For First-Time Owners
Opening Your First Shop?
A step-by-step guide to licensing, inventory, and compliance — built from what IAK has seen work across hundreds of store openings.
Licenses Needed
Before your first order ships, you'll need the paperwork that lets you legally buy and sell. Requirements vary by state and city — check with your local licensing office for specifics.
Business license
Required in every state to legally operate a retail storefront.
Tobacco / vapor retail license
State or local license required to sell tobacco, vape, and nicotine products.
Sales tax / resale certificate
Lets you purchase inventory tax-exempt for resale and collect sales tax from customers.
Local zoning & health permits
Some municipalities require additional permits depending on your location and product mix.
Initial Inventory
A first order should cover the categories customers expect on day one, without overextending your budget on slow-moving SKUs.
Disposable vapes
Highest-turn category for most new stores — carry 3–4 leading brands across flavor lines.
E-liquids & pod systems
Core repeat-purchase category for an established customer base.
Glass & smoking accessories
Pipes, bongs, and rolling accessories — steady margin, low spoilage risk.
Rolling papers, wraps & lighters
Low-cost, high-frequency impulse items near the register.
Grinders, scales & storage
Practical accessories that pair naturally with other purchases.
Recommended Brands
Recognized names build customer trust fast. These are consistent sellers across new store openings.
RAW
Rolling papers — the category standard, near-universal customer recognition.
GRAV
Glass — reliable quality at an approachable price point.
Puffco
Devices — premium tier for customers trading up.
Zippo
Lighters — trusted brand, consistent sell-through.
RAW / OCB
Papers & wraps — broad flavor and format range.
Yocan
Vaporizers — value-tier devices for first-time buyers.
Starter Order Size
There's no single right number, but this sequence works for most first-time buyers.
Start with a $750 order
Meets the free-freight threshold and covers a workable spread across core categories.
Weight toward fast movers
Put 60–70% of budget into disposables, papers, and glass — the categories that turn fastest.
Leave room to reorder
Keep 2–3 weeks of stock rather than over-buying on day one; reorder as sell-through data comes in.
Display Recommendations
How you merchandise matters as much as what you stock. A few layout basics that consistently perform well:
Register-side impulse
Papers, lighters, and small accessories within arm's reach of checkout.
Locked glass case
Higher-value glass and devices behind glass, visible but secured.
Flavor wall for disposables
Group by brand, then flavor — customers browse flavor first.
Eye-level for bestsellers
Reserve the middle shelf band for your top 10 SKUs; restock daily.
Compliance Guidance
Compliance failures are the most common reason new stores run into trouble. These are the fundamentals.
Verify age at every sale
21+ ID check on every transaction, no exceptions — this is the single biggest compliance risk for new stores.
Know your state's product list
Some products legal in one state are restricted in another. IAK flags non-compliant items at checkout for your ship-to state.
Keep licenses current
Renewal dates vary by state and locality — set reminders well ahead of expiration.
PACT-Act recordkeeping
Retailers receiving PACT-Act-covered shipments must keep required records; IAK ships compliant paperwork with every order.
A Partner, Not Just a Supplier
Talk to a rep before you place your first order
We'll help you build a starter order sized to your space and market, and flag anything that isn't compliant in your state before it ships.
