Can't seem to convert even Camel snus users...

[Skell18]

I was so desperately addicted to cigarettes that it scared me. I really thought I was going to continue smoking until they killed me...my chest was in bad shape. I got a tin of snus and from that very day never smoked again....no withdrawal...nothing. I was using the old Odens Extra Sterk.

I was the same, snus was just that bit extra combined with snuff that did it for me, never looked back!

[Thunder_Snus]

I've actually had pretty good success with getting people to try it.
I don't try to push it to much just make people around me at work aware of it. Then when you're stuck in the office and it's -40 degrees out....they usually give in to an offer from me, rather than going to smoke.

[trebli]

I really like snus but I would definitley not say it has made stopping smokingas easy as falling
off a log. im at 2 months now without a cigarette and still finding it a real struggle , probably easier
than using a patch but not by much , for me anyway. there is the added factor ofntaking pleasure from
the snus and the different blends and so forthsomething you just dont get with nrt
, but I am still left with an enormous cigarrette shaped hole in my life which I suppose I just have to accept
snus isnt going to fill

I understand what you mean, but only because others have talked about going through what you are going through. For me, the snus experience was completely effective. I started using snus as a supplement to cigs for 4 or 5 months before I tried to stop smoking. But as soon a I quit smoking I knew by the end of the third day that snus had broken my 25 year smoking addiction. I haven't felt any cigarette craving in over 6 years.

I guess everyone is different. Hang in there, and I'll bet that the day will soon come when you won't miss the cigs too much.

[WickedKitchen]

I didn't use it to stop smoking but I tried it 'cos dip was tearing my lip apart...perhaps it was my appetite for it.

I've been successful converting two people and I currently supply them both. They're small potatoes, but Swedish snus is the only tobacco that they use now.

It's truly education on the subject. I bet when it does take off in the US, and it will, it's only a matter of time, I think it will be the younger tobacco user that moves to it. Most people are weary to try something different. After all, the three most brand-loyal things out there are Toothpaste, Mayonnaise, and Tobacco. Straight up. The younger people tend to do a little more online research on things and tend to me more open minded. I think knowing someone that uses it is key though. A problem might be if the younger user goes to it, the big tobacco in the US will use the older generation and might even prompt the media to shun the product "for the sake of the children". Sure, some will progress from snus to cigs, but a heck of a lot more will go the other way.

I'd guess that less than 10% of the population even knows what it is in the US. Half of those pronounce it wrongly snus doesn't rhyme with bus! A health professional that I spoke to recently didn't even know what it was and said that it must be the same as chew 'cos you put it in your mouth.

You think snus is weird...try taking a snuff bump in front of co-workers. It makes for great conversation, let me tell ya.

Go RickCharles...conquer the world!

[rickcharles606]

I didn't use it to stop smoking but I tried it 'cos dip was tearing my lip apart...perhaps it was my appetite for it.

I've been successful converting two people and I currently supply them both. They're small potatoes, but Swedish snus is the only tobacco that they use now.

It's truly education on the subject. I bet when it does take off in the US, and it will, it's only a matter of time, I think it will be the younger tobacco user that moves to it. Most people are weary to try something different. After all, the three most brand-loyal things out there are Toothpaste, Mayonnaise, and Tobacco. Straight up. The younger people tend to do a little more online research on things and tend to me more open minded. I think knowing someone that uses it is key though. A problem might be if the younger user goes to it, the big tobacco in the US will use the older generation and might even prompt the media to shun the product "for the sake of the children". Sure, some will progress from snus to cigs, but a heck of a lot more will go the other way.

I'd guess that less than 10% of the population even knows what it is in the US. Half of those pronounce it wrongly snus doesn't rhyme with bus! A health professional that I spoke to recently didn't even know what it was and said that it must be the same as chew 'cos you put it in your mouth.

You think snus is weird...try taking a snuff bump in front of co-workers. It makes for great conversation, let me tell ya.

Go RickCharles...conquer the world!

You're definitely right about "younger tobacco users" moving to it more quickly. The 20-45yr old demographic is one that has been shown to be early adopters, better educated and faaaar more likely to research a product via the internet than older people. This is the age group that I personally try to appeal to and educate at trade shows and snus events that I do. If we can get this group onboard, they will bring the other demographics onboard by teaching them about snus too. This is ALSO a great reason to have sites like this and SnusCentral.

You're also very close on the percentage of people in the US that know about Swedish snus, but it's growing....thankfully. 5yrs ago when I began doing trade shows, NO ONE and I do mean, NO ONE knew what Swedish snus was, and now I actually have people come up who know the brands that we carry. It actually makes me feel like I'm making a dent, lol...but truth is, I need volumes of snus being sold in the US to increase 10 fold, so the biggest portion of work is still to come.

I'd ask everyone here to go to your local retailer/tobacconist and tell them to call me, or get me their info and I'll have our sale team contact them. That way, you can buy Thunder, Offroad, Jakobbson's and Oden's locally. Many of you have already given me info and we've been successful in most cases, and not so successful in others, but in time..every retailer will want to carry Swedish snus.

[Burnsey]

according to my calculations from the info in your post Dan. I think you must be the oldest member of snuson. Congratulations mate.

