Google advertising strangling the e-cig industry?

[Rickajho]

I'm on the DealExtreme mailing list. Not that I buy much of anything e-cigarette there but I found this recent e-mail from them rather troubling:

Dear DX customer,

As you may have noticed, DX has removed all of its e-cigarette products from DealeXtreme - Cool Gadgets at the Right Price - DX Free Shipping Worldwide. Google had informed us several times to stop selling e-cigs or even e-cig accessories if we want to continue promoting our website using their advertising channels.

Despite our love for e-cigs, we have to conform to Google's policy because advertising with them is a very important marketing tool for us. So, to stay on the right side of Google’s policies we had no choice but to remove all e-cig associated products.

For the last several months, we have received many concerned emails from our customers requesting a way to buy e-cigs and accessories again. Luckily, after a very productive conversation with Google, we learned that we can still sell those products using a different domain in which no Google advertising would be used as a promotion method. That inspired us to quickly build a new website that could deliver the e-cig products and services that many of you asked for. We recently completed the site and wish to invite you to visit: Ashgone - Cheap Electronic Cigarette, eGo, e-Hookah and accessories online store

This DX affiliated site is the best place on the internet to get deals on the latest and greatest in e-cig technology and accessories. Please take a moment to look around the new site and enjoy our product offerings. Since the site is so new, it’s still a bit rough around the edges but all the essential elements such as ordering, payment, and delivery are perfectly functional now. In the coming days we will be updating the site content and adding even more features so check back often!

We look forward to this exciting new avenue to bring more and more e-cig products to our customers.

Thank you!
DX.com

Really!?

Has anyone heard of this policy regarding Google advertising? Is there a .list of secret Google morality clauses we don't know about?

Would be interested to hear from any retailers if they have had any interaction with google regarding this policy.

 

[AaronY]

first I heard of it. Strange.

 

[WillyZee]

looks like a clever sales tactic by DX

 

[Rickajho]

looks like a clever sales tactic by DX

I don't think so. Why would they create confusion and frustration for their customer base by moving a product line to a completely different web site "just because." Not being able to find product where you have always found it doesn't sound all that clever.

 

[classwife]

sneaky takeover ?

Have you asked DX directly if this email is really from them ?


edit to add...the is no notice on the site at all

 

[Miata GT]

I can't speak to your case but I use Google pretty much exclusively for searches on equipment and never have a problem finding anything including: YouTube reviews, pics, and even links to ECF threads.

 

[WillyZee]

I don't think so. Why would they create confusion and frustration for their customer base by moving a product line to a completely different web site "just because." Not being able to find product where you have always found it doesn't sound all that clever.

the obvious reason to me is ... eCigs were buried on a massive website cluttered with everything under the sun.

why not market a booming industry outside of their usual wares ... starting with email marketing to all their present eCig mailing list.

 

[Rickajho]

sneaky takeover ?

Have you asked DX directly if this email is really from them ?


edit to add...the is no notice on the site at all

Having been on their mailing list for at least a couple years - yup it is. I even looked at the e-mail source code for the server it came from - same as always.

After poking at google - yes, e-cigarettes are banned from google advertising:

https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/176038?hl=en&ref_topic=1310883

In a very broad manner they lump e-cigarettes in with tobacco as banned items.

Then the problem for a place like DX appears to be trying to sell e-cigs on a site that includes a ton of other broad categories of merchandise and exclude the e-cig category from google advertising in the process?

Looking at google advertising terms I didn't realize there are as many restrictions as there are.

It's a bit of a paradox: You can use Google to find any e-cig item you could ever want - just don't you dare try to advertise them with Google.

 

[fiKnight]

first I heard of it. Strange.

Sweet pic!

 

[miroko]

Sweet pic!

It would look awesome on a t-shirt

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

Probably a trend, google, ebay and who knows what other sites are now lumping e-cigs into the tobacco industry. I guess it is nearing the time to change the e-cig label to something not so close to the tobacco industry.

 

[nyiddle]

Probably a trend, google, ebay and who knows what other sites are now lumping e-cigs into the tobacco industry. I guess it is nearing the time to change the e-cig label to something not so close to the tobacco industry.

I prefer "Personalized Electronic Nicotine Inhalation System" over e-cig, but that's just me.

 

[dragonpuff]

I prefer "Personalized Electronic Nicotine Inhalation System" over e-cig, but that's just me.

At least that goes well with some of the drip tips they sell on fasttech... you know, the ones that look like they themselves should be battery powered??

 

[randyith]

Goggle Adwords has banned ecigs for over 2 1/2 years. Same with juice and accessories.

 

[this is my name]

I prefer "Personalized Electronic Nicotine Inhalation System" over e-cig, but that's just me.

you're kidding right? So you're puffing on a P.E.N.I.S.?

 

[Nate760]

you're kidding right? So you're puffing on a P.E.N.I.S.?

 

[nyiddle]

you're kidding right? So you're puffing on a P.E.N.I.S.?

Oops! I didn't even realize that! How about this:

Nicotine Operated Standard Hit Inhaling Tube

 

[Nate760]

Maybe TIMN would prefer this: "Substitutional Nicotine Activated Tobacco Cigarette Homologizer."

 

[turbocad6]

you're kidding right? So you're puffing on a P.E.N.I.S.?

 

[sonicdsl]

Maybe TIMN would prefer this: "Substitutional Nicotine Activated Tobacco Cigarette Homologizer."

Uhmmm...