Pricing and sales tax collection policies for e-cigarette starter kits and disposable products sold online.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have examined marketing characteristics of e-cigarettes sold online and others have examined e-cigarettes pricing in retail (non-Internet) settings. This study expands on these findings by examining pricing and marketing characteristics of interest among e-cigarette online vendors.


METHODS
Structured web searches were conducted from August-September 2014 to identify popular e-cigarette Internet vendors. We then collected pricing data (e-cigarette starter kits and disposables), sales tax collection policies and other vendor marketing characteristics. Average price for each product category was then compared with marketing characteristics using linear regression for continuous variables and independent t-tests for binary variables.


RESULTS
Our searches yielded 44 e-cigarette Internet vendors of which 77% (n = 34) sold a total of 238 starter kit offerings (Mprice = $55.89). Half (n = 22) sold disposable types of e-cigarettes (Mprice = $7.17 p/e-cigarette) at a price lower than reported elsewhere in retail settings. Average disposable e-cigarette prices were also significantly higher for vendors displaying more health warning notices (P = 0.001). Only 46% disclosed sales tax collection policies and only 39% collected sales tax in their state of business.


CONCLUSIONS
This study expands on current understanding of e-cigarette pricing and availability online and finds variation in e-cigarette pricing may be influenced by type of product, use of online health warnings and vendor sales tax collection policies. It also finds that e-cigarette online access and availability may be impacted by a combination of pricing and marketing strategies uniquely different from e-cigarette retail settings that requires further study and targeted policy-making. [Cuomo RE, Miner A, Mackey TK. Pricing and sales tax collection policies for e-cigarette starter kits and disposable products sold online. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015].
Global Health Policy Institute, University of California, San Diego, USA.|Joint Doctoral Program in Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA.
Raphael E
RE
Cuomo
Global Health Policy Institute, University of California, San Diego, USA.
Angela
A
Miner
Global Health Policy Institute, University of California, San Diego, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA.
Tim K
TK
Mackey
Internet sale; electronic cigarette; nicotine delivery; regulatory science; vaping