5%，n = 55）位于美国。供应商使用各种促销策略销售电子烟，包括70.2%（n = 40）使用一种以上社交网络服务（SNS）和42.1%（n=24）使用一种以上促销策略。大多数供应商（68.4%，n = 39）在其网站上显示一个或多个健康警告，但通常以较小的字体或在其条款和条件中显示。此外，35.1%（n=20）的供应商没有任何可检测的年龄验证process.Conclusions：电子烟互联网供应商积极从事各种促销活动，以增加他们的产品在网上的吸引力和存在。在没有针对互联网的FDA法规的情况下，电子烟电子商务市场可能会增长。这种数字环境带来了独特的挑战，需要有针对性的政策制定，包括强大的在线年龄验证，监控SNS营销，以及对某些形式的营销推广做法进行更严格的审查。(C)2015爱思唯尔爱尔兰有限公司版权所有。
Background: The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) market is maturing into a billion-dollar industry. Expansion includes new channels of access not sufficiently assessed, including Internet sales of e-cigarettes. This study identifies unique e-cigarette Internet vendor characteristics, including geographic location, promotional strategies, use of social networking, presence/absence of age verification, and consumer warning representation.Methods: We performed structured Internet search engine queries and used inclusion/exclusion criteria to identify e-cigarette vendors. We then conducted content analysis of characteristics of interest.Results: Our examination yielded 57 e-cigarette Internet vendors including 54.4% (n =31) that sold exclusively online. The vast majority of websites (96.5%, n = 55) were located in the U.S. Vendors used a variety of sales promotion strategies to market e-cigarettes including 70.2% (n = 40) that used more than one social network service (SNS) and 42.1% (n=24) that used more than one promotional sales strategies. Most vendors (68.4%, n = 39) displayed one or more health warnings on their website, but often displayed them in smaller font or in their terms and conditions. Additionally, 35.1% (n=20) of vendors did not have any detectable age verification process.Conclusions: E-cigarette Internet vendors are actively engaged in various promotional activities to increase the appeal and presence of their products online. In the absence of FDA regulations specific to the Internet, the e-cigarette e-commerce marketplace is likely to grow. This digital environment poses unique challenges requiring targeted policy-making including robust online age verification, monitoring of SNS marketing, and greater scrutiny of certain forms of marketing promotional practices. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.