I feel a bit better now. There are a few of us that are old but ....dam.....none that I know of that are THAT old.
again, congrats. But this time for making it in this messed up world for so long. Keep it up.

....and he's still rocking the Ducati....right on Dan!

[rickcharles606]

....and he's still rocking the Ducati....right on Dan!

This is exactly what I was thinking.

[TheBlackVomit]

This is all true but my point was that these guys were already willing to accept snus somewhat even though it s just camel.
The main thing I've noticed its that nobody believes me about the safety factor, especially smokers...

[rickcharles606]

When I smoked, I KNEW that cigarettes were killing me, and so does EVERY smoker. I just didn't need to hear from someone else, something that I already knew. It was a constant reminder of my failures at trying to give up smokes, and that I was RJR's bitch, lol. Once I was truly ready to quit, I tried Camel snus and it didn't curb my cravings, and it was very sweet. I researched Swedish snus and found SOOOO many brands, styles and strengths of snus. Shortly thereafter I ordered some and quit smoking in a week.

My point in all this is that people have to "BE" ready to hear what you're saying. We inherently want to talk about snus with those people we care about, but sometimes these people aren't ready. I'm on the frontlines of bringing Swedish snus to the US brick and mortar shops, and gaining acceptance from consumers is paramount. Early on, I talked to EVERYONE, and it was almost to the point of badgering sometimes. I finally realized that we lead by example, and only gently give a pull/push to people when they show interest. It's far more successful. Sometimes you can just offer a can of snus and tell them to go online and read all the clinical studies and forums for themselves. I've done this countless times, only to get emails months later asking why I hadn't mentioned it sooner, lol. People are weird....I am that's for sure.

Keep at it, and remember not to sound condescending. People never like to hear they've been doing it wrong or that they don't know what they are talking about. We were once that person :-)

[trebli]

Rick, I've heard that Camel currently holds about 70% of the US snus market. The other 30% is split between Skoal, Marlboro and the Swedish brands. Do these numbers seem about right to you?

[rickcharles606]

Rick, I've heard that Camel currently holds about 70% of the US snus market. The other 30% is split between Skoal, Marlboro and the Swedish brands. Do these numbers seem about right to you?

Close, the last numbers I saw were Camel- 80%, SM-15% and the remaining points split between the rest. The total market was only around $200M at year end, but expected to have near flat growth next year due to the popularity of e-cigs right now. I'll be working on stealing marketshare from everyone else :-)

[DanF]

Close, the last numbers I saw were Camel- 80%, SM-15% and the remaining points split between the rest. The total market was only around $200M at year end, but expected to have near flat growth next year due to the popularity of e-cigs right now. I'll be working on stealing marketshare from everyone else :-)

Rick

Something you might also want to think about when trying to further promote and broaden the Swedish Snus market:

E-Cigs and Vaping (whatever) have already cornered the "cool" aspect to the younger demographic consumer. If cool is the correct word regarding any of this. And cool is generally still a catch word in advertising.

However, if it were me trying to capture a bigger market for Swedish Snus: I would aim at the "secretive" aspect for satisfying a very personal craving.

E-Cigs etc. are a very much "in your face", use of nicotine consumption to the public.

The Politically Correct wave sweeping (and I use "sweeping" mildly) this country today is on a huge band wagon to have the rest of society also march to their every single GD step.

Snus beats them all to the "punch".

I'd push the "clean" aspect of using an enjoyable product designed to not only free people from smoking but also to enjoy (in privacy with no one scolding them) a product that is varied, and relativly safe.

Actually, I think you are on the cusp of finding a giant market in this country.

Some day we'll be reading stories about this Rick Charles guy who turned the US consumer into a market comparable to that of Sweden.

I plan on being around (if the bike allows) to see it all happen.

Dan

P.S.

I left out a rather important point re: Snus as compared to Dip.

The Dip consumer is generally a consumer you should not be going after. For many reasons which I won't go into but should be evident to you.

Don't beat the drums for the "Dipper".

Go to a much more "specific" consumer, Rick.

[Frosted]

Also when people ask what it is you're putting in your mouth and you say "snoose" it sounds pretty naff. If it had a cooler name it would have more of a chance to catch on. But even then the English always say I'm not putting those tea bags in my mouth.

[resnor]

I'm a former dipper. I snus almost exclusively now. I can use it anywhere, at anytime, and no one has to know. I love dipping, though, there's something about it, the spitting I guess, that snus doesn't fill. Anyway,I have been successful at converting about 5 people I work with to snus, but it was the Jakobsson's Melon that got them! That is a key, I believe, getting a flavor like melon into the U.S. People can acclimate to snus through a strong flavored snus, and will eventually branch out to other more traditional flavors.

[DanF]

I'm a former dipper. I snus almost exclusively now. I can use it anywhere, at anytime, and no one has to know. I love dipping, though, there's something about it, the spitting I guess, that snus doesn't fill. Anyway,I have been successful at converting about 5 people I work with to snus, but it was the Jakobsson's Melon that got them! That is a key, I believe, getting a flavor like melon into the U.S. People can acclimate to snus through a strong flavored snus, and will eventually branch out to other more traditional flavors.

+1

Dan