Rolling Papers & Wraps Are A Steady Seller For Smoke Shops

For any smoke shop, rolling papers are one of the most requested products and have a quick return on investment (ROI). Whether your customers are looking to roll their own tobacco cigarettes or legal herb cigarettes, rolling papers are a necessity for any well-stocked smoke shop. They have a relatively low cost, especially when purchased wholesale from a distributor like MWI, and they are some of the most common impulse purchases for your customers, along with lighters, ashtrays, and other small counter items. When selling rolling papers, it is always a good idea to stock a wide variety. There are a ton of different kinds of papers, and oftentimes experienced or repeat customers will come in looking for a specific type or even a certain brand. Here is a quick rundown of the main types of rolling papers out there, so you know which products to keep in stock and so your customer base knows that your shop is the ideal stop for even the pickiest consumers.

Rolling Paper Pros

Let us start with the basics: what are rolling papers? When rolling your own cigarettes or other smokables, there are a few different options available. The first is your classic rolling papers—thin papers that can be wrapped around ground tobacco or herbs and easily smoked. Papers can come in a few different materials, including wood pulp, rice paper, hemp, flax, or even 24K gold leaf mixed with wood pulp. Other than specialty papers like 24K gold papers, typical rolling papers are extremely affordable. Rolling papers are easily found at any smoke shop and come super cheap, often as low as $1 or so for about 50 papers. This is great for new or inexperienced smokers that may need multiple tries to roll a cigarette without tearing the paper. It is also a draw for frequent smokers who do not want to spend a lot of money on coverings. Rolling papers are also extremely customizable, which is another draw for experienced smokers. With papers, you can control the size of the smokable right down to the milligram. Also, by choosing different materials and thicknesses of rolling papers, the speed of the burn is customizable as well as the taste of the paper. Be sure to stock up on rolling papers of all types of materials, thicknesses, and brands because experienced smokers tend to roll with a specific rolling paper—so make sure you have the papers that your customers want!

Rolling Paper Cons

Of course, rolling papers are not the perfect solution for everyone. There are a few key downsides that make rolling custom smokables an inconvenient or difficult experience. The main downside of rolling papers is that they can be tricky to use for beginners. Rolling a cigarette or other smokable by hand is not easy and requires a ton of practice. That means that inexperienced smokers may want to avoid papers, especially if they are not interested in putting in the time and effort to improve their rolling skills. Rolling a smokable with papers is also time-consuming, even for an experienced smoker, so some people are not interested in spending all day rolling before they can even start to smoke. This increased rolling difficulty is even more noticeable with a material like rice paper, which is a lot trickier to work with than the thicker and more easily rolled hemp and wood pulp papers.

Rolling Paper Brands

A well-stocked smoke shop or smoke shop distributor should have a wide variety of brands and styles in their paper selection. The most popular brand around is RAW with hemp papers in a ton of different sizes and thicknesses, so make sure you are fully stocked with a major variety. In addition to papers, RAW sells a ton of other smoking accessories, including grinders, ashtrays, rolling trays, lighters, and rolling machines that make the process a lot easier. Some other popular brands include Zig Zag, Juicy Jay’s, and Randy’s. Zig Zag is the classic dependable rolling paper that all your customers both smokers and non-smokers will probably have heard of. Randy’s papers feature a wire in each rolling paper that acts as a convenient handle so you can smoke your whole rolled cigarette without burning your hands. Juicy Jay’s has the advantage of a wide range of flavor options. If you want to offer a more in-depth selection of sizes in thinner papers, consider picking up some Elements papers as well that are made of thin rice paper. Elements are also known for their variety of sizes, which makes them a great choice for more customized smokables.

Paper Cone Pros

To cater to less experienced smokers or anyone looking to light up without trouble, your smoke shop should carry a selection of paper cones as well. Unlike rolling papers, paper cones come pre-rolled, so all you need to do is grind some tobacco or herbs, sprinkle in the ground up material, and seal up the cone. This makes cones a great option for beginners. Learning to roll cigarettes takes a long time, even with a rolling machine, so pre-rolled cones are a popular choice for people just getting started. They are also uniform in size and shape, so a beginner can always know exactly how much they are going to smoke. Paper cones also have an advantage in the convenience department with their simplicity. Even an experienced smoker is going to take a while to roll up some smokables, but a paper cones can be filled in only a minute or two, which makes them great when your customers are in a hurry. Finally, pre-rolled cones can make a fun novelty item, which is especially relevant for you as a smoke shop owner. Customers looking to have some fun and buy a novelty foot-long smokable are generally willing to pay a little extra for the experience, so stocking uncommon sizes of cones is a great idea.

Paper Cone Cons

Just like rolling papers, paper cones are not for everyone. For example, the more experienced smokers may choose rolling papers over paper cones due to the larger number of customizations available with rolling papers over paper cones. Typically, experienced smokers will prefer to choose smokables of any size instead of being stuck with the cone sizes you have available at the shop. Cones can also be more expensive than papers, which is more of a downside for the customer than it is for you the business owner. When purchased wholesale, pre-rolled cones can be a very profitable product for the smoke shop owner, but some smokers may prefer to avoid the higher cost of the cones. Paper cones can also be crushed more easily, which is potentially an issue for both the consumer and the seller. If you stock pre-rolled cones, make sure they are handled with an appropriate amount of care!

Paper Cone Brands

RAW cones are by far the most popular brand, but there are a few different options for pre-rolled cones that you may want to stock. Blazy Susan is a Denver-based smoke shop distributor that has become popular for their rolling trays, but their pink papers will be sure to grab the eye of your potential customers. Other popular brands include classic Zig Zag cones, unbleached OCB cones, and stylish Shine 24K Gold cones. High Hemp has the advantage of offering multiple flavors of their paper cones. With so many diverse smoking options, it is a wise choice to offer a large variety of paper cones for your customers as well.

Leaf Wrap Pros

In addition to rolling papers and pre-rolled cones, many smoke shops also stock cigar wraps that can be used for tobacco or any other smokable herb. You can find wraps in hemp, mint, palm, cellulose, and wood. This makes them a great option for a wide variety of smokes.

Leaf Wrap Cons

There are only minor cons when it comes to leaf wraps. Since the wraps tend to be on the large side, they are best suited for heavier smokers. This includes those who roll their own cigars.

Leaf Wrap Brands

Some of the most common wrap brands include King Palm made from Cordia leaf, Minty’s made from mint leaves, Karma made from hemp by Zig Zag brands, and High Hemp also made from hemp but with many flavor options. If you are looking to be the one-stop solution for your customers, it is worth keeping a variety of wraps in stock as well.

Whatever the size and selection of your smoke shop, it is a great idea to learn as much as you can about rolling papers, cones, and wraps. These items will be some of your most popular products, so making sure you are experienced and knowledgeable about papers, cones, and wraps will go a long way towards bringing in customers. If you are looking to pick up smoke shop supplies or accessories wholesale, especially in the Houston area, give MWI a try. We have a vast selection of products, including all the brands mentioned in this article and much more. At MWI, we have everything you need to get your smoke shop up and running and then take it to the next level.